The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-18

Completion Of the New Tobacco Ware
house Interesting Exercises-The
Growth Of Tobacco Culture In 8laden

Growth of Tobacco Culture In 8laden
Correspondence Of The Messenger.1
Ciarkton, n. c.. July H.
Yesterday was C1arkton's gala day.
the occasion being the celebration Of the
completion of the new tobacco ware
house built by Messrs. O. l.. Clark and
Currie Brothers.
From early morning until moo the
people poured into town from all
points. The early westbound freight
train brought a contingent from down
the road. The eastbound mail delivered
large delegations from Lumberton.
Yorkville, B~ladenboro, AbbottSburg and
more distant points, and by noon there
were more than a thousand people on
the grounds. The ladies were on hand
In force and with their bright, beautiful
faces and charming dresses and gay
conversation and laughter were a most
important element in making the sue
cess of the day.
The exercises were held in the main
building of h new warehouse and
were opened at il O'Clock with prayer
by Rev. Mr.. McFadyen. who was fol-
lowed by Professor Massey, OF the
state Agricultural and Mechanical col
lege at Raleigh Professor Massey
spoke for at least an hour and was lis
tened to with great attention. It was
a plain, practical, common sense talk,
which appeared to be understood well
and aSSimilated.
Following this, dinner was served,
under h shady giant trees of the park,
near the old Clark homestead. In the
afternoon. to the music of the band.
the young folks had dancing in the
warehouse, which, besides being a
handsome and practical business struc-
ture, is also admirably adapted to hail
purposes and will no doubt be frequent
ly called into use for such purposes
when ~thettobacco season is over In the
evening a very clever musical and dra-
matte entertainment was given, which
was much applauded.
The lev warehouse consists of two
buildings, the main building or sales
room being 60x165 feet, which is splen-
didly lighted with glass sashes and roof
lights. There is also an annex, where
the tobacco will be sorted, graded and
stores, n which is 40x60 feet. In the
! rear are horse sheds and camping
grounds for the comfort Of the farm
ers who bring their tobacco from a dis
lance.
Last year, Clarkton, being anxious to
be emancipated from the burden of cot
ton production, experimental with two
other lines, trucking n tobacco. Both
proved very successful, and finding
ready sale for their tbacco at high
prices, the produce being of remark
ably good grade, the farmers from a
total of an experimental crop of fifty
acres last year have this ear planted
over a thousand acres of tobacco in tn
| territory tributary to the new ware
house. A drive among the tobacco farms
| yesterday showed the crop in fine con-
/ dition, already drying having been
| commenced, n it is estimated by a
we'll posted and conservative man that
| the tobacco warehouse will this season
handle not less than 1000, 900 pounds of
tobacco valued at SIS, 900. The farmers
! from last years experience oun on
| not less than SIS per acre, which, as
! n of them remarked, beats cotton
| out OF sight"
Messrs. Clark and Currie Brothers
| were prompt to see how Clarkton and
! the community wou be benefited by
| having a home market, and with their
usual enterprise, promptly built the to-
| bacco warehouse. How this step will
lead by degrees to other progress, it is
| easy to see. -
The Seaboard Air Line, with it's usu-
| al desire to encourage and assist all
enterprises along it's lines, the sagacious
| policy observed by Nh. st. John, had
ON the grounds yesterday a reporter
from S.. A. L. Magundi to work up the
affair and also the roads official pho
tographer, who ook some very interest
ing views, which will be published in
! luz season.
Altogether, the affair was a big sue
cess and pleased 1t was
Clarkton's jubilee, and, as someone from
another town remarked, When Clark
tor starts out to do anything, she gets
| there sure"
h new warehouse will be opened
commercially on the 25th instant.
p. R.