Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1884-03-06
COURT WEEK In CATAWBA.
THE RAPID GROWTH OF ITS COUN-
TY SEAT.
Newton, a Prosperous Town It's Manu-
featuring Concerns and Leading Bus
iness Men, Etc.

StdU CO1TeslocAdence OF me iSentl71et-
NEWTON, n. c., Feb. 26, 1851
The Superior Court is in session here,
Judge Shipp presiding, with numbers
of lawyers and newspaper men in at
tendance. The docket is full of cases,
none of which, however are of any es-
pecial interest to the general reader.
Your correspondent was surprised and
gratifed at the size and increasing
prosperity of Newton, which now has
population of about twelve hundred.
1t is situated on the Western North
Carolina Railroad, about seventy five
miles from Salisbury, and is the ter
minus of the Chester q Lenoir Mar
row Guage Railroad. The latter was
completed about year ago, and since
which event, Newton has manifested
unmistakable signs Of growth and fut
ure Importance. Within the past three
years the population has increased al
most fifty percent, while its mercantile
concerns have kept pace with the pop
ulation. Until couple of years ago
there was not brick store in the
place, while at present, there are sew
eral fine looking, two and three story
buildings that would reflect credit on
larger places.
Mr. Vance Yount, the popular pro-
prietor of the Yount House, does an
extensive business in general mer-
chandise, likewise Mr.. w. O. Sheriff.,
who in addition, has a stock of ready
made clothing. Mr.. j. r. Gather
carries fine line Of dry goods and
clothing to the amount of $4,000,
and slso deals largely in grain. He
began in 1880 and is now doing a
thriving business. Messrs Ramseur &
Wilson are the leading wholesale and
retail grocers, and Mr.. w. II. VII
liams has the whole field to himself in
hardware, or rather being the only
house which sells hardware exclusive
ly. He does large business which is
rapidly increasing its proportions.
Mr.. Geo. A. Lowe, a young man Of
energy and progressiveness, unmistak-
ably leads in the drug business. We
found him most clever gentleman,
polite to all and studiously attentive
to the wants of his patrons. His very
attractive place Of business in the first
floor of the Yount House, is neatly
and conveniently arranged, having
separate apartments for the various
lines of goods. Besides very careful
ly selected stock Of pure drugs, Mr..
Lowe keeps all the nice little things
needed for toilette purposes also, a
full supply Of paints and oils, and
farmers seeds, together with a choice
stock of bookstore articles. Ripe bus
mess experience, a thorough acquaiRt-
ance with the drug trade, and fine
stock, coupled with energy and clev-
erness (to the last of which your cor,
respondent feels endebted) has result
ed in building up, since 1881, splen-
did business, which bids fair to attain
more than local note.
Newton, unlike most of the Western
towns, has not yet partaken Of a man
ufacturing boom, still there is suffi
cient neuclus here, around which will
be built a large number of industrial
concerns ere many years have gone
There is cotton factory owned by 8
join stock company, Of which Mr.. w
FL. Williams is President. 1t began
about a year ago, is operated by steam
and employs twenty-five or thirty
hands and makes No. 20 warps anc
skeins. 1t has a capacity of 700 pounds
per day, consuming in year abou
255,500 pounds Of cotton. The man
ufactured goods are sold almost exclu
sively in Northern Markets, and thu
: demand for their work is now so grea
they are unable to keep pace with it
and we are led to believe that an en-
largement will soon be found necessa
ry.
!. Mr.. J. T. Finger gentleman Will
capital and experience will shortly erec
J machine shop and will manufacture
agricultural implements. There ar
two steam Touring mills in Newton
owned and operated, one by Mr.
Rhyme Mehafey, the other b.
Cline & Killian. These mills eacl
grind and prepare for shipping abou
fifty bushels of wheat per day.
The .Catawba High School is LOCATED
here and is under the supervision Prof
Capp who is assisted by an ethcien
i, corps of teachers.
There are two very good hotels here
the Yount.House aud the "Boss," tn
first named being the most pop
ular, owned and conducted by MI
Vance Yount who spares no pains t
promote the comforts of ther guests.
G.. T. CoUHrEE