The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-10-25
WAKE COUNTY DAY.
THE EXHIBIT MADE BY THE
cor STY AT THE EXPOSITION
\ Brief Statement of the Condition
and Outlook in the County and the

City.
Although Wake IS the capital county Of
the state and the richest: although ii j.
one of the oldest Of all the counties: al
though It has always been prosperous aud
always had the advantage that the Capital
city gives it; although it has ALWAYS been
the home of many Of our leading people
and families: although a portion Of It's
soil long ago under the old system OF
agriculture was thought TO be exhausted
and producc1 nothing but red mud the
truth Is, Wake county within the last few
years for the first time became aware of
its possibilities, and in many respects it
is as virgin as if it had recently been dis
covered
This indicates the variety Of opportuui-
ties that even the older parts OF the South
offer. Why, not more than half the Yau-
able timber in this county has been touch
ed; and there are townships within easy
reach Of Raleigh as q market that have
not more than one-third of the land clear
ed. The very waterp power in the county
is not Yet all utilized. All that We nave
done this city the smaller towns. the
farms, the manufacturers, everything
may fairly be called surface work. and
the period of our full develoI Ilnent is only
Just now beginning.
There have been successful plantations
in Wake for a hundred years: and Vet this
year the most profitable crop that our soil
produces was planted for the first time
There are portions of the county that fifty
years ago were given over to old tield pines
and gulleys, and yet the most successful
farming that has ever been done is doue
noW-some of it on these Old lands Even
our own people are likely to forget these
facts
Take another view of it, From the
earliest times there have been successful
and famous schools in Raleigh, and as
cultivated society as there was any
where, and yet within an hours ride of
the Capitol, there are iiliterate whites, and
there are men in the county who never
rode on a railroad ear With all the actual
and possible wealth Of the county, a
creditable courthouse and jail was built
only the other day. We are Just beginning
the development of our land and Of our
people
II agriculture .'.erc is The same variety
Of chances that there are in the younger
counties s-With this additional advantage:
that mere is an established market and a
long settled and rich community. The
staple product hitherto has been cotton
and IS cotton now; but the introduction
Of tobacco this gear marks g aaW era in
FARMING: and tho extension OF the to-
baccO area viii ultimately cover Il large
portion OF the Wake county uplands. On
Our low lands corn grows as we'll aS it
grows anyN here: and all the vegetable
and root crolts flourish. Besides these,
tbs cultivation Of the grasses IS a great
possibility ;,il, has Vet ll;.Id V begun; and
along with thi5 viii come dairy farms,
and truck farms and a general improve
ment in the stock.
Already the farmers Of Wake are as
Well-todO as the farmers III any of our
older counties. The Improvement in ag
riculture Of recent years has been gradual
but noteworthy fact that is easily
proved by the universal appreciation in
the price Of land. Thirty years ago q
Wake county farmer bought 2100 acres of
good farming land within two hours ride
of this city Five years ago he divided
the tract among his seven children, and
every one OF these tracts Of 300 acres sold
for mo:e than the original tract brought.
To-day third Of one of these tracts
would sell for more than the original 2100
acres brought 80 years ago. And there is
no local. reason for such appreciation of
value it Is only the gradual advance of
the country and the county. There is the
same chance for progressive farmers in
Wake county as there is elsewhere in the
State; and the variety Of the soil is so
great bat almost every crop grows to per
fection III some part OF the county.
There have always been manufacturers
to a certain extent: bat the manufactures
in the city fRaleigh have increased with
in the last two years at least 300 per
cent. The old wood working establish
ments in Raleigh which built the town
Inr u rll l,, ain
toric Briggs shops in their long period of
usefulness, and those that have come
later ellington, Royster K Co., and the
rest) but prepared the way for the estab-
lishment of the Car Company's works,
which has carried the working Of wood to
more extensive and ambitious extent
than ever before. Indicating the same
gradual growth, the iron working estab-
lishments have increas3d-the Allen &
Cram works now being much larger than
any of its predecessors. Meanwhile the
Raleigh & CASTOR SHOPS have been the
training school for many Of oGr best me-
chanics and have kept pace with the in
creaslng requirements OF the road and its
continual improvement, and its branching
out.
These heavier manufactures Indicate
the solid and steady advancement OF the
city. It is not pertinent {and certainly
not pOssible) III this connection to enumer
ate the manufacturing establishments in
the county but It IS proper to point out
how their recent increase demonstrates
the fact that we are only beginning our
career. The truth Of the whole matter IS
almost everything is and can be proiitaby
manufactured here. The drift Of our re-
cent development shows tnat this city is
destined to be one of tie mos; important