The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-28

president; r. D. Caldwell, vice president,
and c. b. Townsend, cashier. At the time
of his election to the presidency of this
bank, Mr. Mclean was the youngest bank
president in the United States. He is a
lawyer by profession, and one of the ablest
and most successful attorneys in Eastern
North Carolina. He is closely connected
with many business enterprises, including
the Lumberton Cotton Mills, the Lumber
ton Telephone Company, the Armfield
Company of Fayetteville, and several 9TH
er successful corporations He is, not only
leader in law and politics and banking,
but in every other interest or enterprise
that promises to advance the interest of
Lumberton and Robson county.
Mr. r. D. Caldwell is vice-president of
the Bank of Lumberton He is one of the
most prominent business men in his section
of the State He is also president of the
Lumberton Cotton Mills and chairman of
the Board of County Commissioners.
Mr.. C. B. Townsend cashier of the
bank was, before his election as cashier,
Clerk of the Superior Court of Robson
county for sixteen years, and was a model
and popular public official. He is prom
inent and successful business man, and as
cdSIlSI Vi JIt Ddllk Has DCCA OuS VI buc
chief forces in Lumberton's business and
commercial revival
The bank has been successful from tie
beginning and during it's whole existence
has never lost a dollar. After paying
/ regular dividends its surplus and undivided
profits more than double its capital stock
| The surplus and undivided profits now
amount to $22, 300 So great is the conf
/ l. - 81 aad
Robson county in the Bank of Lumber
ton that it includes among It's customers
every person who keeps bank account in
Lumberton and the surrounding territory,
as well as many customers in the adjoin-
| ing country in North and South Carolina.
/ No county in North Carolina has made
more progress in the past few years than
Robson. 1t is in territory the largest
county in the State and is easily one of
the richest counties in an agricultural way
| in the East. 1t has a variety of soil that
is adapted to cultivation Of any product
| grown in Eastern or Central North Caro-
| lima.
| Until a few years ago, its lands were not
appreciated at their true value, and grow
ing cotton was regarded as the chief. and
nearly the only, money crop for the farm
in the whole South, and its production of
the fleecy staple of the best grade is a
large source of profit to its people. 1t
was not until about 1899 that the Robson
county farmers knew that their land
would produce the famous bright yellow
leaf tobacco that has made North Carolina
famous around the globe Some of the
more enterprising farmers tried the ex-
pertinent on a small scale at first and sue
ceeded perfectly. Others tried 1T and sue
ceeded. Many others began to grow it, en-
terprising men in Lumberton built mann
moth tobacco warehouses, and now Lum-
berton ranks among the best of the
younger tobacco markets OF the State.
Later still the people of this county
have learned that their land and climate
is admirably suited for growing early
strawberries, asparagus, melons and all
sorts of truck for the Northern markets
The Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic Coast
Line railway systems afford quick and
safe transportation to market, and within
the past few years the truck industry has
come to be an important one, and the
farmers are going to devote more land
and more time to growing berries melons,
and all sorts of truck. 1t brought thou
sands of dollars into the county last year;
it will bring tens of thousands next year.
and within few years the Robson coun-
ty truckers will be getting hundreds OF
thousands of dollars from their truck
crops.