The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-11-08
ASHENILLE MATTERS.
HOW HAMI.E:TS ARE CONVI:R-
TED INTO CITIES.
4 II Interview with an Intelligent
Gentleman, WHO Talks Freely of
Affairs In Which all our Citizens
Should Feel "a Lively Interest.

!
For several days past a gentleman OF
most agreeable appearance may have been
seen leisurely strollng around this town
and evidently taking pains to form just
opinion Of the things about him.
a reporter of this paper was so happy
as to make the visitors acquaintance on
yesterday, and the conversation which
cnsued was so thoroughly enjoyed by the
poor scribe that he is confident that his
readers will he gratifed by a repetition
of those portions which stick in his mem
orv. If it were possible to repeat the
whole verbatim the space de- ,ted to ii
would be well used, but the strangers
modesty was too great to allow a note
book to appear, and his permission to
give brief synopsis could only be OBJ
tained on the pledge of concealmcnt OF
his name and residence.
After the salutatiOnS customary be
tween gentlemen followed the customary
remark:
Charming weather we hav,
to-day, Mr.. A.
MIR. A.-lndced you may say charming
and safely use any stronger adjective
without risk of being charged with ex-
travagance of expression. In fact, Twas
induced to visit this section by seeing the
meteorological reports of DR.. Won Ruck
which regret are no longer published
They contain statistics which every man
i'll this State should endcavor to spread
abroad
Reporter-Why, sir, you surprise me
Some of our readers complained that
they were dry and lacking inintcrest.
Mr.. A.-On the contrary they were of
deep interest to me, and to many in my
neighborhood, | took particular pains
to compare them with the reports from
other stations, and as result | decided
to come mere, partly on account of my
health, which was beginning to be deli
cate, and a stay at one OF your comfort
able hotels for three weeks has enabled
this delightful climate to be thoroughly
enjoyed, and my improvement has been
most marvellous.
Reporter-l'am gratiiied to learn that
THE CITIZEN is read in your distant
home.
Mr.. Alt is indeed, and no better pa.
per is read there, nor elsewhere. Indeed
cannot express my surprise to find a
daily of its character in an inland town
of the size Of Ashevillc. | can scarcely
see how it can be supported.
Reporter-Oh, sir, you discourage me.
We have all, from editor to devil an in
tense interest in our paper, and hoped
that it would meet with the degree Of
support it deserved. None of us ask any
thing more in its behalf
Mr.. A-Well, did not intend any dis
enlargement, but know how difficult it
is to duCe many men to see their true
interest, or to realize that Sc paid for an
annual subscription to a reallive, sincere,
respectable paper is destined to bring
them a larger return, by many fold, than
any other investment they can make.
Now would like to ask you, if it is not
taking a liberty, how many of your mer-
chants have THE CITIZEN each morning
left at their place Of business and also at
their residence?
Reporter-I regret to say, sir, the num-
Der is very small All of them seem to
cherish friendly relations to us, but they
think it enough to have one copy for the
use of all their clerks, and then take what
is lett of it home at night to their wives
and children.
Mr.. A.-Exactly. am not surprised
at your statement. This feeling prevails
in almost all small towns. have in my
life known only very few cases where it
was otherwise, and in these the develop
mcnt of every material interest was most
rapid and continuous. OF course these
towns possessed great natural advant-
ages, but none any greater than those OF
Ashevile. They, however, appreciated
the Importance of making known these
advantages, and that there was no wis
dom in spasmodic attempt at writing
up, as it is usually called; spending hun
dreds of dollars for column in some
metropolitan journal. This docSno good.
But regular plain statement of facts,
day after day, accomplishes wonders.
Indeed, were a resident of Asheville |
should at once set about providing
means to have THE DAILY CITIZEN sent
i'll all directions, regularly, to prominent
men in every town in the United States.
After a complimentary of six months
you would be astonished at the number
of those who would become regular sub.
scribers. Provided, always, that your
paper continues to deserve it as it now
does. And YOU would also be surprised
to see the number of good, valuable i'm.
migrants who would thus be induced to
visit you, and in many cases TO become
residents.
Reporter-What is the impression made
upon you by the business outlook ot
Ashcville?
Mr.. A.-Well, cannot say that was
extravagantly encouraged at first sight
but am beginning to look upOu the sit
uation more hopefully. You have many
obstacles to overcome, perhaps greater
ones in proportion to your means thar
are seen in most towns.
PaDprtpr-TO what dn vptt eSDecial !,