The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-17
LEADS ALL M0RTH CAROLINA DAlES u NEWS AMID C0RGULATO

body.
The Bank of Washington has a capi-
tai of $4,000. Its officers are Seth
Bridgman, president: ]. Hayens, vice
president; Thos. j. Latham, cashier; Il,
j. Latham. Jr., assistant cashier.
The First National Bank of WASH
ington has the same capital $4,000
with the following officers: j. l.. Fowle
president; D. NJ. Carter, vice president
A. NJ. Dumay, cashier.
Washington is one of the older towns
OF the State. lIt was chartered by the
General Assembly of 1872 in An act
for establishing town on the lands
formerly belonging to Colonel James
Bonner at the forks Of Tar River IN
the county of Beaufort" The young
town must have had healthy growth
for in 1884 the Assembly passed IAN
act annexing certain lands laid off by
Thomas Respass to the town of Wash
ington," and in 1885, AN act to alter
the place of holding the county courr
of Beaufort county from Bath to the
town of Washington, said county, and to
erect a new court house, prison, pillory
and stocks in said county
Now, Bath had been a place of con-
Oldest town in the colony, and having
had the first public library; and the
last named act shows that she had
been outstripped by the new town. But
it seems that Bath did not surrender
its dignities without a struggle; for
in 1899 the Assembly enacted law ITO
compel the clerk of the Court of Pleas
and Quarter Sessions in the county of
o,1fn 10 of in hn
of Washington In 1892 there was
passed AN act to incorporate a fire
company in the town of Washington"
and it is a noteworthy fact that one,
in looking over the early Private Laws
of the State, will find scarcely any other
legislation about fire company The
town has always encouraged it's fire
department and now has one which, in
point of members, quite likely exceeds
any ether in the State. The accessl-
bility of the river is great protection
against fire. and Washington's yearly
losses by fire win compare favorably
with those Of any other town.
Washington is probably least known
of all the North Carolina towns OF
any size. Not until the last. few years
has she had the railroad communication
that she now has by the Atlantic COAST
Line, and she was practically isolated
from the rest of the State. Hence it is
that strangers are usually surprised at its
dimensions and Importance. The last
census placed the population at about
3,100: but during the past ten years the
town has enjoyed such growth that
the present population cannot be pua
below 5000, and the more sanguine call
it 1000. That increase was not brought
about by boom or disproportionate
growth in one direction, but was tne
result Of healthy advance along ali
business lines, as people became ac-
oainted with the place and its advan-
tages. The growth has not ceased, but
continues regularly. as shown by the
constant additi q OF new families. And
it has not happened as does often hap
pen with old towns when they take on
new life and people; for there still re-
mains as a distinguishing trait Of the
place that air Of old-fashioned refine
ment and hospitality, which is a heri
tage from generations of cultured men
and women.
The most important industry is the
lumber business. There are five large
mills: The Il. NJ Short Lumber Com
pany with a capacity of 7.000000; the
Eureka Lumber Company with a capaci-
ty as large as any in North Carolina,
Geo. T. Leach is president and general
manager of the Eureka Lumber Com
pany, g. A. Philips, treasurer, and these
two with w. r. Baugham and s. S.
Sparks are directors; its capital is
$4,000 s. II. Fowle & Sons with
capacity of 100000, the Kugler Lum-
Der Company with capacity or 7.000.-
600, and the Walling Lumber Company
They employ 425 men anu pay out for
Flbor and timber $4,000 a week. They
cut about fhirty-six million feet of lum-
ber a year, and ship it by barges mostly
to New York and Philadelphia. These
companies maintain their own tug boats
which collect the logs into RATS and
tow them to the mills. and most or
them opelate railroads for bringing the
logs to water probably as much as 81
miles Of road AS the lumber market
is now unusually active all the mills are
working up to their full capacity ana
are running day and night With the
exception Of a very small amount OF
cypress and poplar, they cut entirely
pine-North Carolina pine is its techni-
cal name in the lumber trade. 1t is
highly thought OF by contractors and
carpenters, and is used in almost eyery
way that lumber can he used: but its
prettiest effect is in inside finishing.
A prominent lumber man tells me that
the products OF these mills are mostly
sold at the mill and by the year on
sellers grades and COUNT, and are moved
principally via Belport by lumber trans
fers from the different mills and then
reloaded on cars and carried all rail to
Northern markets. The remaining part
goes by direct barges carrying 100000
10 100000. These mills in Washington
eonstitrte only portion of the lumber
mills Of this county, which help to add
to Wlatshington's wealth. Speaking of
the ether mills, a prominent lumber man
said to me:
I'VE have a good many nils down the
Pamlico river and it's tributaries. / viii
name the Bayside mill, 16 miles below
here with a capacity of some 100000
annually. II is owned by the Roanoke
Railroad and Lumber Co., of Norfolk,
Va. The Springer Lumber Co., South
Greek, is owned by the same company
at South Creek, n. G. Capacity about
100000 feet annually: the Scranton and