The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-05-03
BETSY CITY.
OMETHING OFITS PROGRESS AND
ITS PROSPECTS.
1t Does Large Business..-Its Fishing
and Trucking Interests are GrOWing...
Its Bar and its Newspapers.
Editorial correspondence

Its Bar and its Newspapers.
Editorial Correspondence
ELIZABETH CITY, n c., April "a, 'S9 =
Leaving Avoca and the fisheries we took
the Norfolk Southern train at Edenton to
make long cherished visit to Elizabeth
City, the famous county seat of Pasquo-
tank county. A lovelier day was never
vouchsafed to a traveller. 1t was a model
Spring day without its enervating influ
ence. The quiet old town, bathing its
shores in the Pasquotank, beautiful river
that is at once the love and pride Of the
feet peace and contentment. The music of
the saving of the lumber by the saw mills
that lie along the suburbs OF the town
answered back the merry humming of the
spindes in the cotton factory across the
river. The boatmen loading and unload
ing, the buyers and sellers in the marts of
trade made pretty picture of the busy life
of the old young town. Leaving the busi
ness part of the city which is quietly active
and prosperous looking, we turned our foot
beautiful shade trees, overlapping in the
streets, add to the beauty of the place.
Handsome residences, some of them new
and some building, here and there show
that progress is the watchword here. The
new Presbyterian church, not yet finish
ed, will be a beautiful building The
new court house and market house are
late additions to its architecture which
are a credit tC the town. The court house
is surrounded by beautiful green lawn,
and is one of tee largest and handsomest
buildings in the State. This hall of jus
tice is an ornament to the town, and is
standing monument TO the broad views
and iberality of this people.
Formerly the great interest of this town
vas its agr:cui ur;ti interest, probably be
ing the largest grain producing county TO
its population in the State. It still pro-
duces a considerable surplus of corn and
other products, but the fish trade of the
place now largely exceeds its agricultural
products and is increasing each year. 1t
has also a large and Increasing oyster and
pected, develop into large proportions uu-
der the fruits Of the recent she'll fish legis-
lation OF our State. The lumber trade of
the town is a large interest and there are
six large steam saw mills, some of them
with machinery for preparing lumber for
building purposes and for shipping fish.
It's mercantile trade, both wholesale and
retail, is large and under the management
of active enterprising and industrious men.
It is mercantile dispensary for a large
trans-sound section of north eastern North
Carolina. Its lumber comes largely from
the timbered lands beyond Albemarle and
Pamlico sounds. The commerce of the
place is conducted by some ten or dozen
steamers and by a fleet of sailing vessels,
most Of which make this their home port
This is not the centre Of a large cotton
belt, but ii has large cotton seed oil MILL
which we believe is doing we'll. 1t has
cotton factory, owned by Fowler & Co.,
which is manufacturing twine for the fish
ermen very largely and We think is pros
porous, and it has also some demand for
its manufactures away from home.
In the vicinity of the town the Elizabeth
City Fair holds its annual exhibitions and
is in healthy condition. Creecy Park,
where new buildings are being erected for
another Fair, is an attractive place, hav-
ing a fish pond filled with game fish of
every kind and surrounded by specimens
of forest growth of every variety.
drive through this park, named for the
venerable and accomplished editor of the
Economist, was one of the chief delights
of our visit. 1t would be great delight
to leave the newspaper sanctum and at
tend the Fair next Fall and behold the
fine exhibit of all things that come out of
the sea and land.
The population, estimated by the regis
tered vote, is about 5000, of which nearly
one half are sons of Ham. The towns fu-
ture is in its increasing connections with
the adjacent counties along and on both
sides of the sounds and rivers; in its truck
ing, agriculture and growing fish trade and
its becoming an important mart for shell
fish and the consequent necessity for the
industries that will follow. But the most
important future in commercial aspect
probably is the prospects Of the reconstruc
ton of the Dismal Swamp Canal and open
ing il as ship channel for the commerce
of our inland sounds and for the COM
merce of the whole country. This canal
gave struggling village new impetus in
1929 when opened to trade of sailing yes
sells and barges and made Elizabeth City a
considerable town. 1t is the only safe and
reliable inland water communication be-
tween Albemarle Sound and Chesapeake
Bay and the recent resolution of Senator
EDMUNDs looking to its purchase by the
government, and making it a ship chan
mel and fresh water basin for our metal
ships of war and part Of an inland route
for the transportation Of munitions of war
in time of war, shows the Importance tha t
he attaches to it. Since EDMUNDss reso-
| luton, (not yet reported on) it has been
purchased by capitalists and the work of
enlargng and deepening it has been com
menced, but it is supposed by some that
the purchase by the syndicate was with
reference to sale to the government