Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-02
DURHAMS GROWTH.
RAPID PROGRESS or A NORTH CARO-
LIMA TOWN.
From 2cs TO 6,7s7 Populations In Fifteen
Years-Growing Manufactures ana
Business Hntsrprises-Edu.
cation, &c.
,r..r,,s.,..o f,ns R,cnmon0 Dispason.

fCorrsepondence ofthe Richmond D,speson'l
DURHAM, June 1, 1886.
The Government OF the United states
has called for statistics showing the increase
N nopula.iop and material wealth OF the
country. and we have seen this Information
In advance in the public prints for several
ci,ies. and for the Information OF those In.
terested In the growth and prosperity oil
our town we give few extracts from the
report sent 10 Rev. G. II. Wiley, the Stalls
Iician appointed TO collect this information,
The population of Durham was In 1870
White and colored, 256; 1880, white and
colored, 2,100; 1885, white and coiored'
| 5.767, which gives us per cent. OF increase
for the last fifteen years OF 1850, and In
the last five years Of 275 per cent.
ASSESSMENT.
The property assessed for taxation
amounted In 1870 to $4,000; In 1880, to
$685., 900; in 1885, 10 S3,2S6,O0O.
MANUFACTURES.
The amount invested in manufactures In
1870 was $4,000; in 1885, s2,1IO,OOO-
showing the marvellous increase OF SZ,ifo'.
COa in fifteen years. The retail trade OF
our merchants in 1885 was ss5o,0J0; the
wholesale trade was 300, 900; cotton and
fertilizers, s250,000.
BANKS.
In 1870 there was not bank IN our
town. our hacking business being all trans
scted in the city Of Raleigh, twenty-six
miles east Of this place. In 1885 we had
two banks, with capital OF 100000 and
banking resources Of $4,000.
FACTORIES.
- ...,o,, "a, fI,,.oa with an
annual value Of products amounting To
81. csc. 600. In these the principal pro-
duct is smoking tobacco, but we men,
ton among our factories large cotton
mill OF about 5000 spindles, and wooden
mill which turns out thousands OF shuttles,
bobbins. and other findings for c0tton-mills.
In these factories are employed ,Oi7 whites
and 4CS blacks, whose wages average 1913
per week; but this does not include man
ayers, foTcmen, engineers, machinists, or
clciks.
EDUCATION.
The value OF school properly Is $500.
We have a graded school which embraces
10 its range OF studies English, mathe-
MATES. Lstin, French, and the sciences.
The number Of people embraced in our
school facilities Is about 1000. This in
cludes the graded school. two private semi
naries, and three public schools for the
colored population. The appropriation Tor
school purposes is one 18th Of l per cent.
on property and 60 cents on each poll, In
ADDITION TO the common-scbool and Pea
body funds.
wATER-wOIKs, &C.
Our commissioners have recently closed
a contract. for water by which our town
will he supplied with 100 gallons OF pure
water per capita per day, with eighty by.
dranls for fire purposes, atan annual rental
Il a 900. We are already supplied with
eloctric.lieh.s on all princlDal streets, and
new railroad has been projected to Lynch
burg, the SURVEYS having already been sr-
r.ne ed, and work will soon be commenced.
so that this year more viii be expended Tor
public improvements than In any OF the pre-
ceding years. All his enterprise and rapid
growth may be attributed mainly to our
great Slaplc--tObacco. II has produced
.reaier results than cotton or any other OF
our chief articles of trade, and will con-
t;nrc 20 increase The wealth Of this growing
town, .1