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

were at once admitted into the inner
circles of the old-fashioned Southern
chiyalry.
Nash county has long been famous
for its game chickens, it's
game men, and the best brandy that
ever dripped from the juice Of the
ripest and sweetest apples that ever
hung ON twigs. For a century these
two counties were contentwith the dis
tinction that grand plantations, hand
some women, good men. game chick
ems, and fine brandy gave them, but
few years ago the cultivation Of to-
bacco began vending its way backin the
direction of Roanoke Island, its origi-
nal home. it crossed over the line
from Granville into Franklin, down
both sides Of the winding Tar, and out
into the broad. fertile fields of old
Nash. Here it struck camp, for a
season or two, dotted tn sloping hills
with gauze covered plant beds, array
ing its fields in buoyant summer green,
and ripened into golden harvest, the
sweet aroma of which went on the
winds across the border into Edge
combe, and inspired the Edgecombe
planter to follow in the wake Of Nash.
Great barns were soon filed with the
bright. golden leaf, cured ready for the
warehouse floors. Rocky Mount at
once caught the inspiration and en-
thusiasm that was foated in the
breezes of the new tobacco district.
Nash county's first efforts in the
culture of tobacco had established an
important fact, and that was that the
adaptability of the Nash county soil
and climate to the growth of fine,
bright tobacco, was surpassed by no
section of the country, and that the
tobacco grown there was second TO
none that ripened in any cline, and
stood side by side with the best and
most popular leaf known to the trade.
Rocky Mount was quick to see its
opportnnity. With Nash on the one
side: with Edgecombe on the other;
with Halifax, Warren, Franklin, Will
son and Greene hard by; with the best
railroad facilities in the State; with
a town full Of progressive people; with
many other attractions and surround
inrs that few towns possess; it made
llD its mind to build a great tobacco
market, and it built it. 1t built it.
This tells the story, and tells it truth
fully. but there is interesting history,
bristlin0 with the energy and the in
donitable grit Of deserving men con
rected with the establishment and
wonderful growth of Rocky Mount as
4. tobacco market. 1t was five seasons
ago that the market was opened here.
Tt had then two small warehouses, and
during the first season sold four hum
dretI and twenty-five thousand pounds
of the leaf for 500, 10000. To-day the
town has four immense tobacco ware
houses. with a total floor space Of 75,-
600 square feet 1t has also some
fourteen Of the largest and handsomest
leaf factories in the State. 1t has a to-
bacco association, comprising two
dozen Of the Iiyest and staunchest
Young tobacco firms in the world. 1T
has daily sales on its floors of thou
sands OF pounds of the richest and
finest tobacco sold in the world. IT
has built one side Of Rocky Mount
with nearly a half a mile square Of
handsome buildings, warehouses, Off
ces. storage houses, residences, etc,
and peopled the entire new territory
with live and energetic folks. ~ has
inaugurafed new era in the indus
trial hietey Of the town, given
10 every bus ness calling, new i'm
etus, new life, and new energy II
has brought to the town hundreds OF
new and most desirable citizens--hlled
every business house in the city with
business activity, and built dozens Of
ethers-filled every dwelling with good
folks and built hundreds Of others.
Imaeed sebaeee has made here nsW