The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-15

Not only does this protect the house
from the weather, but also from the
ruthless hands of relic hunters. who
have carried away portions Of the tim
bers of the building as nementoes. a
few years ago the PLACE was purchased
by Mr. Brodie L. Duke. of Durham.
and Will be kept as a historic relic,
where all who desire to visit II can do
so. For many years the Bennett
place. has been Mecca for numerous
visitors from the North and many other
sections OF the country Ernest en-
beavers viii be made to keep the old
place in good state of preservation.
Its close proximity to the hustlins,
thriving city of Durham makes 1t easy
to reach. being less than an hours
drive over a good road
| TIE armies of Sherman and John
ston, In their march through this sec
| ton. did Durham a greater service
any idea of. The late Mr.. Washington
Duke. who at that tine was serving
In the Confederate Navy. had large
quantity OF tobacco stored away. Prior
to his enlistment in the navy Mr.. Duke
converted all the means he had earned
by years of untiring energy into to-
bacco, rented out his farm, and re-
ceived his rents in tobacco This to-
bacco, or much of it, was carried away
by the Northern and Southern troops,
and thus was the fame of the weed
of the bright tobacco belt spread
abroad throughout the Union Particu-
larry was this the case with Sherman.s
smoking qualities, and praised It
Throughout the North. Numerous let
ters and Inquiries We're received here
after the Northern soldiers returned
home for supplies of the same kind OF
tobacco. This was the starting point
of the great tobacco manufacturing in
dustry that has made Durham famous
| the world over. Mr.. Dukes first fac.
tory was a log house, sixteen by six
teen feet, situated at his farm. Here
| for years he manufactured his own
goods, which he peddled over portions
of the country working on a strictly
cash basis. In 1872 Mr.. Duke moved
4 TO Durham and erected three-story
/, wooden structure, forty by seventy
feet, on the north side OF the North
4 Carolina Railroad. and from the first
factory erected by him in Durham has
i grown the immense business OF the
American Tobacco Company of the
present day.
Took Their Chcws.
! Equally as great an advertisement
i for Durham as the talking OF Mr..
i Duke's tobacco by the Union and Con-
federate troops was tho taking OF
i quantities OF tobacco belonging to Mr..
James r. Green. About two hundred
yards from the depot, at Durham's
Station, stood a two-story frame fac
i tory, and in this factory was stored
I! Large quantities of tobacco ready for
4 shipment, During the ten days arr
4 nlistice agreed upon by Sherman and
q Johnston the building was completely
ransacked by the soldiers of both ar
mics and around their campdres they
smoked the pipe of peace" When the
\ terms Of surrender We're contaminated
the soldiers, yplentifully supplied with
4 tobacco. marched homeward. The
fame Of Mr.. Green's tobacco was thus
spread abroad from Maine to Texas in
4 the same way as was the case of Mr.
Dukes tobacco. Numbers of the sol-
diers upon reaching their home or
4 dered moro OF tho Same kind, many
4 letters being received addressed to
the railroad agent postmaster anc
4 other persons.
Speaking OF the famous Bennett
place" Mrs. Christopher, the lady mon.
y tioned above. for many years owned
' the table that was used by Generals
4 Sherman and Johnston in drawing III
the surrender papers. The table was
q snail one. but was priced most high
n ly by Mrs. christopher, On one oc-
casion. in referring to this inslgnif-
Icant little table, she said: IT have had
Numerous offers for It, butinone suf-
a ficent to induce mo to part with 1t