The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-22
BUSY MOUNT AIRY
How a Hustllng Mountain
City Got Its Name.
The Hadley. Smiih Company. Two Busy Funi-
ture Factories Big Fruit Growing
Enserprize.
EnfeFpflzs.
tstaff Correspondence

Mount Airy, N. c., Feb. 21.-About
eight or ten years ago in an article fer
the State Chronicle, / told how this town
derived its name. As / heard it. two old
fellows who had been imbibing too freely
of tho mountain dew, spent the night on
mound about the centre Of the town.
The night was cold, and next morning
one remarked to the other 'It's right
airy ON this mound; hence the name
Mount Airy This was long before there
was much expectation of building such
a hustling. growing towns as Mount Airy
has become.
My first visit here was in 1888. / came
OH about the first passenger train that
ran through after the completion of the
(then) c. f. and Y. V. 1t was a red let
ter day in the history of the town, which
was celebrating the completion Of the
railroad The town was filled with peo-
pie from all over this beautiful mountain
country. Speeches We're made by prom
inent men from various sections of the
State. Professions headed by bands of
music paraded the streets, aud from that
day Mount Airy was infused with new
energy end enterprise and her citizens
awoke to the necessity of letting the out
side world know of the advantages and
inducements this section could offer to
business men and capitalists. First the
people here began to act among them
selves. next they advertised to some ex-
tent, and as result, the town has con-
tinued to grow and improve each year,
-.
ulation perhaps as some towns in the
State that will cover about the same
amount of land, know OF no town of it's
size in the State that seems on a more
healthy, solid foundation for continued
growth and future prosperity.
Mayor Carter said today;
"Our town end community never was
in better financial condition. We have
no loafers. there is employment for all of
our people and they are at work. Money
is easy and our prospects for the diver
sfied business and manufacturing enter
prices of the town are better thar ever
before In its history
Through the courtesy of Mr.. Smith /
went through the Hadley Smith Com
pany Works 1t is big business. They
make speciality of two we'll known
brands of chewing tobacco: first the
RED Bird, of which last year thsy put
out over six hundred thousand pounds,
and the old time brand another Chew. ;"
for which they have a big demand in the
eastern section of this State. This fac
torys output per day is forty thousand
pounds. and they work first-class stock
/ visited the Mount Airy Furniture
Factory. 1t was a great surprise to me
10 see how this business had increased
and to what proportions the factory had
been enlarged since my last visit to
Mount Airy, nearly four years ago At
that time the company had Just been or
ganized, and they We're doing a small
business in one small building Today it
is about the largest in the State They
have three large three story
buildings. Their shops are fitted up
with the latest improved en-
gines and machinery, their stock rooms
ard finishing shops. though In diff
ferent buildings, are connected by plat
form of over five hundred feet, running
from the second stories. Their shipping
room store opens right beside a track.
on which the cars are loaded. This fac
business annually. Their business is
now fast spreading out to northern and
northwestern States They will average
shipping from four to five car loads per
week. Their goods are no imitation but
made altogether of solid native oak and
poplar. Their wholesale prices on their
suits run from $40 to $50. They work
an average of 1856 to lao skilled hands.
They are now carrying $4,000 stock Of
made goods, and have on their yards
about $4,000 worth of lumber to be
dressed and made up. They make neat,
well-ftnished, substantial furniture.
Another furniture factory recently
started here is the National Furniture
Company. of which j. H. Prather is
president, and T. q. McCargo secretary
and treasurer. This business, though
young, has started out, so / am informed
with very bright prospects, and is
building up good trade for their goods.
new industry is being started here
for which both soil and climate are par
ticularly adapted; 1t is The Surry County
Fruit and Grape Company, Of which Mr..
J. w. c. Brittingham, of Baltimore. is
president, and Harry L. Price. also OF
A'uitiHiciS, 10 SeCTetdIy ana treasurer
and Mr.. M. d. Moore, of Mount Airy. ic
general manager. The company owns
about 200 acres of land about five miles
west OF the town There is a force of
hands now at work preparing thirty
acres to be set out this spring in apple
trees and grape vines. The company in
tends to have the entire plot of land
covered with apple, pear trees and grape
vines within the next two years.
new narrow gauge railroad, known
as the Mount Airy and Eastern is now
running trains out about fifteen miles
in northeasterly direction from Mount
Airy to what is known as the Pinnacles
of the Dan River. Its objective point
is Patrick Courthouse. Patrick
County. Virginia. 1t traverses fine bodies
of hard tinber-oak, hickory.
dogwood, persinmon, etc. 1t seems to
me that this should mean a
great deal for Mount Airy and attract
the attention of anyone having capital to
invest In manufacturing industries here.
Tor which such timbcrs are necessary.
The question is why not bring the fac
tories to where the raw material
aEOunISp Is 1t not econoYoxy1 u-c,d