The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-05
Steady Growth at Fayette
vile.
CONTINUED from First Page
is negroes entirely, and about 500 o


There's light here, plenty of it.
electric light that is being used by
all who can get it. The plant is OWN
ed by the city and this is giving gen
eral satisfaction as well as cheap
light. The plant can't accommodate
all the calls made on it for light and
an increased equipment will soon be
in order to meet an expanding bust
ness. The city is after the water
works plant also. and the sentiment
is almost universal here for the city
to own it. The matter is now in the
courts for settlement and the feeling
is that the city will own the plant at
an early date.
The railroad whistles are not the
only signals here that tell of freight
coming and going, for there are two
lines of steamers that ply on the Cape
Fear, and in the last three months
the facilities have been increased,
thus insuring competition with the
railroads and cheap freight rates. The
two companies are the South Atlantic
Transit Company and the Tar Heel
Steamboat Company, which have four
steamboats,. With cheap freight rates
this is the place for manufacturing
plants, say the people here.
Talking with Mr.. Newton H. Smith,
of this city, he said that the future
of Fayetteville as centre of inde-
pendent lines of railroads is assured,
because of her geographical situation
and the typography of the country,
especially with reference to the two
roads now being built, commonly
known as the Mills railroad from Raj
eigh, and the Duke railroad from
Apex and Durham. Both of these
| roads," he said. ARE seeking water
outlet and as our Cape Fear river is
navigable further inland than any
other river in the State, they will ma
| turally come here, or if they seek the
ports of Charleston or Southport they
direct and practical route to these
| ports.
These railroads. he continued,
"can unite at Ellington and there
cross the Cape Fear river over the
same bridge and without losing their
independence can use the same track
through Fayetteville to Lumberton,
where they can branch off, one to
Charleston and the other to South
port"
Fayetteville is a healthy town, and
the records show it. Yet it does not
alone rely on it's splendid climate and
general good health conditions. but
there is an excellent sanitorium here
and another one under way. The
Highsmith Hospital has done fine
work in it's seven years history and
it has an endowed annex with funds
sufficient to care for many patients.
The new sanitorium is to be known
as ST. Luke's Hospital and will be
located on Haymount. the site secured
being a most beautiful one. 1t is
being built for Dr. j. Fl. Marsh.
That Fayetteville is in good bust
ness shape is told of most pertinently
when the bare fact is mentioned that
there is not vacant house in the
city The business houses are all oc-
cupied, so are the residences 1t
growth is shown by the fact that there
is now a mail delivery service, which
has just been added, four carriers be.
ing on the go with the free delivery
of mail.
Fayetteville is a prohibition town
1t has tried the open saloon ana the
dispensary, but has now come TO pro
hibtion and the people tell me thai
they like it. The law is violated the!
say but they hold that the induce
ment to drink is lessened. and thai
the records show that drunkenness
has decreased rapidly. AS to the ef
feet on business they declare that bust
ness has improved under prohibition
and that practical experience mas
shown that business is not hurt, pu'
that money otherwise spent for wits
KEY and DRINKS is now going into le-
ultimate channels of trade. [ am tolc
that one wholesale firm here thai
deals in groceries. doing q business OF
n half million dollars Il year. has lost
I'm the past year but one half Of one
per cent The laboring men are say
ing money and are starting bank ac-
counts in place of blowing in theil
surplus funds on Saturday night as
drink money.
| In the matter of education the city
| is very proud of it's splendid system o.
graded schools. These are in charge
| of Prof. j. A. Jones. who is making
a fine record He is a graduate o.
| the University and is native o.
Johnston county. In the high schoo
faculty of the graded schools there
are four University graduates, and in
both the white and colorod schools
there are 1850 pupils. This is the
best year we have ever had in The
schools" said Prof. Jones to me lost
night.
The educational advance is not con
lined alone to the city, but it is ex'
tending over the county at a splendid
rate OF progress. One year ago there
was not single special tax district ir
Cumberland county. Now there arc
three special tax districts, and cleo
tons nave been called in four more
districts, where the issue is expected
to be carried. Cumberland propose.
to make q record as q county Of edu.
cation.
This city is the home OF the NORTH
Carolina Baptist, religious paper