The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-16
Magic Town That Grew
Up From Crossroads
Proportions.
TOBACCO MARKET
THAT is IMMENSE
Strong Banks, Safe Merchants,
Many Industries, Churches and
Schools = Splendid Farming
Country Near By-Young
Farmers Growing Rich.
Land Values Increase.
ny FRANK $. wooDsoN.

ny FRANK 8. wOODSoN.
South Hill. Va, November 15-South
I'M may be called the magic town OF
Virginia. ! know there are other
towns In Virginia that claim some
thing of a magic growth. and all that
kind of thing, but I doubt II any town
in the STATE, not excepting Roanoke
can lay letter claim to this dis
tlnction than south Hill. It's history
is a little peculiar.
About twenty-five years ago, maybe
little less, possibly q little more.
the Atlantic and Danville Railway, I'M
der the management Of a man by tho
name OF 'I3ateman. came along this
Way. That road is now known as the
DanHilic Norfolk branch OF the South
ern Railway system When Bateman
camc through hero with his lines and
his surveys he, or one OF his engi.
ncers, conceived tho idea that the
splendid little piece OF ground on tho
ridge Just here was a good place for
a stopping station. and right here they
made depot. never dreaming that the
Same would grow into a town. but for
some reason which they never made
public, they named tho station South
Hill.
There were some long-headed mon
who were in no way connected with
the railway management who conceived
the idea that there was more here
than mere country railway station
Ihey looked around and they saw a.
fine country surrounding within
circle OF twenty miles and more, and
they said these people within this
circle need market town and a
marketing centre nearer to them than
the towns that were then set forth
on the map OF Mecklenburg County,
and they determined to make a town
right here. They were bold kinds of
fellows, but the results prove that
they were wise In their time and gem
Grafton
South Hill in Brief.
could write several columns of
history OF South Hill: how it COM
menced with just one house and r.
railway station; how n merchant came
along and established store: how
another fellow camo along and said
II was good point for q tobacco
market, and opened q warehouse for
the sale of the bright leaf: how some
other fellows came along and opened
up lumber camp. and got to making
box shocks and all the like OF that:
how a man OF means thought OF
bank: how a hotel man opened up II
boarding house: how merchant after
merchant came in; how schools were
established and how churches came
Into existence; how the bright to-
bacco market grew from small be-
ginning. and all the other things
grew and In n short space OF time.
comparatively speaking. made South
Hill the vigorous town It is. 1t would
be n real interesting story but I be-
lieve 1 have written it before. MY
duty to-day is to tell what South Hill
Is. and so particularly to tell how it
camc to be what 1t is.
The South Hill of to-day is an In
corporated town OF about 1000 in
habitants. and beyond the corporate
limits. but practically within the town.
are ut least 500 more people. and so. all
IN all, the town can Justly claim a
population OF 1900. even IL the CEN
sus does not make it quite that much.
There are within the town limits
four we'll established churches. the
Presbyterian, the Methodist the Bap-
fist and the Christian, and tho Episco-
palians have mission station that
Will ere long grow into church or
Ganization. The town has one of the
fines; high school buildings to be
found in any small town OF Virginia.
and within its walls the young people
are taught from the kindergarten up
to the highest grade known to the
high school department OF the Vir-
cinia public school system.
IN the R,saincss Realm.
There are in the town not less than
twenty stores. and all OF them
are prosperous. for the people within
circle Of twenty-five miles do their
principal Il lding here. Two banks,
with total assets OF something less
than Sl,ooN ooo. do the banking bust
ness OF the town and in these days OF
lively tobacco business they are kept
mighty busy
OF course. the tobacco business of
the town is the big feature. Being
situated within tile heart of tho bright
tobacco belt, it naturally came about
that south Hill must be great to-
bacco market but doubt if the origi-
nal settlers ever dreamed in the early
days of the town that it would grow
into the Important tobacco market 1t
has become. The four loose leaf to-
bacco warehouses sold last year some
thing more than 100000 pounds OF
the bright leaf. which gave the market
third place among the bright markets
Of the state All Indications point to
the fact that 1t will 20 largely above
the good mark made last year for. so
far there have been sold more than
100000 pounds. and the season is
hardly half over. am sure that the
sales for this tobacco Year viii go CON
siderably over the 5000. 900 pound
mark.
Tobacco Snics Phenomenal.
An old tobacco man told me yestcr-
tsiN tnNt nc iidh never known the PRICES
for the bright leaf TO be altogether
as high as they are in South Hill this
season. J asked him for an eXplana-
tion Of this condition OF affairs. He
said that all he knew about 1t was that
buyers for all OF the big tobacco con-
Germs are on the market here, and in
addition. there are 4 half n dozen
independent buyers. and all OF them
seem 10 want the stock, and all are
willing to pay the outside figures for
IT, The simple fact is that the farm.
ers who market their weed In South
Continued on Filth PaRc.l