The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-04-26
MOUNT AIRY,
THE 'GRANITE CITY OF THE
WEST.

Prospects.
The town has a population Of about |
1900. These people are living at an
altitude of 1900 feet above sea level, en-
joying such beautiful surroundings amid
such grand mountain scenery and with
such resources of natural wealth about
| them, that we feel they should be better
known 20 the outside world. To state
the tacts-this being our only purpose
without exageration is somewhat diff
cult The beauty Of the scenery, the
excellence Of the climate, the material
resources Of the locality are the attrac-
tions OF this thriving place.
Location.
The town is in Surry county, situated
at the confluence of Ararat river and
Lovells creek, which form the bounda-
ries on two sides Of the town. 1t is
located at the present terminus of the
Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley railroad and
at the foot OF the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The town is built on granite ridge,
hence it has been termed the "granite
city Of the West" It is surrounded by
varied and lovely scenery and is one of
the most beautiful situations in all
Western Carolina.
The accessibility Of the place has made
it a trade center. Besides the railroad,
there are six public roads that converge
here, being the passes over the noun
tains into the surrounding counties. It's
geographical position will naturally cause
| to ho "a lar in
ern North Carolina
The mercantile interests are support
ed by trade drawn from a large area,
the nearest railroad towns being Bristol,
Tenn, 10 miles to the west; Wythe-
: vile, Va, ffty-two miles to the north
Salisbury and Statesyille, sixty five miles
to the south, and Winston, forty-one
miles to the east.
4 About eight miles to the westward, in
the line OF sight, the main chain Of the
Blue Ridge Mountains forms an arc of q
a circle, and attains to an altitude of 3, 500
feet to the north and south; and two to
four miles distant respectively, are the
Slate and Little Mountains, spurs from
:, the main chain, and to the southeast are
. Che ouaratoWn Mountains, with the far
;, famed Pilot Knob in full view, so that
turn what way one will the eye is greet
ed with most enchanting landscapes.
Surry County.
y The county of Surry, in which the
l, town is located, is traversed by many
; unfailing streams, affording a great sup
g ply OF water power. These streams flow
. through broad bottoms OF most produc
It ductive soil. There are large areas O
is fine tobacco lands, as good as any in th'
20 State. These streams, IN cutting thei
way out from the mountains, have form
.. ed many beautiful and picturesque an(
- fertile valleys, while their rapid iov
~ ~ gives assurance against all malarial in
e. e. tiuences. Only about One-third of tn,
|. soil has been reduced to cultivation, tn
~ ~ remaining two-thirds being still in prim
% eval forest walnut and other valuable
-. | timbers, for the manufacture Of Whicl
lo the everywhere abounding water poWe
y affords unlimited natural facility. Th
90 valley lands produce the finest corn
while the uplands are admirably adapte
to the production of wheat, rye, oats
buckwheat, tobacco and vegetables, no
can any part of the world produce fine
ny apples either as to size or flavor. Tn
grasses also flourish we'll; and stock rails
+, There are also rich mineral indication
in various parts of the county, compri:
"a ing lead, coal, copper, mica, iron, mar
he ganese, asbestos, &c, though owing
i'd. the past inaccessibility Of this favore
ed region, mining operations have as Y
as been unimpOrtant.
he INDUSTRIES
en- The town of Mt. Airy, for it's size, hf
as many industrial institutions as can
found in the State. 1t has now tN
large tobacco warehouses for the sale
leaf tobacco, eight tobacco factorie
to making plug tobacco, and one maki1
y smoking tobacco. These establishment
10. will turn out this season more ths
dr.. one million pounds of manufacture
The tobacco; three cigar factories, makir
-he nearly :, 600, 900 cigars annually. In tt
Mr.. immediate neighborhood are three cotte
rn. factories, one for yans and warps; one f
the yarns, warps and sheeting; and one f
to yarns, warps, sheeting and plaids. Al
old two WooIien mills making jeans, cas-
on meres, jerseys, socks and blankets, e1
ch- ploying two hundred hands, and havil
hey the capacity for manufacturing $3.50, O
,as- worth Of goods annually.
The Granite works give employme
d il to large number of hands and team
gan There are two steam saw mills, plani
y as mills, spoke and handle, and sash, bli
tell and door factories; foundry and n
any chine shop, two grist mills for corn a
ays wheat, four blacksmith and three wag
the making shops, cabinet, harness and
did shops, five churches-t three white and t
hat colored five schools twenty-five bu
met ness houses one Building and Loan :
socation, etc.
vile There is the Planters Bank with 81
e an 900 capital. There are builders and c.
was tractors, carpenters, stone and br
ions masons, painters, shoemakers and b
nds. bers. There is ore printing office,
see newspaper, two livery stables, three t
rom neries, two comfortable hotels Z
vile open, another large one nearly finisl
which will open June 1st, and there
six good boarding houses.
'ERs, Industrial Institutions.
i'd & Of the several industrial enterpr
par il Mt. Airy, We make special mentiol
ltion the larger ones, which will give an
. c., as to the extent Ct some of these inst
d re- tlOnS.
oints Sparger Bros.
II. -,