The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-07
GROWTH OF MONROE.
$500, 900 in 3 Years Build
ing Business Houses.
Bates Gold Mines 10 be Operate d Again. Health
Giving Waters. Deposits tf State.
The McBes Railroad.
(Staff correspondence

Monroe, NJ c., September 6.-Since
my last visit some fourteen years
ago, there has been marked improve
ment here. Within the past three years
some four hundred thousand dollars have
been expended here in the erection of
business houses, residence property,
school and church buildings, factory
plants, water works, electric light plants
&C. OF this amount some 800, 900 was
expended within the past year. Among
new buildings erected the past year are
two by Mr. Boyette Others erected are
by DR.. Blair, $4,000; Lee and Lee, $4,000;
DIR. Austin, $1,000; Mr. Redfern, $500;
three by Sheet and Sons, $14,500; Mr..
Griffin, $4,000; Roller Mills, $4,000; Mr..
Fulerwider, 81, 900; Davis, $780, Crowell,
$500; Broom, $1,000 Dillon, $1,000; Hen
derson, 81 900; Barrett, $1,000; H. Smith,
$1,000; o. C. Curlee $500; Mrs. L. Myers,
5000; E. A. Armfield, $1,000; Commercial
Hotel, $1,000; College or Graded School
improvements, $4,000. This last opened
some 10 days ago with an attendance OF
more than 400 pupils.
In mercantile way there are about
80 merchants o. Tx Sc four &C d dss.sts.
9 hardware mon: . fur: ,.;,:c, :, kcr and
/ florist, the balance grorors end Soreral
merchants. In manufacturing way
are the Monroe Cotton Mills. the Nor roe
Oil Mills, the Monroe Roller Mills (four
and meal.) the Union Manufacturing
Company, Sheets, Sons Manufacturing
Company Polly and Myers Manufacturing
Company, Baker Brick Manufacturing
Company, Goodman Harness Company.
There are here one dairy, three fresh
meat markets, five sales and livery sta
bles, two weekly newspapers.
The Luthern, Episcopalians, Baptist,
Methodist and Presbyterian have splen-
did church buildings. The Presbyterian
and Methodist churches, the first named
just completed the last now receiving the
finishing touches, are beautiful and
represent an expenditure of 100000.
An excellent banking institution here
is the Peoples Bank the deposits of
which sometimes touch in the neighbor-
hood of the half million mark.
Monroe is the capital of Union county.
is situated on the Seaboard Air Line, %
miles east of Charlotte. The country is
!, very rolling and while not naturally very
fertile the lands are easily improved
Right much cotton is grown in the yicin-
ity. The crop this year is thought to be
quite an average one. There is quite a
deposit of slate here and in the boring
Of the several artesian wells at intervals
to a dept of a thousand feet strata of
this deposit were passed through. Of
g these waters would speak especially.
Their purity and health giving properties
have brought in the sick and sent them
forth we'll. 1t is said lean folks come
here, drink these waters and gain pound
of flesh per day. Previous to this sup
ply there was much fever, but since their
use scarcely any fever has been known.
The principal we'll is very strong with
sulphur besides having magnesia iron and
other mineral properties. There use is
sleep producing and adapted to stomach
and kidney troubles.
The water system and electric light
plant are owned by the town.
The McBee extension of the S. A. L.,
being built from McBee to Monroe,
distance of 80 miles is completed to
within 10 miles of Monroe. 1t is pro-
posed to further extend the line through
to Winston.
The town has hotel accommodation but
is temporarily crippled in the closing
yesterday of the hotel Glouchester, the
proprietor going into the brokerage bust
ness, the owners removing the furniture
to their new hotel at Hamlet. The Glou-
chester was elegantly furnished and nice
ly kept, and its closing is regretted by the
travelling public and citizens as we'll Good
meals however are to be had at the S.
A. L.. restaurant and better hotel ac-
commodation may be early expected
The Bates Gold mines are to be operat-
ed again. These mines are located nine
miles west of Monroe. They have been
idle a number of years. visit there
yesterday revealed operations begun The
cleaning and enlarging Of the old shafts
is now on and Mr.. Bates regards the
vein as rich one. Mr.. Bates is but re-
Gently from California, where he struck
ile,' in disposing of mining property,
to the snug sum of round million,
am told. Prominent Republicans here are
casting an eye towards the future politi-
cal horizon. One of them remarked to
your correspondent yesterday that Mr.. d.
A. Tompkins was regarded "a possible
candidate for Governor by fusion of the
patriotic element
The News and Observer has many
friends here and my visit adds a goodly
number to our list.
RIVENBARE.