The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-14
A FINE COTTON MARKET.
The Great Southern Staple as Handled al
Charlotte.
THE FLEECY TRADE RAPIDLY GROWING.
Increased Area of Land Cultivated-Genefai
Hur. sohooi-oueen's Couege-wore
About the DiIworth Lot Sale.

far outgrown herself that new territory De-
comes necessity; that Dilworth. he incom-
parable home site of the future. has been
brouoht into existence, beautifed and laid on
for sale. In the long time ago all the supplies
for this section came from Charlestown. and
the cotton raised in Mecklenburg and sur
rounding counties was laboriously hauled 10
the little town Of Cheesaw in South Carolina,
and thence foated on small boats down
the Pedee 20 the a0ove-named clty.
Later on the famous plahk-rVau HoiH
FAYETTEVILLE was built across several counties,
and thence went much OF II, and from there
down the river 70 deep water. This order OF
things is changed. and now the railroads that
radiate from Charlotte like the RIBS OF an UNI
brella take their quota Of bales from every
nttermost parts Of the earth. With all these
facilities TO the planter. Charlotte remains
splendid market and great shipping point Tor
ali this section. and also for several counues
In South Carolina
THE COTTON SEASON.
The cotton season is over. and.more int rest
is taken by the buyers IN the crop Just planted
than in the 5000 bales OF this year s staple YET
10 come The season lasts from september 10
Nav and In the winter months Is at its height.
Then the two great congresses groan IKE
earthouakes and hiss like volcanoes through
DAYLIGHT and darkness. and nearly 4,OOO Dig;
RAGGED bales day are reduced Ia One-third
their original size, and in neater ana more
convenient shape for handling are started
for Tivernool and the marts OF
the continent. One of these compresses
Is situated in the centre of the city where
cotton platform covering three acres receives
the bales from the Richmond ana Danylle
and the Central and Carolina railroads.. sew
eral large cotton firms lease tins compress
60. 4ka Diobp,on1 and DaUVllle. and since
September. 1890. have reduced for shipment
over one hundred thousand bales. The other.
operated by Walker Fleming ~ Sloan, one OF
the largest cotton firms IN the South, mas De
tween the same dates compressed over slxty
thousand bales. 1t IS 70 Mr. =. n Ietly, tne
intelligent fnancier Of this firm, that am n
debted for many facts on TINS SUBJECT by
the first day of September, when the sea
son closes. the number Of bales prepared IN
Charlotte foI their long journey Will reach
the large number OF one hundred ana elBH'y-
FIVE thous nd bales.
CHARLoTTE's WAGON TRADE.
The wagon trade of Charlotte in cotton
which was so curtailed by the system OF rail
road shipments before referred 10 has o. rea-
sons Of the increased cultivation OF the plant;
and the reputation gained for beng a gooq
sales market again reached nigh ngures, ana
the receipts from last September 10 date are
over five thousand greater than for the same
time last year THIS speaks Iii thunder tones
for Charlottes future and when 1t IS remem-
bered that four cotton mills located within
the city manufacture nearly eleven thousand
bales year il is enough To make prOspec-
tive investor in Dilworth lots open hls
ewes. The excess of cotton sold here last
month over the same month last year reached
seven hundred and fifty bales wonderful
increase for one month.
cAREFULLY-coMPuED FIGURES.
The figures here given are carefully com
piled and thoroughly substantated, and they
give 10 Charlotte the distinction OF beng not
only one Of the leading cotton markets OF the
world, but show indisputable evidence OF
greater things TO come The pliuter pays no
warehouse or other commission in Charlotte,
as prevails in some other place. out puts his
product on the open market on his wagon.
The bidder cuts the bagging and makes an
offer If not accepted, every other buyer on
the market examines it, and unless some one
else bids higher the first sampler has the re-
fusal of the bales. A memorandum IS given
the seller by the buyer, and being weighed by
the cty's bonded officer it IS paid for at the
Office of the buyer, and the planter goes on
his way rejoicing. The entire system seems
business-like, prompt and falr 10 the ldlmeI'
while he has no middle man TO contend with
and no commissions TO pay.
COTTON FIRMS.
There are nine cotton firms here, employing
n large number Of buyers and other hands,
and during the cotton season there IS no TO )m
Tor loafers. The local supply Is gathered
from territory making a radius OF twenty
miles. and if the teams that haul 1t were put
one in front of another they would make
cotton train over forty miles long. The first
bale of cotton was exported from this county
more than one hundred years ago by the way
of Charleston.
The total area of cotton is increasing very
nd CRY al &
been raised all along the line Charlotte IS
not disturbed, however, and Is ready TO handle
ell that comes.
GENERAL HAS SCHOOL.
General d. II. Hills military school was
located on the edge OK what Is now the beau
tiful suburban Dilworth. This school be-
came famous throughout the South, and now
the spacious buildings serve the excellent
purpose of a graded public school, where 800
children obtain instruction of the very high
est order.
QUEENS COLLEGE.
The first educational institution in the
United States was located at Charlotte and
was called the Queens College. The bnck OF
which it was constructed was brought from
England and in 1887 some of them were dug
from the foundation of the old site and incOr-
porated in the Young Mems Christian Assocla-
ton building. This building cost 925 zoo,
The average price for farm lands within ten
miles of Charlotte Is about Sl2 per acre. Most
of the land is rich and very little OF it can be
bought lower than the price named, while
very little is being pushed upon the market.
A SURPRISING INDUSTRY.
One of the most surprising industries to a
visitor 10 Charlotte is the Charlotte clothing
mandatory, owned by Il. ID. Latta * Bro.
This firm makes an enormous amount of
mems pants, and half-dozen statesmen travel
over nearly every State in the Union. The
n.vta oil htV fagfC 10 NOT ar ante
prise and this branch of industry employsIa
large number of the white population of Char
lotte.
RAILROAD CENTRE.
Six railroads centre here. and Charlotte is
the hub Of the great Richmond and Danville
system Here the great southern fast mail
line from Washington makes its first division,
and here the fast New York passenger eX-
press finds its objective point.
From no point of the compass can the city
be entered without crossing two or more rail-
road tracks. From the South comes in the
Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta division of
the Richmond and Danyille, and the Air Line
division Of the same company; from the West
comes in the Western North Carolina and the
Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio division of the
Richmond and Danyille and from the North
the Virginia Midland and North Carolina di-
Visions from the East comes the Seaboard
Air Line, from Baltimore and Norfolk. via
Raleigh, and from Wilmington, and from the
West comes the western division of the Caro-
lima Central road.
There are also two important main trunk