Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-06-15
ROANOKE ISLANDS FUTURE.
From Economist.

settlement of the English speaking
race Of America continent was at
Roanoke Island. Il was not a per-
manent settlement, but nothing is
permanent here. 1t was settlement,
household affairs were raised and
there was a record of birth there
and baptism, and a city $50 called
was laid, the foundations of which
still remain-the City Of Raleigh.
This was more than three centuries
ago, at which time the City of Raj
eigh was the largest, the most popu-
lous and the most important city
Inhabited by the pale face race, in
America, for it was the only city or
town in America. They held the
fort for a time, for it was a fortified
city, the City of Raleigh, and then
they persisted and past from the
knowledge and almost from the mem
DRY of man. A centuary and more
passed and the place where was
founded the City of Raleigh. was
unchanged save in the crumbling
ruins Of the primeyal proto city. the
war dance Of the savage echoed its
revelry among the sand dunes, saw
age rites and ceremonies and super
stitions prevailed, human sacrifices
were offered on savage affairs TO
appease the wrath OF heather deities.
But the great wheel Of time was
revolving in cycle, but Roanoke
Island was still invisible on its
periphery. At length the dim twi
light Of civilization began to dawn
A sturdy race came on as if devei
oped By process of evolution from
the wild MOSES and linchens of
savage primeval epoch. First, few
adventurous i5hermen dried their
nets upon its barren sands, they
planted weirs, they hunted wild fowl,
they gathered oysters, they used
prlmative implements, and then the
rays Of the coming civilization sho
up from the horizon and the pale face
race increased and multiplied and
replenished. But the wheel of timl
moved along steadily but often irreg
ularly, in that calendar which reckons
time by days Of a thousand years
duration. But now Roanoke Island.
the mother Of Christian settlement
in America, the epic Of America civ
ilzation, is putting on the robes OF
manhood in the glare of day and
Manteo is the successor Of the
ancient City of Raleigh not so well
located for water and harbor, located
where it is for personal advantage
and interest, but with all its disad
vantages of location, growing into q
town Of commercial importance, with |
a future, not distant, before which |
centres Of trade in Eastern Carolina
will diminish in importance. Manteo |
is now doing q considerable trade in
merchandise and the fish trade, but If
it were situated on the west side of
the Island with a harbOr of deeper |
water and more in the channel OF
trade it would develop. rapidly
develop and become an important
centre of trade. L would be the
emporium of the vast oyster and fish
trade OF the lower Sounds of Eastern
Carolina, a trade which is but in its
infancy but destine ed to become the
most important in the State and
auxiliary to this the land is to become
the great market garden of the coast,
with soil peculiarly adapted to early
vegetables, and with a population of
robust men and women, densely
settled, ind stFious and thrifty. Man
teo, situated where it is will never
become the great commercial centre
of Carolina s inland seas that it would
be if situated on the deeper waters
of the western shore of the island.
MAI STEDM SPEAKS