The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-30
A GREAT BERRY SECTION
Heavy Business Done by the Merch
ants of the Place.
GRADED SCHOOLS AND A FINE NEW BANK
Mount Olive Has Such a Hump on Her That
Our GoIdsboro Correspondent Thinks
Goldsboro viii Take Steps
Looking to Annexation.
(Staff Correspondence

(Staff Correspondence
Mt Olive N. c., June 29.-"Befo' de
war; is hardly applicable to this hus-
Ting, bustling little town of some 1900
people, for in the year 1850 but two
families resided here, one white, one
colored. The first two residents We're
the late Mr. Joseph d. Denmark and
Levi Wynne.a Mr.. Denmark, at the
time, was turpentine distiller, while
Levi Wynn was the crossroads or viii
lage blacksmith. Mt. Olive seems to
be dividing line of water courses. Mr..
Willis A. Denmark. who is a son of
Mr. Joseph d. Denmark, and by the
way the first white child born in the
present site of the town, relates haV-
ing heard his father say again and
again, in speaking Of the shed over the
turpentine distillery, that when there
was 2 doWn-pour of rain, the water
falling off one side of the shed went
into North East River. while the fall
from the other side would seek its level
in the river Neuse. The North East
and Thunder Swamp streams head near
the town to the south. The waters of
Thunder Swamp run in westerly
course into Falling Creek, which emp
ties into the Neuse, and then rushes on
in any easterly way. The waters of the
North East run in a northeasterly
course for miles, and taking a turn
flow southeast, emptying into the
TTy- ~ 4 h.
Mt Olive is located in lower Wayne,
fourteen miles south of GoldsborO, and
seventy miles north of Wilmington, the
limit sof the town to the south being
within a mile and half of the Duplin
county line.
The surrounding country is one Of
great fertility, the soil being adapted
to the growth OF any vegetable or
cereal crop, the yield of which will
compare favorably to that of any in the
South Atlantic States On the lowlands
of the North East the acreage and
yield of rice are quite large. The cul-
tivation of Strawberries and early truck
products is the chief industry
of the people. Mt. Olive is the largest
strawberry shipping point in North
Carolina, there being over $4,000 crates
shipped from here this season, as many
as 1000 crates being shipped in {,
single day BY way of parentheSiS, |
will remark in passing that Mr.. r.
Kornegay has ten acres here in straw
berries, and notwithstanding this was
an off-year in this product, his gross
receipts from the ten acres foot up the
snug sum of s., 1000. Others have realiZ-
ed as Well some even better. The time
was when all early fruits and vegeta-
bles We're consigned, but now Northern,
and Western Commission merchants
send here a large number of buyers
who remain on the spot during the sea-
son, and the berry is converted into
ready cash at the depot. Thus is the
grower protected against frequent de-
lays in transportation, over-stocked
markets and snide commission houses.
This is also large huckleberry ship
ping point, the famous blues being
brought in from the counties of San1p-
son, Duplin and Wayne. by the way,
about three miles southwest of the town
the three counties above named come
to a point
There are here about 25 mercantile
establishments, some of these do an i'm
mense volume of business, carrying Sc.
lected stocks that would be creditable
to much larger town. The morality
is of the best. There are three church,
es, Methodist, Baptist and Presbyte-
rian. Recently the town decided by
vote in favor of a system of graded
schools. The trustees selected Mr..
McWhorter superintendent For the
present the public school building will
be used, but ere a great white build
ing of modern design will be under
way. Recently the Bank of Mt. Olive
was organized which institution has
just moved into their elegant qharteys
The bank building is 22x50 feet, of brick
with granite and press brick front It's
capital stock is $4,000 with deposits Of
$4,000. During the first month of this
much appreciated new enterprise, pa
pers to the amount of $125,500 We're
passed in over its counters. The office
is a thing of beauty. The vault is or
the Deibald make with time lock- The
bank is officered as follows: W. E.
Borden. president: r. j. Switzerland,
president; Nj. t. Breazeale.
cashier. OF the cashier it may be said
in the eternal fitness of things, the
right man broke into the right place.
In the Southern limits of the town is
the lumber plant of Reeves and Bell
This enterprise will change hands In