Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-05-24
EDEN ON.
AS A n. CAROLINA EDITOR SEES Us.
Something of its History Present and
its Future.
Chronicle Editorial Correspondence.

chronicle bUlCOrlaI NOfFeSpOLuGuCe'
EDENTON. N. c., April %, 1889.-The
Bay of Naples has been the poet s dream
and the artist 9 ideal of beauty. Those
who have once looked upon it's beautl-
full surface as it stretches out before Ma
piles never forget the view. Travellers in
Europe return and most of them say that
the loveiiest sheet of water in the old
country is the Bay of Naples. Until now
could not fully understand the great
admiration expresses by those of our
countrymen who have visited this world
of art and history. AS l stand on the
steps of the Court House in this lovely
old town and look out upon the expanse
of water that makes Edenton Bay easily
the prettiest sheet of water in the State,
[ catch the inspil alton of European
travellers. I have heard that Bishop
| Lyman (who has beeA often at both
| Naples and Edenton, and whose opinion
upon such a subject is worth more,
/ perhaps, than the opinion of any other
man in North Carolina) says that Eden
! ton Bay is more beautiful than the
story-famed a1d oft-sung Bay of Naples.
I cannot conceive of a more beautiful
water scape, and it is not surprising
that the early settlers chose SO lovely
spot upon which to build their new made
| Eden. They had all this new country
| from which to select site for their
home. They doubtless examined many
parts of the country from Roanoke
| Island to miles up the Chowan and
Roanoke rivers before they made Eden
ton the capitol of their new home.
| They we're men of education and estate
and had doubtless travelled much in the
old country. When their ship entered
Edenton bay and they stood upon the
shore and turned their eyes to the
peaceful bay before them, they were
doubtless reminded of the placid beauty
! of the Bay of Naples. When they had
made inward explorations and found
that the fertility of the land was all that
| they could expect, they marked out
| town lots, built houses and made this
place their home. It had all the beauty
of Italian scenery with all the fertility
of fresh virgin land. Besides the rich
ness of the soil and beauty of scenery
to induce location, the waters were
teeming with fish. What more could
emigrants ask
The place was settled about 1900. It
was known in the acts of Parliament as
the settlement a the mouth of Queen
! Anne g Creek. At low water there can
| still be seen the remains of the old black
| house built of stone and concrete. 1t
] was no dOuDC uSoQ Dy our duC0SLOIS
whenever an attack by the Indians was
threatened. The site now occupied by
the railroad depot and Branning's fac
tory was an Indian town called ChepO-
mock. The name of the place was
changed to Edenton in honor Of Charles
Eden who received his commission as
Governor in 171S. In 1916 the town
was incorporated and 10 the oldest in
corporated town in the State. Cover
nor Eden was an educated gentleman
and was greatly beloved. His only
daughter. Penelope, became the wife of
Gov. Gabriel Johnston.
The population of Edenton is now
! about $500. Its volume of business is
| large-much larger than is generally
supposed. Its business consists of mer-
chandising, the fishing and trucking
Interest, and the lumber industry. There
is one lumber manufacturing establish
notwithstanding to the Branning M g.
| Co.. which alone cuts, dries and planes
more than sixty thousand feet of lum-
ber day.
The fishing industry is great source
of business making here. From $4,000
to 500. 900 worth of fish are annually
shipped from here. It gives employ
ment to hundreds of people and makes
money more plentiful in the spring
time. Even when the profits are not
large (for profits are uncertaln) the
amount of money paid in wages is sut-
ficient to make business good.
The truckers here ship from $50 900 to
S25, 900 worth of truck yearly. When it
''hits'' the profits are large. EdentOn