The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-03
We NEED HIM HERE
j.hn T. Patrick's S Work in
Developing Sand Hill
North Carolina.

The fattcring offer which Col. T. ].
Arterson of the Southern Pacific Rail
rcat has made to Mr.. John T. Patrick to
be cme General Industrial Agent of that
great system, is now under consideration
by dr. Patrick.
Since November last Mr.. Patrick has
been investigating that section of the
Southwest traversed by the Southern
PacEic Railroad and Will soon decide
whe her or not he will accept the offer
made him
In this connection the people of North
Caroina venture to hope that Mr.. Pat
rick Eill see his way clear to remaining
in North Carolina and continuing TO de-
yote his energies to the development OF
this State. No calculation in dollars and
cents can be made of the value of Mr..
Patricl's efforts in up-building OF not
only forth Carolina, but that portion OF
the States of Virginia, South Carolina
and Georgia through which the Seaboard
Air Line passes.
The development of the sandhill section
of this State stands as a monument to his
untiring energy, and his valuable efforts
for publicity and promotion that
have come to North carolina will
increase its wealth as the years
go. by. Mr.. Patrick first began his work
of development in North Carolina at his
native home in Wadesboro, as manager
of the Anson County Agricultural Fair.
The State Board of Agriculture, seeing
that he had the true conception and a
I'M
migrants to this State, asked him to come
to Raleigh and become State immigration
Commissioner in 1880. He did so and FOR
several years worked energetically for
the State He originated and carried out
the plan which has made the pine end
sand-hill section OF Moore and adjacent
counties the most popular winter re2ort
in America In Mr.. Patrick's prophetic
vision at the start, nc saw on the crest
OF Shaws Ridge in Moore County. North
Carolina, where sand hills glisten in
Southern sunlight q growing city, city
pine and bullded on a broad ledge OF
silicious earth which steals from the
atmosphere all moisture and malaria and
leaves it frcighted only with the perfume
of the pine and the melody of the Wild
wood choiristers. He looked into the fU-
ture far as human eye could see, and
saw that this city Of his faith would be
veritable tealth-maker, situated mid
way between the blizzardly North and the
scorchng South, whose climate rivals
the Carlsbads of earth, and whose fame
should spread out over the land until
Thousands of sick men and women, and
healthy men and women, desiring rest
in a salubr'ous climate, would come
hither for healing.
Most people who heard Mr.. Patrick talk
about the wonderful development that
existed then only in his brain, thought
he was dreamer and the croakers said:
1T is only dream, and the folly of the
dream will soon appear" But there
were men Of great faith and large views
who saw in Mr.. Patrick's dream the most
practical and common sense method OF
developing a section of North Carolina
that had hitherto offered least induce
ment to capital, outside OF those interest
cd in cutting down and selling the pine
timber. Such ren as ex-Gov. T. J. Jar
Wis. Montford McGehee and Peter M.
Wilson. of the State Board of Agriculture
and Mai. John G. Winder, Vice-President,
and Col. I. j. Anderson, General Passen-
yer Agent of the .Seaboard Air Line, en-
tered heartily into the plans of Mr.. Pat
rick, co-orerated with him in every way
rcssible and gave him free rein to de-
veiop his plans. To-Day within an area
of ten miles there are dozen prosperous
towns and resorts directly due TO the
early beginnings made by MIR. Pa trick
at Southern Pines. Now Southern Pines
is q town of many inhabitants with large
hotels and sanitariums, having every
modern convenience, and during the win
ter it annually entertains thousands OF
hcalth-seekcrs And in addition to the
value from the heaith-seekers who come
for a portion OF the winter, a large num-
bcr of thrifty and splendid citizens have
made Southern Pines and the adjacent
country their homes AS a direct result
of the Southern Pines colony, the splen-
did and unidue resort OF Pinehurst fol
lcvcd In the year 1895 Mr. TUFTS, of
Boston. who had become converted to the
health-civing climate of the sand hill
section of Moore County, purchased from
the Pages 900 acres of pine land and
has invested more than million dollars,
in tho erection of the most costly and
SPLENDID modern hotels, club houses,
and everything that could make Pine
hurst the most desirable place tor the
entertainment Of wealthy men and VIC
men in the North who desired every
of the most expensive city
hctel situated in the quiet and healthy
r;nc land section OF the South Three
otlc. companies nave bought lana nearby
ard are developing towns and health re,
sorts. all growing out of the original
act on Of Nv. Patrick in bringing the at
tcrtion of the Northern world to the
health valua Of the pine land section OF
North Carolina. Before Mr. Patrick had had
coEyinced pnvsicians and capitalists that
this pinc land section was the ideal sec
tio, Of the world In which to build san
itari1ms for consumrtives and other sick
peoplo and to bund elegant resorts for
the entertainment Of wealthy Northerners
who desired to escape the rlgors OF the
new Eng1and winter, the land in the
Pineburst and southern Pines section
was rerarded as hardly worth anything,