The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-17
OLD AND NEW BLENDED
IT'S LUMBER, SHIPPING, OYSTER.
FISH AND TRUCK INTERESTS.
ALMOST WHOLLY DESTROYED BY FIRE
The Washington of Today Greater Than sher
II Was The States Foremost hipping
Point. The Home Of Culture
and Hospitality.

and Hospitality.
Washington, n. c., Dee. 49, Editor
ial Correspondence.)-- IL have the honor
to have first opened my eyes in this beau
tiful city when the guns of the Yankee
soldiers were met by the booming of the
guns manned by the braVest men who ev-
er fought for the preservation of consti-
tutional liberty and in defense of their
homes.
Il remember. / remember the house
where l was born.
The little window where the sun came
peeping in at morn"
1t was then called Little Wash
ington and while it had popuia-
tion Of only $500 or 5000 it was a busi-
ness centre OF commanding Importance
when the first gun was fred at Fort
Sumter 1t lis Little Washington no
more, but growing, hourishing business
mart of 1000 inhabitants. with the con-
fidence of future steady development.
No town or city in the South suffered
so severely by the war. both IN the act
ual destruction of property and the in
jury of its trade. On the first of Jam
nary, 1860, Washington owned one hum
dred and twenty-seyen sea-going vessels
and was the largest shipping point in the
State unless Wilmington, its rival, equal
ed it, The town was burned by the
Federal troops early in the war and sew
EN- DAYS later all that had escaped was
burned except five blocks, and when the
diminished ranks of the thirteen conn
panies that Washington furnished to the
Confederacy returned after four years
cf conflict, they found only standing
cllirneys where they had left comfort
able homes They were confronted with
tasks equally as great as those which
grim-yisaged war brought TO them.
Houses burned, property DESTROYED, BUSH
ness gone commerce diverted into new
channels-these were the gloomy and dis
piriting thirgs to which the Confederate
soldier returned. 1T was bad enough in
itself, but the contrast between the pros
perous and beautiful town of 1860 and
the destroyed town and depressed con-
aitions was enough TO cause the stoutest
heart to quail One of the brave men
who won promotion for gallantry on the
field of battle said TO me: 4 could face
the bullets of the enemy without a
trernor but it required adj the fortitude ]
could summon to come back to silent
GHlHjntfS, SPHiiutlS Vi OUR poverty anu
look the future in the face without feel
ing like running away from the conflict" J"
Al magnificent monument IN the lovely
cemetery here tells of the valor of the
] 1,625 Confederate soldiers who follow
ed Lee from this town. and the youth
are taught to honor the brave men who
gave up their lives for the Lost Cause.
1t is well, for there is no way to teach
a4u+Y hatfDT than IN pnn1a10nrafn fna
deeds of brave men. Sometimes rs |
have seen the Confederate soldier. who
followed Lee, fighting with poor success
the battles OF a bread-and-meat exist
ence / have thought with the soldier
quoted above. that the men who return
ed TO fight for commercial and profession
al and agricultural success had conflict
quite as hard as thaN Of shot and shell.
The monuments to those who died in
battle are also erected to those who have
fought valiantly to retrieve fallen for
tunes after four years Of service IN the
war.
Here in Washington the recovery was
slow at first. People who bad been rich
were set TO make brick without straw
to begin life with no homes and no
trades and business all changed and trade
diverted But they have succeeded.
Through travail. through energy, through
faith in themselves and their country
these people have come forth from the
fiery furnace. stronger and more pros
perous than in the old times. 1t Is one
Of the nlarvels of the age how the South
has recovered after it's immense loss of
manhood and of treasure. There is no
parallel TO it in all history unless it
he France after the Franco
German war. There is no town
where the loss was SO great as here and
therefore no place where enc can see so
good am object lesson of the reeuperation
from the losses of war.
The rebuilding has been done almost
wholly until the last few years by na-
tive men with the small capital that
they have made right here. Before the
war two prosperous banks, in large
brick structures of imposing appearance
we're among the towns chief institutions.
The banks went the way of the wreck OF
matter, but the deyouring flame
did not reach the buildings
They stand on Main street,
one still used as a bank and the other
as law tand insurance oifices-reminder
in their solid appearance of the archl-
fertnre Of another day. But though these
old banks. solid in their day. are no more
the WASHINGTON Of today has two bank
ing institutions that are strong and use
fn, and are TO the business of the com