The state chronicle., 1891-12-05

I,W
men in line.
Bless these North Carolina crowds
nowadays; how orderly they are
The chief of police, Col. E. C. Hall,
told me he had made only one arrest
for drunkenness this entire day. In
the old times, they say, there were
fights at all gatherings. What a
happy change there is.
They tell me people from sixty
I counties were here to day, and this
goes to prove that something novel
will attract the North Carolinian and
make him travel though times are
hard. Yet there is large class of
people who never go anywhere. These
live in various parts of the State.
The negro preponderates in Will
mington, and that largely. He is
not arrogant, but polite. One thing
strikes people, and that is that the
poorer class of negroes dress more
neatly than do the poorer whites.
The negro's chance in this country
is not in standing still, but in progress.
Twenty years ago the negroes were
menace here. Now they are acquir-
ing land and ceasing to barely exist.
Why do people go to Florida and
pass an enervating winter, when
they can come here and get the ad-
vantages of a soft yet bracing eli
mate: After awhile, perhaps, they
will discover what the season called
winter here is. Take to-day, with
Christmas only three weeks away.
Ii was just like day in early April.
Cp-country people, with memories
OF recent snow, reveled in the
weather.
Wilmington needs an electric
railway. AS yet it is Gin the fu-
ture," and some people tell me they
do not believe it will be built for
quite while. The sand in most of
the streets is very heavy and the
poor horses have a hard time. A
company has franchise for an elec-
trio road, but people say they will
believe in the road only when they
see active work in progress.
North Carolina building stones
ought to be used far more largely
at home. If any one doubts their
beauty and utility, glance at the
new postollice here, unquestionably
the most beautiful public building in
the State, will remove them. Sand
stone is the material used and the
treatment is very effective. There
is too little permanency in the con-
struction Of houses in the State.
There are far more brick houses
here than elsewhere.
Raleigh has no Y. M. C. A., save
on paper. Why? State Secretary
Coulter tells US it is because the
charity feature used to be in it, and
that this drives away the young
men. Charlotte and Wilmington
have admirable Y. M. G. A. build
ings; big structures of brick and
brownstone. The one here is really
not quite complete. 1t was put in
such shape that this week a bazaar
on a really large scale could be held
there. Every church is represented;
the picked people of the place are
members. Mr.. G. M. Busey enter
tanned me pleasantly this afternoon
at the building with an account of
its erection. In 1888 evangelist
r. +. Pearson raised $4,000 for it
at his meeting here. The young
men fell to work and got $4,000
more. In 1889 they canvassed the
town and got $11, 800, mainly from
leading business men, two of these
giving $1,000 each. For 81, 200
site l67x6O feet was bought on the
principal street. On this nov stands
really imposing and modern build
ing, which cost $4,000, q mortgage
being given for the balance due.
The first floor is rented, save the
central portion, which is the gym
nasium. Above is a music hall with
525 opera chairs, kitchen, dining
| room, reading room and library,