The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-08
PROGRESSIVE LUMBERTON
Its RapidSGrowth From a Small Ham
let to a Thriving extraordinarily an
Indian Village Named Lombee-Town.
Red Springs, n. c., Octorber

iNSo opi MSS y -, Z
Editor of The Messenger:
For past half a century this writer
has been an occasional visitor to Lurn-
berton and I do not remember to have
seen a single communication descriptive
of this beautiful inland town.
When [ first knew LumbertOn it was
a struggling village with wooden stores
extended along Main street where
every commodity imaginable was after
ed for sale. A clever lot of merchants
dwelt here hen and among them I
remember Boon & Davis, John /. Pope,
Thomas A. NOrment and others. All
these have passed away and a new gen
Grafton has appeared.
The old court house around which the
whiskey wagons gathered in the old
times, has been enlarged n remodled.
When Tyre York was the republican
candidate for governor he rode a mule
and in anticipation of a visit to this
place, the commissioners planted the
court house u in field peas TO iced
that mule. York; pea patch" is now
surrounded by a costly fence of stone
4 and iron.
Lumberton has put on new life. The
old wooden stores have long since dis
appeared and Main street is now adorn-
ed with costly brick buildings, equal TO
any in the state.
This was originally an Indian village
called Lombee town and up to the time
of the late war the most valuable prop
erty in the business part of the town
was owned by old Hardy Bell, a Croa-
tan. who was a soldier in the war of
1872. Where old Hardy once vended
ginger cakes and cider now stands the
Bank of Lumberton whose deposits
give ample proof of the prosperity Of
this town and section.
Within a few years past about 500, 600
has been expended in waterworks, ar
tesian wells and swerage, SIS, 900 ex-
pended in the erection Of a cotton mill
Two large warehouses have been erect
ed to accommodate the rapidly i~ncreas-
ing tobacco trade of this place. Dur
ing my stay one a planter sold
his crop of fine quality at so cents Per
Ipound. Another reported that his crop
raised on three acres yielded him $3.50
in cash.
The tendency in all towns n vii
llages is to extend to the west. Lum-
berton presents the singular spectacle
Of growing eastward. The lowland on
the west side Of the river is subject to
overflow n improvement in that Ii
lrection is utterly impracticable. Fine
residences meet the eye in every Dire
ton n hospitality dwells in every
NOME. Inc pTOVerDldl hospitality OF
this town prevents any hotel from max
ing money. Boarding houses are abun-
dant which afford good ~accommoda-
lions. but the town will add to it's many
attractions by the erection OF a first
class hotel.
There is no a why this place
should not be a winter resort for north
ern visitors. l learn that another cot
ton mill is contemplated and prospec-
tors are already on the ground inspect
ing sites. In a few weeks communica-
ton with Charleston by rail will be es-
tablished on the completion OF the road
to Marion, s. c. Among the probab:Ii-
ties is the construction Of a railway
from Lumberton to the Cape Fear. n
distance only twelve miles. The extern
sion of the Red Springs and Bowmo-e
narrow guage a to Lumberton Is
also among the probabilities Of the near
future. fish extension would open I'D
a large section Of country Astounding in
timber that is in need of an outlet 10
market
Among the older merchants here is
NJ G. Redmond. a fullblooded Irishman
who in early life followed the sea. in
1861 he Joined the confederate navy and
was in command of the boa which con-
veyed General Wigfall amid a storm of
shot and shell. to demand the surren-
der OF Fort Sumpter. He was at one
time mayor of the town and had plant
ed many OF the beautiful shade trees
along the principal streets.
Captain Norment is the sole survivor
Of h large number of lawyers who
|practiced here in ~ante-bellum times.
DR.. Norment. b postmaster at Lum-