The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24
SUFFICIENT TO RUN ALL MILLS
Of New England Growing and Destined TO
Grow Now Has Cotton Mills, Knit
ting Factory, silk Fac
tory Etc,

wy NN'
The smile of prosperity is deepening
and broadening over a place in close
proximity to the Seaboard Air Line
about seven miles south of Weldon.
Where few short years ago an occa-
sional farm house only could be seen,
there is now a hourishing village OF
about 200 habitations, brick blocks OF
stores doing good business, broad ave-
nues planted with rows OF trees,
churches, postoffice schools and pop
uation estimated at about LOO souls.
The transformation in so short a time
from Il comparative wilderness of hard
wood timber and second growth pine to
a thrifty little city possessing all the
evidences Of enlightened progress and
active life, is complete as the reality
seems almost incredible. 1t is also a
solid, reliable development on which UNI
limited future expansion on all lines OF
industry and trade can be safely pre-
Dictated.
Approaching the town from the sta
ton, distant about one and Il quarter
miles, we see Roanoke Rapids in all her
glory. The east side represents the
older portion. The west side reveals
clusters Of buildings of more recent
construction. The main street traverses
the center of the town, and directly east
adjoining, pretty little park is located.
The majority of the dwelling houses
are well built, nicely painted two-story
and half structures, which are tenanted
by mill operatives. Each has its own
rlot Of ground in front, Planted to vines
and flowers, and Il small garden or
clothes yard i'll the rear. The whole
some policy of giving every family a
home, beautified and made desirable in
every respect for parents and children
alike. cannot be too highly commended
The station erected for the accommo-
dation of it's traffic by the tseaboard Air
Line, is neat, commodious building at
Il point only Il short drive distant over
an excellent road to the town. 1t has
two waiting rooms tf0r first and second
class passengers) a freight and baggage
room, an office with telegraph facilities,
ard snug dormitory overhead for the
agcnt To facilitate the transportation
of fIeigbtS tn and from the ntllS and
also the business of the town merchants
Il side track has been built within the
past few months extending two and six
tenths miles through thickets. OF ldne
in a red gravelly and clay SOIL crossing
Il small bridge of twenty-five feet span
over the Old Roanoke canal. A half
mile spur stretches out from the mill
terminus to town. so that Minis and mer-
chants art equally we'll provided for.
Both station and track were constructed
under the direction of w. w. Gwath-
mey Jr of the Seaboard Air Line and
do credit to him in the dual capacity
oY architect and engineer
The cotton mill and the knitting mill
are picturesquely situated on bluff
overlooking the river .on one side, and
thanked on the other by the high en-
bankment of the great canal from which
they derive power for the dynamOs ana
machinery motors. The immense volume
of water diverted from its regular chan
mel by the upper and lower dams. and
the plunging through the stone arches
OF the lower abutment into the canal
i'll which it moves along with the silent
force of majestic and mighty river,
apparently makes no impression on the
main body of the Roanoke, whose turbu-
lent and tawny waters dash and foam
over boulderS and other impedments
with reslstless and never eeasing energy,
covering space of one-half to three
quarters of Il mile wide
A new silk mill is now being built that
will give employment to hundreds of
operatives. The families of the work
men enjoy the privileges or free school
and religious worship in two churches
tMethodist and Baptist, where services
are conducted by resident pastors. There
is good city government, and the peace
full sway of law and order is seldom
if ever violated
There are five business houses con
Quoted by live up-to-date people. These
stores are well stocked and doing Il fine
business.
The building of the canal, to con
vert the impetuous torrent of the
Roanoke into docile agent for the
performance of industrial work, was
a grand engineering feat, requiring
large expenditures of money, labor
and skill. Commencing at the upper
dam, l,400 feet long (see illustra-
tions), it winds around the brow of q
hill, maintaining Il perfect grade I'M
til it reaches the point for industrial
sites, one mile down the river. 1t
is sixty-four feet wide at the bottom.
102 feet at the top, fourteen deep, and
was cut good portion of the way
through solid stone. From the banks
of the river at the head of the canal,
a permanent irresistible dam was ex-
tended out to an island in the center
of the stream. At each end of this
island are huge wings of stone, iron
and timbers, riveted to solid rock
foundation in the rivers bottom
mighty sulkhead was also built at the
head OF the canal, of solid stone, six
feet thick and twenty feet high,
stretching from the dam out across
the canal and up the banks of the
river beyond all high water marks.