The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-06-13
RED SPRINGS / MODEL TOWN,
influence that Caused its Growth and
Its Prosperity.
Splendid Work of the Southern Pres.
byterian College. Supported by an
Education Loving COMMUNICATIVE
Big SwamDs of Robson County.
History of Ancient CampbelIton.
Why a Southern Soldier Left His
Home.
For The Messenger.

Home.
For The Messenger.
o southern communities, and
North Carolina communities-yhsre
the people have shown pluck, exert.d
energy, and have unitedly put their
shoulders TO the wheel-have grown
in proportions, expanded in business
importance, and increased In material
and industrial value.
recently spent a few days at Rcd
Springs, and | recalled the fact that
many q before, / had climbed the
hill just below the mineral spring.,
with a transit on my shoulder, ,un-
ming the line Of the old Fayetteville aid
Florence railroad. the late Captain D.
e. McDufle being chief engineer OF
the force, and ct that time-where
now there is laid out in broai extent.
in all its beauty, hustle and business,
a Hourlshing town, representative, in
its residences, stores and public build
lngs, Of the best modern civilization
there were but W structures of any
KIND: the old ramShackle wooden Red
Springs Hotel, owned and kept by the
late Hector Mcneil land a little shanty,
where he dealt out meal, tacon, molas-'
SEES, etc.,to his hands. Mr.. McNeill al
lowed the surveying party to camp in
n or two Of the many vacant rooms
Of the hotel. but before he went to
bed he came in to warn us not to
leave the building during the night as
he always turned loose some fierce
watch dogs. You see, it was in 1872
not long after Henry Berry Lowry and
his band Of robbers had been terror
izing Robson county. AS we lay On
our blankets n could hear the great.
hoot owls splitting their sides ladga-
ing at an alligator chasing a bear, or
laughing at us for running a railroad
line through such a God-for-saken
country.
It was a wild compromising and there
on the faith OF Gle who explored it.
We toiled with the transit and the
level and the chain and the axmsn,
through Big Raft" Little Raft" cni
Brown wamps and "Duf's Bay" u
near the state line. as dense as the
jungles Of Africa. Car McNeillI
owned a vast body of round long-leaf
pine, and throughout it's whole extent
it had never known the sound Of AK
until, in the vandalism of railroad cun-'
struction, We cut Gown a grand old tree
here and there n running the line
The chief promoter OF this railroad III
terprise were the progressive and pub,
lie spirited citizens, Messrs. Mckinnon
and McCaskill. of Maxton, or Shoe
Heel, as it was then. Of course, any,
body who lived in a place called Shoe
Heel" would change the name-or,
move away. But it is probable that
Shoe Heel in its origin was classic,
corrupted from the Clan Quhele Of the
Scotch H~ighlanders, who fought 1hs
pitched battle with the Clan Citation i'll
the lists at Perth, during the reign
of the good but feeble King Robert
of Scotland, where the gallant Henry
Smith of the Wynd, the lover of fair
Catherine Glover, made the saying a
proverb, that he fought for his @.wn
What has made Red Springs in the
last few years, to express in a wcrd
lCS SIo"Cu olIu piOSpCiIly Lilo 'AoS
made it n of the handsomest, up-to-
date Gas the drummers all declare 1t
to be-, intelligent and, above all, ed'l-',
towns in North Carolina: )!
The medicinal and curative qualities of
it's mineral springs are remarkably
fine; but, somehow, the h~ealth-seeking
and pleasure-loving tourist has not
sought the place as a resort. What has
been the ~hinderance to the utilization
Of it's advantages in this respect | ami
not prepared to say. But not only is
Red Springs a fourishing town, with
beautiful residence sections, energetic
business men, and real estate a. 4
nigh price, but its tributary countryi
has correspondingly developed farming
has treaty improved in system and
and farm lands have increased
n value. In a word. the agricultural
has kept pace with its ur-i
ban centre.
In my opinion, Red Springs owes
nearly all its present thrift and pros
perity to the establishment in its midst
the Presbyterian Female Seminary
low the Southern Presbyterian College,
Conservatory Of Music. And how
1lu II SCCuiC his pilAC. Aooho ~
me as if it got it by, first an imme-
late realization of its great va.ue:i
shrewdness in clinching a good
bargain, and Scotch tenacity OF purpose
n accomplishing an important object
At the very pleasant banquet of tie
alumnae assertion on the night of the
,Srd Of May, DR. Mcmillan told mod,
,stly but effectively how, in great part
Springs scared the female sea,i-
1ary. Red Springs was then an I'm
village; Fayetteville want,
I'd 1t; other towns wanted it; tie
was insistent; it was up %,
Red Springs L 'put up" or shut uD-
just at that time sew,
,ral warm advocates Of the seminary
we're away from town, but something
must be done at once. DR.. Mcmillan and
Mr.. J. A. Mckay held a conference. and
hc former D0Sfats off IN IumbpT Bridget