The Washington herald., 1907-09-01

Greensboro will celebrate the Tooth an
niversary OF its foundation as a city next
spring. Politically. it Is a century DID,
industrially. it isn't out Of its teens. When
the Civu War broke out Greensboro had
a population Of 100. In 1900 it had 10000
Now It has $4,000 IN the corporation and
ZOO in the mill villages which lie just
outside. Seven years ago the savings
deposits OF its banks were less than
So, CO., Now they arc over million. The
total bank deposits have grown from
100000 TO over 100000 in the same period
of seven years. The post-ot1ce receipts
have more than tripled in the same period
of time.
Greensboro is in the Piedmont region,
which is the section wherein the greater
part Of the cotton mill industry has been
developed. Fifteen years ago manufac-
turing was begun here or a small scale.
and since that time the town has regarded
itself as a manufacturing place. But it
was not until 1890 that the development
was successful to any marked degree.
In the past seven years the place has
grown by leaps and bounds Cotton mills
are its chief feature, but the manufac-
turing is much diversified. There are
terra Gotta works, large machinery works.
which make machinery for furniture fac
tories and other woodworking plants
There are woodworking establishments
and allied industries. A match factory IS
the newest addition. In the cid days il
was said that the South couldn't make
cotton cloth. because of the lack of in
telligent labor. The labor was found and
the cloth is being made. although the
larger part OF the product is Of coarser
grades. The same thing was said Of ma
chiHery and thereby hangs a tale.
o. C. Wysong. born in Virginia. and
trained in Ohio, was a machinist of
ability He was put on the road as a
salesman for machinery house. After
awhile he decided to go into business for
himself. He brought a man from the Of
fee of Cincinnati firm and they went
into the commission business here. with
out any capital whatever A lot of
ground. which was overgrown with grape
vines and weeds had been condemned by
the city, and its owner was directed 10
clean it up It as a very Improbable lob
and the man decided TO sell the land.
WysOng bought it for $Sl5 He paid SIS
down and had five years 70 pay the bal
ance. The five years has just been com
pleted, and on that plat of ground stand
factories representing an investment Of
over 100000 Less than one-ffth OF the
Investment is outside money, the balance
has been earned on that 1915 lot. Wvsong
invented machine which substituted an
endless belt turned by machinery for the
sheet Of sandpaper worked by elbow
grease. This was the foundation OF the
business and is still the principal out
put OF his shop. A foundry 10 furnish the
castings was next. A boiler factory was
a logical addition. Then another machine
shop Then the bobbin factory.
Mr.. Wysong went to New England
where practically all textile machinery
Is made Somebody said TO him: You
can't make bobbins down there. Won
can't bore that little hole" I'D Ike to
know why a machine that will bore
mole In Massachusetts won't bore n hole
In North Carolina o. demanded Wvsonp
He got the necessary machlnery and
now he is making bobbins for Southern
cotton mills. He believes looms ana ali
other textile machinery can be made in
the South, too. His next 'brancbine
out" will, be in that direction. prom
inent banker here, who once loaned Mr.
Wysong $50 for necessaries. was n milk
wagon driver until the davs when
Greensboro turned its attention f<9n
farming 10 milling. This banker is also