The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-04-08

tOWu. n ucdG 1udTUlt3 9Ild1G, WIFI a eros
/ and crown carved in relief on one side
8 marks his quiet,ivy-grown resting place
: Quite number of his great and great
great grandchildren are residents O
!, Enfield, while others are scattered
throughout various States In the South
t land.
, The late Mr.. Henry Whitaker
nephew of the late Gov. Branch, and
gentleman of the old school Southern
| chivalry and aristocracy, erected the
present hotel building in Enfield, and
, far back in its prime, it was hostelry
, of no mean pretension. Recently the
! outside has been freshened up by a new
J, coat OF white paint, and apparently II
bids fair to last many year to come
However, first-class hotel, with mod.
ern Improvements, would be good in
vestment for the town, the investors
and the travelling public.
/ In grove of magnificent oaks on
the suburb of the town still stands a
two-storled, double porticoed frame
residence, held sacred, where Gen. La
Fayette made thrilling speech to the
country gentry during bis visit to En-
field in 1924. Here, too, he was royal
ly entertained and dined by Mr.. and
Mrs. Southall, the latter sister of Gov.
Branch.
| ENFIELD OF To-Day.
Now, the readers attention is invited
to the new town, or Enfield of to-day,
a town which with It's vital resources
to draw from, its transformation from
quiet little village to busy city, with
rush and stir, need only be ques-
ton of time, provided the proper steps
are taken to develop them. No town
or city can grow to great proportions
and remain prosperous which has not a
| good farming country to draw from.
Cheap subsistence holds too important
place in the affairs of men to be cas-
| lily set aside. And it can be truthfully
! said that nature has started up great
magazine OF wealth for the develop
ment of the little town which is so IA
vorably and pleasantly situated. 1t
was laid off to grow. The streets are
broad and many of them we'll shaded.
Pretty, comfortable residences, whose
front yards are ornamented in lovely
flowers and shrubbery, bespeak the
easy living, culture and refinement of
the owners. The present census gives
800 as the number of Its inhabitants.
Enfield has four churches for the
whites Protestant, and EpiscopalMeth-
odists, Baptist and Episcopalian. Of
schools, there are several good private
ones, and an opening for frst-class
graded or high school. There is a
large handsome academy building, re-
Gently erected for the purpose in pret-
ty grove in the eastern pa1t of the
town.
There is a number of stores and shops,
handsome new drug store, one hotel,
two livery stables, one carriage manu-
factory, two large tobacco warehouses,
three tobacco prize houses and other
enterprises are being agitated.
The people represent in marked de-
gree the hospitality, frankness, good
sense, high social qualities, mental and
moral stamina for which the people OF
the South generally are proverbisl. The
social sphere Is of a high moral tone,
and suffers nothing by comparison
with the social order of other places.
The writer wishes it to be under
stood that Enfield is not on a boom,
but simply that her enterprising, pub
lie spirited citizens are waking up to
their advantages and possibilities, and
that the town is taking on new life and
coming to the front with an earnest de-
termination to be one Of the enterpris-
ing, substantial towns in Eastern Caro-
lima. When the people become inn
pressed with the fact that this is as
good location as any In the State for
a town of commercial importance they
will not only yield to the popular de-
mand tor its development, but will
henceforth use every means available
for attaining this end.
Among other evidences that the true
condition OF the situation is becoming
known. is that well-known business
men from a distance, with ample cap
1tal. rented both warehouses before they
were completed, and simply asked the
cooperation and good will OF the peo-
ple to assist them in making the tobac-
60 market here an assured success.
There is no telling what results may
be accomplished for the upbuilding OF
the town with patience, pluck and per-
severance, linked with untiring indus
try, indomltable energy and bouyant
spirit. These, however, do not remove
the TACT that this is fallow field, and
needs the influx of capital and people
>,x,, ! -, In @ory