The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-04
ITS IMPORTANCE AS A
MANUFACTURING CITY
A Great Supply Center, and Facilities
for Supplying N. c. Trade.
NEW TERRITORY OPENED UP
Historic Memories. ACiiy Of Beautiful Homes.
The financial Solidity Of its
Business Men.

Petersburg can justly and proudly
boast of its financial solidity. for no
place in the Old Dominion is more
financially responsible than its bust
ness men. And TO place, when popu-
lation is considered, has more home
capital invested in home institutions,
showing the absolute faith its citizens
have in their city.
WHY so NAMED.
The title of Cockade City was be-
slowed upon Petersburg by President
james Madison, fourth President of
the United States, because of the
bravery and the prominent part play
ed by her soldier sons during the rev
dictionary war and the war of 1912.
During the war between the the
States Petersburg justified its title to
this emblem of distinction, by fur
nishing eleven companies of infantry
and three companies each of artillery
and cavalry. Making grand total of
seventeen full companies out of
population of $4,000 only, one half of
whom were negroes.
"THE CITY OF THE CRATER"
Petersburg is also sometime called
1.-The City of the Crater" because of
that frightful and deathly episode
which occurred during the long seige
of the city i'm the last days of the
war of '61 and '65. when five hundred
kegs of powder were exploded under
the Confederate works. blowing up
the earth with an explosion that
made the trembling of the earth feel
like the shock of an earthquake for
many miles distant. Hundreds OF
souls were sent to their last account
by this terrible blast and many of
the men who escaped from this gap
ing hell were manned for life.
The long and weary seige of Peters
burg by the Federal army under Gen.
Grant. of sortie. skermish and assault
and the gallant defence b. the poor
Nv clad and half starved Confederates.
is too wildly fresh in the memories Of
this generation to say more about it
now.
A MODEST CITY.
Petersburg has always been noted
for extreme mOdesty. 1t is never as
sertive or Dretentious, but on the con
trary, unassuming. It's attractions
grow as you become better acquainted
with its merits. 1t has a great many
very lovely homes, owing much OF
their loneliness to well kept lawns
and the sylvan beauty of its magnifi
cent shade trees of almost every va
riety.
ITS NAVIGATION
Petersburg is prettily and well sit
uated upon rolling rather than hilly
ground on both sides of the Apo
matox river. thirteen miles from the
point where it empties into the James.
The city is at the head of navigation.
ledge of rocks Of granite formation
barring further deep water navigation
up the river. This bar to further nav
igation forms Il beautiful fall. witt
extensive water power, which is uti
lied in many ways for manufacturing
purposes. The harbor is not very pre-
tentious. The depth of the channe
from the moeth of the AppomattoS
to Petersburg. II miles. is from ter
TO twelve feet. The general govern
ment is vigorously prosecuting worl
i'm dredging and deepening the chan
mel, by means of ietties. bikes. revert
Eent and other engineering works.
The shipping at this port is by no
means to be despaired of. The entries
of steamers ,barges. tugs and schoon
ers amount to about seven hundred
annually.
BUSINESS INTEREST.
Among the many business interests
of Petersburg. the tobacco business
leads all others by far. From it's very
beginning the city has been famous
as a tobacco market Tobacco is the
mainstay and sheet anchor of the
city's commerce today as it was yes
terday. Next in Importance is the pea
nut trade The third great interest is
cotton.
This trinity-tobacco. peanuts and
cotton-are tfle great lines upon which
Siege