The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-18
BRIGHT FUTURE FOR HIGHLANDS
Railroad Connection Has Already
Worked Wonders.
Lack OF Labor Prevents Greater Prog
ress-Fine Opening OF the Tobacco
MISUNDERSTANDING Developing rs n
Cotton Market-Bank Opens Under
AuspicioUs Circumstances.
Especial to The Messenger.l

Richards, y. G., August Io.-This
thriving little town in the northern
part of Onslow is very much alive to
its new possibilities and opportunities.
The Dover and Southbound railroad,
some three months ago, gave it freight
and passenger connection with the At
iantic and North Carolina at Dover,
and one would scarcely imagine that
such changes as have taken place here
could be accomplished in such a short
space of time. That ever greater
progress has not been made is due en-
tirely to a lack of carpenters and build
ers. At least a dozen or more build
ings would have now been completed
n in use but for this lack of labor.
by extraordinary efforts the man
ayers of the two tobacco warehouses
were enabled to get them completed,
ready for the opening sales on August
4th. Messrs. Dancey & Cox, Rhodes
& Hargett, the proprietors, deserve the
highest praise for the manner in which
every detail of the business was con-
Quoted upon the very best systematic
order. Those who have kept posted
o the different openings in the sew
eral tobacco towns are much pleased
at the prices which prevailed here,
ranging in price from 5 to 1T.5 cents
per pound. Considering the fact that
the tobacco crop of this entire section
has heretofore been marketed in Kin
ston and the receipts for the crop have
been spent there, it needs nc prophet
to forecast what the result will NEAR
to Richards. This years product has
been variously estimated for this i'm
mediate territory at 100000 to TO-
| 100000 pounds. Even a moderate price
for the article cannot fail, but to work
wonders for the material advancement
of the town.
Besides, Richards is now attracting
attention a. a cotton market. Being a
new conner, there is more or less ri
valry among buyers to capture the new
territory and the result has been that
the farmers have sold at a higher mar
| gin here than elsewhere. Farmers are
much gratitied over the saving in time
and money consequent upon having a
home market. This fact alone will call
their attention to the Importance of
having every commercial facility and
1 ulN SIOpS liz L
follow as a matter Of course.
The Bank of RichIands has opened
under very suspicious circumstances,
while Messrs. Johnson & Shaw are
somewhat cramped in their temporary
quarters, yet they are t~ransacting the
business with a great deal of eXpedi-
ton and their uniform courtesy to pat
rons is making them, as we'll as the
| inSfif,Ifinn rhov m1n0Un immQn SQly
popular with the farmer and the mer-
chant. The first days deposit of S1S,-
600 was very gratifying and indicates
a prosperous future.
The town, unlike some others, has
rot made the mistake of becoming
money mad" educational and relig-
ious interest has lost none of it's SUI
preme Importance. The new graded
school building is about completed and
parents who desire to send their chill
dren to a school where the moral in
stincts and sentiments are kept up to
a high standard will do we'll to look to
this locality. There are three churches
in the town and absolute prohibition
has prevailed for over forty years. Not
even the blind tiger has made its ap-
pearance.
The water is splendid and the gen.
eral healthfulness of the place cannot
be surpassed in the state. Homeseek-
ers, capitalists and laborers will meet
with a hearty welcome. The place
needs a newspaper, factories, better
freight and mail facilities and once
these things are gotten its future prog
ress and success are assured.
A. H. kOONCE.
Richards, n. C.