The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-08

pounds of tobacco were sold. Next year
a second warehouse was erected, more
farmers planted tobacco and three mill
lion pounds were sold, and as the fame
of the yellow leaf spread the sales went
up to five million pounds in 1898, the
culture becoming general and a third
warehouse being erected.
The inception of the great industry
was due to the efforts of one of the best
men in the State Mr. J. w. Granger, of
Kinston, who in the spring of 1895 spent
a large part of his time and $500 in buy
ing seed and distributing it among the
farmers. persuading them TO try the crop,
advertising, working and finally erecting
the first warehouse. the beginning of the
great market of today.
From the five million pounds in 1898
the crop has grown till it has passed the
ten million and twelve million mark, and
this year there is confidence that in Kin
stOn will be sold between fourteen and
fifteen million pounds of tobacco this
season.
This bright leaf is the mainstay of
cigarettes and smokers and in handling
the great crop there are fifteen buyers
on the market, representing all the
leading firms of the United States and
many prominent ones of Europe, exports
being made direct. There are six big
warehouses, eight big stemmeres and
steameries and eight huge tobacco prize
houses. The acreage of the leaf in Lenoir
is very heavy, while to Kinston come
large quantities from Jones, Onslow,
Craven, Cartaret, Duplin, Pender, Green
and from portions of Pitt and Wayne
counties
There are fortunes to be made in the
tobacco business in Kinston and this
year, even with six warehouses, double
sales will be inaugurated Kinston has
risen in six years from a little market
to the second market in the east and its
progressive men say that it is going to
be first, not only in the east, but in the
State.
The only tobacco manufacturing plant
in Kinston is, one that converts the stems
into fertilizers. and Kinston offers mag
nificent opportunities to capitalists to
engage in tobacco manufacturing.
A COTTON COUNTRY TOO.
All this section produces cotton, and
Kinston is an excellent market for it.
The tributary country in this crop is the
same as that from which comes the to-
bacco. There comes to this market be-
tween eight and ten thousand bales of
cotton annually and six firms are en-
gagged in buying. Kinston has it's success
full cotton mills, but there is room for
more, and investors will find location
here worth considering.
A QUESTION OF WOOD.
In all the surrounding country about
Kinston there are in the forests
millions of feet of all kinds
of woods Here is, Of course, the
pine, and mills to handle this would pay.
Then comes the sweet gum and black
gum, sycamore, ash oak and poplar,
much OF these being found within a few
miles of Kinston, along the Neuse river.
Economic wood being at hand, furniture
factories would pay One was established
here in 1900, and is turning out big lots
of furniture, car load shipments being
made all over the United States and Can
ada The company is incorporated with
J. w. Granger as president, and there
is about $685. 900 invested. Seventy five
hands are employed and over a hundred
thousand dollars year is paid out to