The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-21
CAMERON, MOORE CO
The Splendid Country Sur
rounding the Town. 4-
ITS PAST AND ITS FUTURE
THE FERTILE SOIL AND DIVER
SIFIED CROPS.
MANY ENTERPRlSING BUSINESS MEN
The Large Trucking Interest -Frlit of all Va
rieties-. Lumber and approximations a
New and Valuable Crop An lntelli-
gent and Thrifty People.

Cameron, n. c., July 19.-(Statt Cor
respondence.)-A pine forest, with
here and there log house
in which lived some honest toiler
in 1875, occupied the site where now
stands the progressive little town of
Cameron. The green trees, with the
feeling of restfulness that they give, have
been exchanged for the busy noise OF
trade and the attractive homes of genial.
energetic people. The beauty and lone
illness Of nature have been replaced by
the activity and hustle of an energetic
people.
In the fall of 1875, the Raleigh and
Augusta Railroad was completed to
Cameron. and at once the people began
TO extract the wealth that nature had
placed in the pine trees growing so luXu-
riantly in that locality. The tall pines
that had grown unmolested by the hand
of man. were Immediately turned to
practical use. The trees were chopped
and the turpentine taken from them and
sold in the markets that the completed
railroad made available. There were
seven or eight turpentine stills in opera
ton in sight of the town, and it looked
as if North Carolina would regain her
old reputation of being the great State
for ''tar. pitch and turpentine.' Stores
were erected without delay. and filled
with goods; dwellings sprung up and
happy families made Cameron their
home: schools were opened and the young
had the opportunity to develop their in
tellects; business enterprises of various
sorts were established and Cameron took
its place among the new and progressive
towns of the State.
Cameron is situated on an elevation so
that sewerage is unnecessary. 1t is high.
dry and healthy. The town is in the
Eastern portion of Moore county. seven
miles from the center of the county. and
about ten miles from Hamlet and fifty
five miles from Raleigh.
The turpentine and lumber business
have been the main stay of the town
since it first sprung into existence, but
the farming, hop raising, trucking and
other business and industries that are
conducted in and around the town,
furnish no small portion of the trade
that enables the merchants to keep large
and well selected stocks for the accom-
mediation of the people, and that gives
this thriving little business centre its
snap and go.
There are many opportunities III and
around Cameron for the profitable estab-
lishment of enterprises and industries.
This locality is destined within a few
years to become one of the most flourish
ing farming, trucking and fruit growing
sections of the State. Among the new
crops that is, in my judgment, to be no
small factor in this development, is that
of hops. Mr. Poal Gshmend has bought
land here and proposes raising truck and
hops. He is from Switzerland, but has
been engaged in raising hops in one of
the northern States for some time past.
He says that hops can be more adj
vantageously grown here than in a cold
er climate; they can be put out in March
and gathered in September; about 1000
plants can be set on an acre and from
four to five hundred pounds of hops gath
ered that the hops sell for from IS to
20 cents per pound. He informs me that
Young and Beck, about six miles from
Cameron, have ten acres in hops, and
that the vines are from 20 to % feet
high and filled with blooms.
Messrs. Young and Beck have recently
bought one hundred acres that is about
a mile and half from Cameron, for the
purpose of engaging in raising hops, fruit,
truck and doing general farming.
Among the first men to come to Cam
eron, when the railroad in 1875 entered
the pine forest, was Mr.. J. G.. Muse, who
at once entered in the mercantile bust
ness, and he is still one of the most pro-
gressive merchants in the town. Mr..
MUSES. brother is now associated with
him in the mercantile business, and he
is also successfully engaged in farming
and trucking.
Over eighteen years ago Mr.. Moses
Britton pitched his tent" here,
and has been, catering to
the elmer man. for 10! these
many long years, and many are the
words of praise one hears from the "way
worn traveller" He is also
member of the firm of Britton and Rod
well, who sell large quantities of naval
stores, run a cotton gin, and do consid-
cradle farming. They have about forty
acres devoted exclusively to fruit. and
the past season they cleared one thous-
and dollars off of one acre of strawber-
ries, shipping one hundred crates. They
have shipped over one hundred crates of
blackberries also. A fine peach orchard
and vineyard are theirs, while they raise
small fruits of almost ever variety.
Some twelve or fifteen years ago Mr..
NJ. Mel. McKeithan, concluded
that he wanted to take adj
vantage of the opportunities of
fered by Cameron, and he has since then
been conducting a mercantile business
here and operating turpentine still to
his own advantage and to the upbuild-
ing of the community. He is one of the
most reliable business men in the town.
About four mile from town Mr..
Thomas NJ. Hall owns and operates
saw mill that distributes considerable
money in this community The mill is
new, and of the best. 1t has capacity
Of ten to twelve thousand feet per day.
and has planer attachment. The mill
ships about forty car loads of lumber per
month, and ten mile tram way is con-
nected with same.
"a worthy son of worthy sire" is
Mr.. Alex. Turner. He is a son Of the
late DR.. Turner, who was loved and es-
teemed by all who knew him. Mr.. Turn
er is "tiller of the SOIL" and is prepar-
ing land for the cultivation of truck and
e. t.