The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-19
A BUSY LITTLE TOWN
A Flourishing SCHOOL, Conducted by
Progressive Educators.
TRIP VIA DORlTCA-RUSsIAN MAIL LINE
The Road From Core Creek is Splendid One.
The Russian Greek Believes This Re-
public Will '5uss" But Not
in Our Day.
(special to the News and nhseruerl

tSpeclal TO the News and Observer
Trenton, N. c., May 18.-Both the
Father of his Country and your CORES
pendent have made their first visit to the
capital of Jones county, George spent a
whole night, your humble servant only
two hours and forty-five minutes. We
were on different missions, in different
ages, but both left their footprints upon
the banks of the meandering river Trent.
from which stream some 120 years ago
the present quaint little town derived its
name. Speaking of Washington's visit
there it is not amiss to say the building
which he occupied on the occasion of his
visit there yet stands, it's present Occu-
pants being a family of Industrious ne
groes. To reach Trenton from Goldsboro
one has delightful ride down the splendid
track of the A. & N. c. to Core Creek, and
alighting from the cars there he soon
boards Doritch's Russian Greek American
special mail the propelling power on the
occasion Of my visit being none other than
lank bay mare by the name of Sam,
Conductor Valentine Dortch pulling the
bell-cord. The drive over from Core
Greek TO Trenton at this time Of the year
is delightful one, about seven miles of
the nine miles distance being a splendid
thoroughfare, built by convict labor. En-
route some excellent farm lands and pine
forests are passed which lend a pleasant
effect as the traveller rides and thinks
and talks as he must when in company
with Valentine DOritch, the only Russian
Greek in the county of Jones. Every now
and then when the conversation would
lag Doritch would arouse as if just awak-
ened from a visit to dreamland and break
forth in dulcet tones, "There'l be a hot
time in the old town tonight Doritch
is a daisy. When Sam, the bay mare
would slack his pace Doritch would urge
her forward by jerk of the bell-cord
and a gentle touch of the lash, only to
yell whoa, there" the moment Sam
would quicken his gait and then followed
a change in Sans name to that of old
Fool Doritch and / discussed on the
way red bugs ticks and mosquitoes
all of which Doritch declares are in
plenty in these diggin's, little later on.
as can be proven by Senator Simmons
and Col Phil. Pearsall-catching mud
turtles and killing snakes. From Doritch
| was given a splendid description of some
things in Russia. OF the roadways there
he says these are all excellent and are
kept in splendid repair by the govern
ment which always has absolute control
of all schools At the age of seven the
compulsory school age begins which lasts
till the age of 10, when the young man,
one out of every two in any family begin
a military service of four years. / also
was advised that the poll-tax there
ranges in price from so cents to five dol
mans income. Doritch is somewhat of a
political economist and declares this Re-
public will some day "buss," but he adds
not in our day, which is indeed consoling
to a fellow who would grow with the Re-
public.
But to Trenton.l Crossing Trent
river, which is the head of navigation,
steamboats, ply regularly between New
bern and Trenton. You enter the little
town of Trenton where her population of
800 souls are busily engaged in the vari-
Gus avocations of life. There are four
teen stores, three churches and a splendid
school the Trenton High School, of which
that prince Of clever fellows, w. II.
Rhodes, is principal. The school is prettily
located, has a naverage enrolment of 12O
pupils, some fifty of these being board
ing, or pupils from a distance. Prof.
Rhodes is assisted by an able corps of five
in number and a splendid work is being
done r. P. Parker is the newly elected
chief executive of the town municipal
affairs and splendid fellow too, by the
way The first to greet my arrival there
was DR.. r. A. Whitaker, one of Jones
county's popular physicians and a strong
friend of the News and Observer In
deed found pretty nigh the entire peo-
pie strong friends of our paper, and left
there with quite the entire reading public
on the list. Among the leading business
men there, strong friends of ours, is e. A.
Rhodes, DIR. r. A. Whitaker, S. E.
Koonce, Profs w. H. Rhodes and w. II.
Hammond, T G. Whitaker, J. A. Smith,
t. d. Warren, the lawyer, single and
alone; r. Brock, A. H. Coble, L. Taylor,
Mayor r. p Parker and a number of
others whose names do not at this
moment recall.
And amusing incident of the
visit was a warrant issued by the
mayor against a member Of the board Of
aldermen, charging him with being guilty
of a nuisance in repairing a buggy top
on the side walk. ! guess this began and
ended in joke. l shall ever have in
memory a pleasant thought of my first
visit to the pretty little capital Of Jones
and her excellent people.
RIVENBARK.