The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-03-02
CHARLOTTE, II. c.
Essay in the United Statss Investor.

Mere population entities commu-
nifty to no recognition for superiority.
A simple illustration is n South Sea
island motley group of huts and their
inhabitants. London is the worlds
largest city, numerically, yet London
ers would not conduct visitor to their
East End as typical of Il e'r great me-
tropolis. We look for the largest per-
centage of advantages, progressiveness,
wealth, culture and moral worth, wheth-
er we rate large or small centre vi
population.
The subject of our sketch, Charlotte,
North Carolina, lies in the Piedmont
belt, inland from the Atlantic two hun
dred miles, and is, seventeen hours by
rail from New York city. Several top
les conspire to bring out highly inter
esting information concerning it.
This city is the BUSY centre of six
railroads, with others projected and
building, thus making it an enviable
wholesale distributing point. Large
wholesale drug, clothing, furniture,
dry goods, grocery and hardware
houses, and large manufacturing plants
send forth armies of commercial travel
ers. The following is IN unchallenged
quotations: "Thc volume of internal
city of the State"
Commercial achicvementsarel largely
due to push, pluck and perseverance,,
and the merchants who have placed
Charlotte in commercial supremacy in
two States-thc Carolinas--richly de-
serve all the success and the fortunes
they have won.
The Typographical advantages Of this
town of towns are many. The site
chosen by tho original settlers, on the
watershed of the Catnwha ea;, Iadkin
rivers, affords perfect natural drainage,
and this perfect drainage is conducive
to perfect health. Being eight hun
dred feet above sea level, and at the
foothills of western North Carolina,
Justly called the Switzerland of Ameri-
ca, with the immortal King mountain
in view, she is famed and blessed with
sweet, cool mountain brcczes that make
her summer days one long dream to
the cotton-field darkcy.
The climate liz noted for it's snlubri-
ty, the thermometer rarely falling as
low rs 20 degrees above zero in wiuter,
or rising higher than 90 degrees in
summer. A furry of snow is seen but
once or twice during tho winter. The
mortuary statistics show health re-
cord unsurpassed. All seasons afford
peculiar advantages to the health seek
er, the manufacturer and his employees.
1t must be kept in mind, however,
that the world has other spots favored
-wIGE uuc vriIIIaVo ssssSs-- .sts. inIlieF>o,
and we look, therefore, to other nttrac-
tions, to hold the seeker of health and
home. The old plantation hospitality
is here; the old sincere and hearty
handshake is here, and here pleasant
people of the highest literary and So
cinl nttainmcnts, are to be found, who
welcome among their "old families"
accomplished people of like congenial
natures.
Education leads to culture, and for
this the place in question does not lack
facilities, having the best of public
graded schools, conducted on the most
modern methods, boys high schools
and other private schools, successful
female seminary, n school of music,
and commercial college, and few
miles distant is the Presbyterian Uni
versity of the Carolinas, Davidson Col
lege, whose name perpetuates the mcm
ory of one of their Revolutionary he
roes who fell near the spot.
We find in Charlotte q large YoHng
Mems Christian Association, quartered
in modern, three-story, brown-stone
building, n city library, social and lit
erary clubs, and perhaps above all,
many musical. societies from which the
large crowds of music devotecs draw
their inspiration. In fact, Charlotte
is an intensely music-loving town.
The original settlers planned WELL
Charlottctown grew intoa hamlet, and,
when Great Britain began to oppress
ncr American colonies, this Scotch
Irish Presbyterian settlement, with
zeal and fervor, forestalled the Cont
mental Congress by formulating and
oromulgating the Mccklcnburg Decla-
:ation of independence, May 20, ITS,
n the old conrt house Mt Charlotte,
which historic site is now Indeper-
icnce Square. Just there the citizens
began the fight against the invasion Of
Lord Corvallis, until, in desperation,
| he left the settlement, naming it the
Hornets Nest" Real hornets nests
aow occupy conspicuous places in maly
Charlotte homes. 1t may he mentioned
hat this city has $4,000 inhabitants,
| yet with that number it has been termed
'the city of beautiful avenues and
ovcly homes," which name a glance
yill justify, for, passing along beneath
;he spreading oak, maple, elm, magno-
in and other trees, one is charmed
with the beautiful residences set in
sweet frames of verdure and floral
| oveliness.
| On the Sabbath, 80 carefully is the
lay observed by the people, that even
he dragon on the city hall tower
secms to wear pious look. We are
lot surprised then, to find three doz-
IN churches; some of those recently
completed are grandly beautiful.
| Among its hotels two take rank with
| he finest in the South. Then there
ire United States public building
costing $50, 900, three national banks
md one private bank with the largest