The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-12-03
A TRADE PRODUCER.
MANUFACTURING DID THE JOB IN
GASTONIA, N. C.

Gastonia is situated near the center
of CASTOR county, and is 20 miles west
of Charlotte, about miles from the di
viding line between North and South
Carolina, and 23 miles north of York
/ Vile
The tcwn was laid out in 1876, or,
figuratiyoly speaking, the foundation
was laid During the first IL years Of
it's history it's experience was pretty
much the same as that Of any other
country village, the principal business
done there being few stores that car
ried line of dry goods, millinery, boots,
shoes, hardware, groceries, drugs and
furniture Everybody seemed to think
that the only road to wealth and sue
cess was to be found i'll keeping
store. = Finally the stores crew so NJ
merous that the business within reach
was not sufficient to support them and
there were as result quite number OF
] failures This condition continued until
1878, when several Of the more sue
cessful, enterprising and farseeing bust
ness men realized that if Gastonia ever
+
neighbors and developed into anything
else than an ordinary village it must
become q trade producer in other words,
it must embark in manufacturing and
cause two blades Of grass to grow where
one previously grew.
The first important venture was the
building Of a cotton mill, in 1888, by
tho Gastonia Manufacturing company.
The original capital stock Of the COM
pany was about 1928, 600 Operations
were begun as Gl0fl as the mill was COM
pleted, and during the past years the
company has paid back III dividends ev-
cry dollar and doubled the size Of the
plant in addition, In other words, the
stockholders now have twice as much
stock as when the mill commenced oper
ations, and have no actual cash invested
About five or six years ago a second
mill--the Trenton--was built, and 1T
has been very successful, the stock now
being away above par, and none is for
sale.
About three or four years ago some
genius conceived the idea of building
third mill. and not having the ready
cash with which to build and equip it
adopted the installment plan of raising
the necessary funds The mill--the Mo
dena-has now been i'll operation about
two years, and all the capital stock has
not been paid up, but Notwithstanding
this fact dividend CT per cent on
what will be the capital stock when it
is paid up has been declared.
A fourth mill. and the largest in
town, is now being built and will begin
operations this fall.
There are two extensive door, sash
and blind factories, that also manufac-
ture full line of other housebuilders
supplies. Both these establishments en-
ploy a large number of skilled work
men and produce thousands of dollars
worth of the best quality Of work an
nually.
Probably the first patent process roll
er flour mill to be erected within 100
miles of Gastonia was built in 1884, and
the enterprise has met with fattering
success, drawing patronage from 80 to
30 miles in every direction. Within the
past two years second mill has been
erected, and both arc kept busy.
Another important industry is the ex-
tensive tannery and harness manufac
tory of the Gastonia Tanning company,
This enterprising concern not only con
verts the raw material into q supe-
rior quality of leather, bnt manufac-
lures out of it harness and collars, than
which none better is made anywhere.
The local paper, as rule, is q pretty
foiT fn Ff of,11 5fvY
III which it is published. The Gastonia
Gazette, which is one Of the best week
lies published in North Carolina, was
established in 1880 All Of the live bust.
ness men of the town advertise liber-
ally in the paper. They don't do it on
the ground Of charity, " either, or be-
cause of town pride but because
they know from experience thai adver-
Using pays when the proper medium is
employed.
The first impressions made upon a
visitor to any city or town, as rule,
are the ones that cling to him. and
somebody has we'll said that good no.
tel is generally the basis of good opin-
ion, and poor, Ill kept, half handed,
run down at the heel place, which is
operated apparently for the sole purpose
of fleeing helpless victims who must
either exist within its walls during
their enforced stay in the town or on
the streets, is often the cause of the first
visit to town that tolerates such
place being the last. The hotel at Gas
tonia is of the kind calculated to cause
the traveller to want to linger here in
definitely. There is probably no better
kept hotel anywhere within 100 miles.
There are four handsome brick church
es at Observation-Disclosures Reformed,
Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian
The Young Mems Christian association
has building OF its own. Gastonia has
two banks-a national and a private.
At the time the erection of the first
cotton mill was begun at Gastonia,
about eight years ago, the population of
the town was about 500 souls, and since
| that time IT. has steadily increased until