The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24

Rocky Mount is one of the most inn
portant tobacco markets in Eastern
North Carolina. and the remarkable
growth and progress of the city during
the past few years has been due largely
to the tobacco interest which centre
here.
The territory tributary to Rocky
Mount is very large, comprising the
counties of Nash, Edgeconibe, Wilson,
Halifax, Martin, BERTHE, Pitt, Greene,
Beaufort, Craven and others.
Though small beginning had been
made prior to 1890, that year witnessed
the real inception of the tobacco ware
house business in Rocky Mount. The
place was then a village of between j.
600 and 1900 population. and today it
has a mayor and commissioners, and
boasts of nearly 1000 population, and it
can safely be said that tobacco has been
the seed from which has sprung this
growth and prosperity.
There are today four large warehouses
in operation, each with ample capital to
protect it's customers and each yieing
with the others to build up and main
tain the strongest market in the section,
and that means the best price for the
weed to farmers, and learning this fact
they are today coming through other
towns where tobacco is sold and ship
ping from distant points to obtain the
prices paid by buyers here.
The class of buyers has much to do
with prices, and it can safely be said
that no better or fairer buyers can be
found in the State than those at Rocky
Mount.
1t is useless to say to the farmer
that where these conditions are found he
can obtain the best prices, for he has al
ready discovered this fact, and it ac-
counts for the constant increase in the
total sales of Rocky Mount as shown
by the figures on the books of the To-
bacco Board of Trade. This year more
. than 100000 pounds of choice tobacco
will be registered by the scales of the
various warehouses; more than 100000
pounds will be handled by the buyers
at their leaf houses; more than 5000,
600 pounds will be shipped from this
market to purchasers, and, better than
all, the money for this vast product will
be paid out in Rocky Mount to the farm
ers bringing their tobacco here, and at
average prices which will more than
compensate them for going there.
Prices of property in the city of Rocky
Mount are reasonable, and it Is a city OF
homes. There are a number of business
and dwelling houses now in course of
erection, and many of the dwellings of
the place are elegant in design and lin
ish.
Rocky Mount is also cotton market
of considerable Importance. it has every
inducement to offer as location for cot
ton mills, and that cotton manufacturing
can be carried on successfully here is
proven by the record of large mill
which is in operation here now that was
established at its present site in 1915
In addition to all that Rocky Mount
has done for itself, the Atlantic Coast
Line has done much to aid 1t, as it has
built UP South Rocky Mount, practically
the same place, as residences and fac
tories are scattered all the way between
the two. Here the Coast Line has shops
for repair work and large yards and a
transfer depot for freight, and here, too
the Southern Railway connects with the
Coast Line. An electric-lighting plant
has just been put in by the railroad com
pany for use in its shops and yards, and
sixty arc lights make the yards almost
as light as day.
In church and school advantages
Rocky Mount is peculiarly blessed. A
large and fiourishing academic school il
conducted here, which prepares its stu
dents for entering the State University
or any of the colleges of the State, anG
in which corps of eight teachers are
regularly employed.
Four churches, representing the Epis
copal, Presbyterian, Methodist and Bap
fist denominations are found here
which, with their spires and beautiful
premises, are indeed an ornamentl tt
the city.
Inc place possesses everything neces
sary to insure health to the citizens, and
It's health record has been so near per
feet heretofore that it is said to be the
healthiest community on the Atlantic
Coast Line.
The people of Rocky Mount are noted
for their genuine Southern hospitality
and it would be hard to find any where
a more pleasant place to live.
THE SOUTHERN ICE COMPANY