The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-16

gal returned, but as the loving loyal
son, proud of his heritage, and proud
of the opportunity he has had and
is having to aid in making his land
the glory of the world.
Glowing Future But True.
But, you ask. are these things true
or is this a creation of the magma
ton only? Let us see. Look for
moment at the Seaboard, the Coasl
Line, and the Southern Railways
those three great systems that arc
veing with each other in the Develop
ment of our section. Take with mo
if you will. the fast mail of the South
ern and speed away through the very
heart of the South covering the four
teen hundred miles between New York
and New Orleans in about thirty-ono
hours. Where can you find moro,
splendid engines, finer trains, better
service. greater speed, or stronger evil
dence of railroad development?
Or better STILL take your place If,
the observation car of one of the fire.
quent southbound vestibules that go
with some less celebrity. so that in pass
ing you may get a birds eye view of
the country. OF course ours is pre-
eminently an agricultural section, but
when prosperity smiles upon the field
the glow is reflected in every direc-
ton.
What is the picture that greets thu
eye as you hurry southwark? BroaG
acres that but little while ago wero
bare and desolate are now rich in Gull
tivation, producing abundantly tho
golden leaf so readily convertible int"
goldne coin. while the silvery sheer
of tn opening cotton bolls, reveals q
product for which tn world stands
ready to pour out it's wealth, and
which during the season just ended.
brought into our section not less than
$S0,000,000.
Berries :nd Truck.
The little town of Chadbourn in
North Carolina, with a population OF
only 500 is to-day the largest straw
berry shipping point in the world. In
a single day she shipped III car
loads.
From that immediate section dur
ing the last season the shipments or
truck and the net cash returns We're
54S,709 crates strawberries $1,O9l ,4lS
80, 900 packages lettuce. 10000
126,570 packages beans, ETC., 116,5
11443 crates dewberries 22,SS6
1872 900 barrels Irish potatoes 225.04o
90 916 packages cantalouDeS 136,31O;
and all this from lands that but few
years ago We're considered almost
worthless. The shipment of strawber7
ries alone from this section would re-
quire Il train of loaded cars elght
miles in length.
Orchards of peaches and fields OF
melons. the prolific trucking districts
luxurant gardens, great fields OF corn
and wheat and rice, and the cattifi
upon a thousand hills evince the fact
that, in addition to her money crop,
the South is making her own breau
and meat, with some to spare for her
neighbors. And what more? Above
the noise of the car wheels, hear the
musical hum of the mills and factories
as day and night with but little inter-
ruption, they are adding the value
that brain and skill give to the raw
product of the fields. before shipping
it to the markets.
To Feed and Clothe TIE World.
Note too, the long trains of freigh.
cars on every side track. loaded with
our surplus products. on their way
to help feed and clothe the world.
See the villages growing into towns,
and the towns into cities. all busting
with life and trade. See the rude
shanties of yesterday giving place to
modern and Well equipped farm houses
with their groves and beautiful lawns.
See the improved cattle the fine stock,
the handsome vehicles-observe tho
happy contented air of the people,
their improvement in dress, in man
ner and education. These things tel,
YOU far better than any language Of
mine can portray, of the material de-
velopment of that section of our coun-
try which we call the south.
AS you witness all these things you
will no longer marvel that our rail-
road mileage has grown to $4,000
miles, that in a single decade thu
business of these roads has about
doubled itself, that whereas ten years
ago the gross earnings of all of her
roads were but $130,000,000 last year
1892, 100000 was earned by five of
them, representing about one-half OF
her total mileage while the other roads
increased in like proportion. To-day
we are told that Notwithstanding their
present splendid equipment thousands
of new cars are being bought in antici-
patton of the maturing crops, which
bid fair to be the best ever made. a
single line has recently ordered three
thousand cars. Can there be any bet
ter index to the prosperity OF coun-
try than the prosperity of its rail-
roads? All these things are visible
proofs of the statement that since
1889, although the population of the
South has increased but so per cent,
the value of her agricultural and man
ufactured products has been about
trebled The value of the cotton crop
alone since that time has grown from
$3OO,0O0,000 to $700,000,0OO, whilst
the capital invested in manufacturing
has increased by $1,000, 100000.
Her pig-irOn, her coal. her lumber
interests have all kept pace with the
general growth Her banks have
not failed to reap the benefit of grow
ing trade Their capital, their earn
ings, and their resources nave peen
largely augmented, and to them ana
their guiding hands is due much OF
the prosperity that blesses our people.
Figures might be multiplied lndeh-
nitely showing the material grown OF
our section but time will not permit.
| The future is radiant with nope. Inc
/ building of the great canal, opening
| by shorter route a great gateway TO
| the teeming millions of the orient
can but accelerate the already rapldly
increasing commerce of our southern
ports, and stimulate trade IN every
line.
Percentage of
1890 1903 Increase
900 100000 731
:. 5000. 900 62,oOO,OOO 933
$4,000. 600 200. 100000 412
IN