The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-17
OF WIDE
AWAKE TARBORO
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE. /

new counties like Wilson, Pamlico and
Fender, but in an old county like this
the loss of the records would be- a pub
lie calamity, Judge Philips tells me that
in the long hot days of last summer he
devoted many hours to running over the
old papers that make up the records in
the Edgecombe court house and found
them absorbing and interesting. The
history Of the county is Il glorious one
in peace and war. 1t has given to the
State, beside many others, two great sol
diers-IouiS p. Wilson in the Mexican
war and General Fender in the War Be
tween the States. A monument to the
first. who left his large estate to the
moor of Edgecombe county stands III
front of the court house. General Pen
der is buried in the beautiful Episcopal
church yard and his grave is marked by
n pile of cannon balls-eloquent story OF
his grim bravery and Heroism in war
The verdict of history is that he was
one of the first generals the war pro
duced and il ought not TO be long be-
fore an admiling and loving State
mark shis last resting place with a hand
some monument. Some day Il son OF
FJdgecombe will search the records in
the court house here for material for a
history of Edgecomlbe county, and no
perfect history OF the State will ever
be written until we have complete county
and town histories. There is not town.
village or county in Massachusetts, that
has not it's local history from its early
foundations tracing its growth stem "
step from the first inhahitant to the
present. What tale Of industry. pa
triotism and noble achievement such a
history of Edgecombe would make!
One of Tarboro's best institutions is
the Pamlco Insurance and Banking
Company, an old institution that grows in
strength as in years Mr. III. l.. Station
is president and MIR. job Cobo cashier.
Its high standing as a banking institu-
ton is well known, hut | think compare
lively few people know of its success
in its insurance department. / desire to
emphasize the success it has made OF
local fire insurance in the hope that the
business men of ether communities will
follow its good example. Mr.. Orren Will
liams, who is at the head of the inSur-
ance department, knows everybody in
Edgecombe county, and as the company
confines itself to local business, Mr. Will
liams sees to it that no dangerous risks
are carried 1t win not Insure property
belonging to any man who is not believed
to be an honest man. The moral stand
ing of the insurer is taken into account
and risks are written SO carefully that
the company has suffered no great losses.
The people here have demonstrated that
well managed local companies can do
much Of the home insurance business.
1t is an object lesson that ought to be
helpful in the new impetus toward faith
in home men and in home institutions
that is notable today in North Carolina
as never before. 1T has a successful ca
reer of twenty years and is as solid and
safe as the rock of Gibraltar.
The series of local building and loan
stock conducted here by home folks has
been instrumental in building many new
homes and is regarded here as among
Tarboro's best institutions.
1t has not been so many years ago
when the cotton seed was not deemed
of much value. Now it brings good
price and has many uses. Tarboro has
successful cotton seed mill under the
management of Mr.. w. Newton Smith.
1t does a fine business There are three
other cotton seed oil mills in
the county, one at Swift
Greek. one at Shiloh and one at
Harrells-all in the country and owned
by farmers. They have literally brought
the mill to the farm and the day is near,
at hand when this great cotton county
will have to ship cotton into it to sup
ply its cotton seed oil and cotton mills.
1t is nearly here and will be upon us If
the increase of the past ten years is
continued, and there is every reason to
believe the growth from now ON will
be greater than up to this day.
Solid brick buildings are the order of
the day. The fire about year ago
that consumed row of wooden stores
was regarded as a calamity. Today the
vacant places have been built up in hand
some brick stores-iBe enough for q city
of 100000 inhabitants.
For some time Tarboro has been agi-
tated over its system of water works. A
private company erected water works
and public sentiment was strongly in fa-
vor of public ownership. There was a
contest between the town and the conn
pany very much like that in Raleigh
the town insisting that the water COM
pany had not kept it's contract and re-
frusing to pay the amounts claimed by the
water company. The last Legislature
passed an act establishing a water com
mission, and a few weeks ago this com
mission concluded arrangements with the
water company by which the town OF
Tarboro bought the water works and the
city row owns its own supply of water
How did the city win in the fight! In
the first place the wise men here who
were representing the citizens made
what they Thought was fair proposition
to the water company. 1t was declined.
Then they employed Prof. j. l.. Ludlow
TO give plans for an Independent sys-
tenn of water works and began to dig
a great artesian well. When they had
gone about four hundred feet, the water
company and the water commission
agreed ON terms, and the artesian we'll
is uncompleted. 1t lis proposed, how
ever, to complete it. though some geolo-
e.ists do not think water can be reached.
Some thought the same auout the arte- |
sian wells at Halifax and SELMA. but the
people kept ON going deeper and deeper !
Al, fNf