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

Where the Elkin River, hurrying down
from the Blue Ridge, emptles its turbuls
ent waters into the beautiful 1adkin, III
the extreme southwest corner of Surry
county where she joins her sisters.
Wilkes and Yadllin, the couverging point
of the great thoroughfares of travel from
the thirty mountain counties on the
north and west, and the center of the
grain, grass and tobacco belt of the fa-
nous Piedmont section, is situated the
town Of Elt1in to-day the most prosper
Gus, the most substantial, tire healthiest
and the prettiest town in North Western
North Carolina. There is no other town
of its size in the State that is SO favor
ably situated.
The Blue Ridge Mountains twelve
miles to the north, tower three thousand
feet above it; the Brushes, five miles to
the south, lift their modest crests one
thousand feet. and between these ranges
for n distance of nearly one hundred
miles the Yadkin River flows toward the
rising sun and waters valley that for
beauty, fertility, and general prosperity
cannot be surpassed in the South. The
North Western North Carolina Railroad
on its journey from Greensboro toward
Bristol, Tennessee. follows the Yadkin
in its picturesquely winding course for
sixty miles, and is in summer the pref
test route to be found ElEin is the
largest shipping point west Of Winston
on this road.
The climate here is mild, salubriouS,
and healthy. In summer the Temperature
rarely reaches 80 degrees and the nights
are always cool and pleasant. The WIN
tiers are mild and short. The lands are
fertile and adapted to- every species of
product known to Western North Caro-
lima. The leading crops are tobacco,
corn. wheat, rye, oats, peas, grasses and
potatoes and the soil is well adapted to
all of these. The trucking and fruit
growing interests are being largely and
profitably developed each year with in
creased proportions. In building the
town nothing half way has been done.
1t is community of broad gauge ideas
and movements, controlled by men whose
conceptions are lofty. generous and prac-
teal, and evidences of this are apparent
everywhere. The town lis lastly de-
signed running from north to south on
the ElSin river, and from east to west
on the Yadkin and the K. and ID. Rail-
road Its level above the sea is more
than one thousand feet. and it is pleas
ant summer as we'll as winter resort
With the increasing population
and wealth of ethe country and
with such manifest inducements
presented to those desiring pro-
fitable investments and remlmeratve
employment, it is but a natural concIu-
sion that III harmony with the normal
course of events, the only needed re-
Qustes to develop this town and country
will ere long appear in the shape of
capitalists, large and small, that more
manufacturing enterprises will be added
to the already varied and prosperous
plants now i'll operation, and that the
valuable lands around will be more sys-
tematically and adyantageously employ
ed.
The enterprise of the people of Ilkin
is shown in, its electric light plant and
telephone exchange. The electric light
plant is supplied with the latest generat-
ing apparatus and furnishes to the peo-
pie of Elkin the cheapest electric lights
IN the state. It's telephone exchange IS
thoroughly up to date and equipped with
the latest and best materials. Elkm'
municipal administration calls to its aid
the best endeavors of its business men.
The tax rate is low and the ctys BUSH
ness is progressively and economically.
The people are social and hospitable to
newcomers, and intensely public spir-
tied.
The farmers have made rapid strides
in progress during the past five years,
and are now using the most improved
and labor saving implements, making
their own fertilizers to a great extent
and ahstaining absolutely from the mort
gage system. Bnt the writer of this
brief synopsis recognizes his utter in
ability. IN the short time and space al
lotted him to even approximate a faith
full review of the agricultural resources
of this section or of the mercantile and
industrial enterprises of the town and
the descriptive notices given may be re-
garded as only a partial index. The fol-
lowing. however, are considered the
most prominent factors i'm the upbuiIding
and success of the town:
THE ELI<IN TIMES.