The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-05-01
LINCOLNTON.

y a Hi
EST AND BESE TOWNS.
The Mineral Deposits in Lincoln
County-Large Willing Interests
Notes About the Town
and County.
staff Cor. STATE CHRONICLE.
LINCoLNToN, y. c., April 80
Letters giving in plain language the
truth about the advantages and oppor-
tunities which various towns in North
Carolina possess, have been frequently
printed in the CHRONICLE and the
purpose of this letter is to show one of
our best towns and countiesto the outer
world. What we write is no s.boom"
letter, but the statements are matters
of fact
In 1879 the old county Of Tryon,
extending from the Catawba river
westward to the Jredell line, was di
vided into Lincoln and Rutherford
counties, the courthouse falling il
the western portion of Lincoln,
where the courts were held until
1888, and from then until 1885
it appears they were held at the
house of Henry Dellinger, the county
Jail, then spelt "gaol." being Dellin-
gers spring house. The foundation OF
this gaol is now plainly visible; the
lower story was of stone, the upper Of
logs; in the lower story liquors We're
kept, while the upper part was used as
the Jail, but during the April sessions
1884 the prisoners escaped from the
sgaol' and the court ordered that
prisoners should be confined in one Of
the rooms of Dellinger's dwelling, until
county Jail was erected.
The county was named for General
Lincoln, of revolutionary fame. The
first session of the court held at the
present county seat, Lincointon, was
in 1885, and a year later the town
was laid off. The first courthouse
here was a small wooden building; the
present county courthouse is large
two-story brick structure, the upper
floor used as court room and the
county offices being on the lower floor
The old court records are indeed inter-
esting reading and disclose much valu-
able history If space sufficient were
available columns of interesting
and amusing incidents could
be culled from these old records.
The Lincoln Courier, Mr.. j. NJ.
Roberts editor, has published much OF
interest along this lie, among Others
some well-written articles by sheriff
Nixon.
Lincoln county is about ten miles
north and south by thirty miles east
ana west. Catawba bounds it on the
north, Mecklen burg on the east, Castor
on the south and Cleveland on the
west. The soil is fertile and adapted
especially to corn, wheat, oats, irist
and sweet potatoes, and rye, Of which
crops much are raised, and cotton i.
grown to no small extent. There arr
! other crops to which the land in adap
, ted, but the above are the principa
, products now raised. the lands ar,
susceptible OF high state of cultiva
q ton. Apples, pears, peaches grape
and other fruits attain an unu5ua
perfection here and this should be
, great frult-growing section. No sec
6 tiOn of the State offers better Oppor
tunity for the farmer to make a quiet
; comfortable home. Everything re
quired is to be found here.
The people of Lincoln are prosper
q Gus and the population is desirabl
j., one. This county was settled by Dutc
principally from York and Lancaste
p counties, Pennsylvania, and the peopl
i still retain many characteristics {
= their ancestors. They are plain an
q industrious and upright people. Frol
this sturdy stock sprang men of Stat
and national reputatioL-Aiicha
Hoke, William A. Graham. Judg,
Schenck, Shipp and Hoke, Genera
= Stephen d. Ramsour, Robert +. H0k
g Robert D. Johnston, and many less
e lights.
n Many minerals are found in a
% parts Of the county and several deposi
n are profitably worked. The iron i
II dustry was carried on quite extel
Is sively at one time and there are Sc
ID eral oldtime furnaces still standin
b, the principal deposits are about ei2
u miles from Lincolnton. 1t is sa
n that there is a fne field for i
S vestment in working these mine
le this will well repay investigatio
to The ore is of excellent quality, it
le said, and can be worked quite cheapl
G. Just three miles from the court-hou
es gold is found | am told that at O.
rs time these mines were worked al
at large nuggets have been found ther
40 SO it is natural to suppose that this
ne another profitable field for the investo
1d Fifteen miles from Lincolnton there
he worked mica mine, which is dol
we'll, some fine specimens having be
taken from the deposit-as fine a.
avor cow Horo IL anOt har nnintar