The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-07-02
PROGRESSIVE LNCOLNToN.

Lincolnton Ia one Of the Oldest am
most delightful residence towns IN thf
state. Blessed with saiubious climate.
health irving water. rich agricultural
lands. splendid water power for manu-
featuring and a thrifty and cultiVat-
ID people. IL has long been the nome
OF many Of the best men and women
in North Carolina
II was IN Lincoln county that the
Southern textile industry was born IN
1913. Michael Schenck. one and q
half miles from Nncolnton. built the
first cotton mill and made 1t 50 profit
able that it was purchased by Jonn
Foke. who enlarged the plant From
that water-power cotton mill has
grown the mighty industry which has
given the two Carolinas supremacy
among Southern states in cotton
manufacturing The names Scnenck
and Hoke mean much to North Caro-
lima In industry. in law. in peace. In
war these names stand among the
foremost In North Cardinals Hall OF
Fame. They blazed the way for u
great textile industry az well as for
the best politics. best government, the
best civic virtue. the loftiest patriotism
n the material development that
gives North Carolina its proud posi-
ton. Lincoln county also gave the
State the Grahams-Joseph and vii
liam A. and their worthy descendants
and Ramseur and others as well as
the Schencks and Hokes who have
made glory for the county and state.
There is 2 notion abroad that the
great men of the South before the
sixties were interested in state-craft,
but not in manufacturing. mining and
industrial development. As a matter
OF fact they were leaders in industrial
lines as we'll as in craftsmanship, as
shown by the Grahams operating the
first iron furnace in the South in Lin
coin county and the Schencks and
Hokee building the first cotton mill
South Of the Potomac.
But Lincolnton is not the sort If
community to depend upon a great
and honored ancestry. proud as it is
Of its great beginning. Its progress
sive men are doing great things. to-
day-indeed greater things-than the
men who laid deep the foundation of
the South's industrial success. for
they have multiplied splind1es more
thar a thousand fold and in every de-
partment of effort have made mark
ed progress. Something of the story
of what Lincolnton and its busy men
have lone and are doing is told IL
Mr.. Conn's story and Illustrations III
today's News and Observer. It would
take a whole paper to give the full
story. Even better than what has
been accomplished is the spirit of the
people, the faith they have in them
selves and their community. the big
ger things they are planning. and
the growing Importance and prosper
ity of the town and county. The
story of Lincolnton, as of other
North Carolina towns that have taken
on new life. is after all the story of
men who have faith. For a long time
L~incolnton moved slowly and -leepily
as did many other North Carolina
towns, seemingly content to handle
the produce of the farmers and fur
nish supplies and enjoy life in an ideal
community. The new awakening that
has added store to store, factory to
factory. spindle to spindle was first
BORN in the brain of the men who
are at the head of the big factories.
banks and commercial enterprises
that are responsible for the recent
marked growth of L~incoInton. A brief
biography of some of the leading
spirits is given that will be helpful
to young men with ambition and small
means. What men like Lincolnton's
captains of industry have done is
clearly told. and it will be seen that
they were born with no silver spoon in
their mouths, but wrested success and
prosperity from small ~eginnings fine
business judgment, n we'll directed
industry. In Lincolnton and else
where these are the men who are
leading in the larger industrial and
business life of the commonwealth,
and the presentation of what these
men have achieved must stimulate the
ambition and industry Of the youth
of the State.
Lincolnton has grown more rapidly
in the past half dozen years than in
the previous decade. 1t has the spirit
of faith and the spirit of growth.
and is attracting men of capital and
men of industry who are helping to
bring on the better day that is lust
ahead for the town. More than that;
1t is keeping its own young men at
home and they are lending their en-
ergies and ability to the development
and prosperity of their own town,
county and State instead of going to
enrich and make great for off states
The story of what Lincolnton has
done will be read with pleasure and
profit by the sixty thousand who read
today's News and Observer; il will
give a new impetus to progress and
bring Lincolnton's advantages to the
attention of thousands looking for bet
ter opportunities. and will ~encouraee
men in other live communities to
build upon large plans and look for
greater prosperity.