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

conductor shouted apex" and having
heard SO much of this place | decided to
stop and spend the night and return to
halelgh the next morning.
My visit was a pleasant one and |
nave written the following lines relative
10 that prosperous little place, in order
that some one of the many who are
seeking new fields where they will not
nave to trod the frozen grounds of the
1af north west for six months out of the
year may read of its opportunities many
OIL Which the lack of space will preclude
mentioning.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Ihe early settlement Of Apex does not
date back for many years and it's streets
are not marked, with colonial buildings,
etc. But it is rather of recent date,
having been settled shortly after the civil
war upon the completion of the Raleigh
and Augusta division of what is no"
Seaboard Air Line and which road was
graded during the war and after the
the close of hostilities the road was
completed and the name Apex" was
gwen to the highest point ON the divI-
sion, then but a mere station, but what
IS NOW the huSting Apex. char
ter was granted by the legislation in
1873 and the late Hon. Ii. G.. Olive was
the first mayor. But the last Legislature
that of 1899 passed an act granting an
amended charter with full privileges of
taxation, etc.
LOCATION.
Apex with population of 500 is locat-
ed in Wake county on the Seaboard Air
Line railroad just fifteen miles from
Raleigh, the capital of the State 1t is
] ten hours ride from Wilmington and
Lelev"n hours from Atlanta. with two
mail trains each way every twenty four
hours. 1t forms the back bone so to
speak of the lands laying between the
/ Cape Fear and the Neuse rivers and
water falling on Selam street. which is
the main thoroughfare of the town will
divide and all that falls on the west
side go to the Cape Fear while that of
the East will wind its way to the
s"Neuse."
HEALTH.
Owing to the high elevation of Apex
and the surrounding health giving atmos-
pheric conditions it may be truly said
. that the place is unexcelled in health and
that n case Of typhoid fever has never
been known to originate in the place.
CHURCHES.
The people of Apex seem to be a God
fearing people and who attend their
churches Of what ever denomination
with a regularity that bespeaks well for
them. 1t may be here mentioned that
during the first years of Apex that nu-
merous bar rooms were there but ten or
twelve years ago vote was taken and
since that time this beautiful little place
has been dry as far as liquor is concern
ed. The churches Of Apex are two Bap-
aiSt and one Methodist besides the col
ored churches. These churches are the
First Baptist, which was organized
about "a years ago, with Rev. Skimson
Ivey as the pastor at that time. the
present pastor being Rev. A. ID. Hunter
who resides at Cary. The Central Bap-
fist was organized about 10 years ago
with its present pastor, Rev. j. Nj.
Holleman who has since been its able
and efficient pastor.
The Methodist church was the first
one of tile place, but the building was
burned and only about ten years ago
they got new building, erected and
are now in a prosperous condition with
Rev. A. l.. Ormond as pastor.
Each of these churches are well at
tended and are presided over by able
divines.
TOBACCO WAREHOUSE.
One noticeable feature in regard to
the products Of the fertile lands which
surround Apex is that while the crops
are we'll diversified that the land lying
TO the east sand south is devoted mainly
to cotton, while on the north and west
some of the finest of the yellow leaf
tobacco produced in the State is raised.
And upon thorough investigation it
has been found that more tobacco IS
raised within twenty miles of Apex
than is within the same number around
Durham. This being the facts the mer-
chants and farmers in the vicinity of
Apex have decided to erect ware
house ut that place which will he COM
pleted no doubt. in time Tor the com
ing crop. and it will not only he bene-
fit to Apex. but an enormous help to
the farmers who previous to this have
been compelled to haul their tobacco to
Durham or Raleigh. Now this long
haul will be saved.
RAILROADS.
The facilities afforded for passenger
and freight traffic are excellent and
are furnished by the Seaboard Air Line.
Apex being on the MAIN line of the sys-
TEN with two day passenger trains go
ing each way daily Apex is also the
northern terminal of the Cape Fear and
Northern Railroad. which is expected
to be extended on to Dpnrham. and
there connect with the Southern. At
the present time it only extends from
Apex the northern terminal, 10 An
gier." a distance of twenty miles.
JOHN G. BURNS,