The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-23
SELMA Do SWELL
Doubles Her Population
in Four Years.
And Within Three, Real Estate Values
in That Town Have Advanced at
Least Three Hundred Per
Cent.
lSnecial to News and ObserverO

especial to News and ODSe1Ver.)
Selma, n. c., April 22.-One who
remembers the "old" town as it was
even until a few years ago. would
scarcely recognize the Selma of today.
The town now is thoroughly awake
and is making the best advantage of
the opportunity afforded it for sub
stantial progress by its situation at
the junction point of the two great
railroad systems of the a. G. L. and
Southern, it's fine climate, rich back
country" and energetic citizenship.
Within the past four years, the pop
ulation of the place has doubled, m9lIy
new and handsome stores of brick
have been built, new residences have
gone up, and new enterprises sprung
into life.
The latest manufacturing addition
to the town is the new ninety thOur-
and dollar cotton mill, running j,Dn0
spindles and situated on an admirably
adapted plat of land convenient to the
Southern Railroad. The sandy sci
gives fine drainage and the location
is ono conducive to the health aud
happiness of the operatives. The mill
has now been in operation abolt thirty
days. is equipped with the latest and
most highly improved machinery and
is turning out the first quality of yarns.
It is we'll and ably Differed by ex-
pCrienced and substantial meII MIR.
y. E. Edgerton being president, Mr..
r. b. Whitley, secretary and treas
urer and MI. A. J. Rose, superintend-
ent.
Selma's progress is wei shown in
the real estate values, which consu-
tUte the pulse of any town. The price
of land has advanced within three
years at least three hundred per cent,
there is not q vacant residence in the
place and q number Of ne" ho'nes arc
in cour @ of construction.
The town supports n prosperous "n j
progressive bank-the Eank of Selma
--offcercd by Mr.. NJ. {. Winston, pres
idcnt; l.. Debnarn cashier. Tho bank
has paid six per cent dividends since
it's organization, has in undiv lei net
profits $5,0S9.49. cashiers checks ont
standing, $134.99. deposits, $G3, 0.24,
bills payable $1,000. total assets $S3,-
STATE, an excellent showing for
three year old bank organized on u
capital Of ten tAousan dollars.
The town supports :wp : 'pd @raded
schools under he direction Of super
intendent N. ]. Brannock Of Ala
nance. one for each To e. ana both
arc well attended.
The Virginia Carolina Chemical
Company has invested largely at Sell
ma. having here an oil mill AMI IL ldr're
fertilizer factory, the capacity of which
/ learn will soon be doubled. making
its product for the season about 60
900 tons. The outlay of the fertil-
izer plant was about 100000, and
moro capital will be spent on it, as
stated. Mr.. n. e. Edgerton is the
manager of both of the V. c. plants
and Mr.. r. 2. Jones is superintend-
ent. Both plants are convenient to
the two railroads and have ample
side track facilities.
No town Of equal size in North
Carolina has better hotel accopmodG-
tons than Selma. Two fast class
hotels arc situated ne:r the Union
depot, one the Ney Wyoming, owned
and managed by Mir. John y. Mitch
ner, the other also a new h%i'dinS,
owned by a stock company and man
aged by Mr.. w. Fl. Stalin&cs. Both hos
telries are kcll kept and the travelling
public. especially the knights Of the
grip. are already learning in ircreas-
ing numbers to stop over" at Selma.
Selma now has Il we'll conducted
dispensary for the sale Of liquor, out
an election has been called for May
the fifteenth to ,!pcid, between its
continuance or prohibition ard the
outlook is that after that date the
sale of Tiquo: will have been voted
out OF the town.
! could write more of this live and
up-to- date little town and it's clever
and progressive people, but must wait
for another opportunity.
b. r. HARDY.
Dinident Lover: | know that l am
a perfect bear in my manner.
She: Sheep, you meant bears hug
people; you do nothing but beat.