The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-05
slnc. IL Was Incorporated

.There are people in Texas who never
heard of North Carolina but who know
all about Durham. / spent a month
there last summer, and some people
asked me if North Carolina was near
Durham. Everywhere / travelled, peo-
Me had heard of Durham and its pro-
ducts Of the weed though they had
never heard anything else about North
Carolina, not even knowing Of the ex-
;stence Of this great University
60 spoke talented young North
carolinian. now a resident Of New
york city, in one Of the Literary So
ciety anniversary occasions at Chapel
Hin a few years ago.
At d recent missionary conference
in Raleigh Rev. DR.. Lambeth, mission
arv secretary of the Southern Netho-
dist church. said Il have just come
from Durham where / was the guest OF
q wealthy manufacturer Of tobacco, !
was talking to him about the need o.
Greater zeal in the missionary work IN
Africa when he said: We have fac
Tory a Johannesburg. Durham has
a factory IN the heart Of Southern
Africa. and the Southern Methodist
church has 10 mission point there.
who ought to write the history Of
4,,;s wonderful town? Not those Of us
Who have looked on in wonder, aston
;sbnent and unfeigned admiration at
IT'S magic.like Towering into city be-
fore our eyes. Those best fitted 20
write the story of Durham in its first
j. quarter OF a century Of early struggle
and splendid victory are the men whose
brains and hands have builded wiser
and stronger than they knew.
Under their own names, in answer
TO questions addressed to them, four
Durham men, whose names are known
the world over, contribute a sympo-
SUM of fact, history, personal exPer-
fence and "reminiscences that will nave
3 value that the writings of no future
historian of Durham can approach.
II am the daddy of it ALL writes our
old friend Buck Blackwell, once tho
sole owner of BlackweIi's Durham Bui
Tobacco. Selling out his interest u
that great business, his cleverness OF
heart and his helping hand lent te
everybody through his bank, brought
Mr. Blackwell loss of his fortune o.
half a million dollars. But, sitting =
his office at Durham where he is post
master. he writes in cheerful ven
that he is the happiest man in Durham
rejoicing in the growth of the town @
which he was truly one OF the che
corner-stones in its early history.
Mr.. Washington Duke, now in hi'
seyenty-sixth year, recalls the story O
his life and his early struggles before
he succeeded in becoming the head O
the greatest cigarette factory the sur
shines on. As he grows older, ms I'D
terest in the youth Of the country Ds
comes greater. His gifts to tue cause
of education and religion have peer
prompted solely by his earnest desire
10 do all the good he can while he lives
and to help educate the youth even at
ter he has been gathered to his fathers
Mr.. Julian S. Carr, President o.
glaelxwelrs Durham Tobacco Co., still
the active head of the greatest smok'
ing tobacco factory in the world, writes
in q general and comprehensive way
of Durham's early struggles, the CD
sfacles it had to encounter and over
come, approximately of the Durham
men of brains and talent who have
been called to high positions of intiu-
ence elsewhere, and glories in the
proud position Durham has attained
lie writes as one who has climbed to
the top of the high hill, and come to
an eminence where, above the dust and
confusion. he can calmly review the
mast: and also like one who has still
his loins GRIT about him for further en-
deayor and higher elevations.
Mr.. Brodie r. Duke, now like Col
Blackwell, out of the tobacco business
with which their names are still asso'
ciated, tells of his early experience IN
giving the Duke Of Durham" the start
that has made it the most popular
cigarette known to man.