The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-02-27

J ( is HIlA'S.BtF ''H ..
wears old. Il IL only since the KEY
nJution'- Of 1898. when negro SupreiH-
..,- was dfTpOsel Of forever IN inns
'ro1su that now life begau-yne 81
hone and Vigor and enterprise anu
esidenfug views II determination. }
mink n urabablv true that since No
yambrr 1895. three hundred or more
rood dwellings. some handsome, very
rommodi0us and convenient, hdHf
been erected. Il would not surprise
mo If q census were taken II the num-
f.r of new houses was not even large
while the population has perhaps in
creased. after dcductiuG the large eX-
o9ue Of negroes. quite 900 MANY
would say double that or even more. !
long ago learned the proncn"ss OF neo-
pic To ~eXagGeratc as to figures. either
applied to population or lhdINldudl
realth. \ mar possessed OF prom
ably 100000 viii be classed as worm
H. hdlf million. while q town Of lp,V9p
viii be given not less than l5,OVV, ana
e town Of 10000 even as muCh as ~
600. Wilmington is really
It's trade has increased much, 50 as TO
give satisfaction and pleasure TO al
wo~ll-dfspo-cd people who wish
ing prosperity to the largest COM
mcrciai enterprise in North Carolina.
Education has advanced. and at one
Of the several public schools, very
near my home, there are over l,000
tillllItl dtktibBl5. MI if@'C '-[A
some large. attractive buildings erect
cd since 1898. Building OF homes is
going on all tho time. / suppose that
twenty are now in process of construe-
zion. one new residence on Ihlrd
street Will cost probably $4,000.
came to Wilmington in l8t6-thtrty
years ago this year. 1t is not the ann
town ! found. but vastly improved in
many particulars. You may walk in
a dozen or more streets now. and
handsome homes greet your eyes on
either side, and neat. smaller dwell
iugS everywhere. \ IcnncSSecan, Il
commercial traveller for nearly a
quarter Of Il century. said to me about
= year agO-thcrc have been thirty or
more residences added since. | TAX it
that ne travelled in every state
but three. ana that Los Angeles. in
CALIFORNIA. when its population was
abOut that Of Wilmington, was the
only town of the size of our town that
had SO many nice. desirable residences.
Another drummer. a North CarOIinlan.
told me that Wilmington greatly eX-
Cccded Charlotte in the lumber and
quality of its homes. With the river,
ocean. and railroad advantages pos
SoSSed by this town. it ought to grow
very rapidly in population until within
Il few years it shall be indeed a city
of 80 00O or more people. The chief
complaint against it is its great num-
Der Of bar rooms scattered through
the town. On every street. the growing
evidences Of drunkenness, IaWless-
ness, and crime. and its high taxes.
iiut i'll spite of all drawbacks. umc
Gus and serious IS they may be, there
i& unmiStaklblc progress. and the
better element of the population-tnc
tDilerS and huiIdcrS-arc hopeful and
r%osolutc. / might write of religious
conditions, but | forbear, | like Will
minGton. 1t has man true, excellent,
most deserving People. | came here
in 1876, in answer to q telegram. to
say sixty days. Lot, l have remain
ell most unexpectedly for nearly thir-
~ years. | found it a pleasant place
in which to dwell, The people are
social, kind, hospitablc and sympa-
ihcuc. But few attach excessive i'm
rortanCc to the rufle-shirt. | rejoice
iii the belief that in the nearly six
~iu&trulnes, | have been among them. |
nave had many friends VINO have gone
20 the unseen world, while | am cheer
td WITH n C0mpanionShip, ana good
vii, and even friendship OF cores of
"tlci5 who are among tho CONSTRUCT
tors and factors Of our town on the
historic Cape Fear river. Long MAY
they live to flourish as the green bay
trees. What would men do without
friends anyway? \ strong word that
means much. and that is often badly
abused The poets and philosophers
nave through the teeming ]enturie
written of friendship as Heavens best
i""n to man-hetter than nattery.
better tina riches or supposed honors.
III Is a fact that genuine friendship is
not q plant OF nasty GROWTH but
tonnes only from knowledge of others,
IFom the gradual culture of kind in
Shakespeare, Wisast OF
men as he was greatest of all OF the
&eniuses of earth, and by far, has left
tFr No -.