The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-22
Cd By Bion H. Butler

Fayetteville. April 1s.-I ave here
n little story that l would like to have
the grownups Of every North Carolina
community read to the young folks
of their neighborhood, and then read
again for themselves.
The first Of the week l came down
the road with a robust young chap OF
about twenty. whose father has a fine
farm of 240 acres OF good land, and
equipped with stock and machinery
10 make the crops. The father Is in
telligent, progressive, possessed OF SUI
iicient capital to give the boy all the
chance in the world that a boy needs.
and a desire to see the boy take to
the farm and make "A success Of the
farm for himself. with the fathers
help and backing.
But the boy. as We came down the
Dad together. told me he expected i'll
a few days to leave for n West. !
told the boy to hurry around nd
make the trip n get back again, for
| argued to him that nowhere on earth
would he find the chances for a young
fellow that North Carolina presents
today.
We discussed the matter. The boy
confessed that many things in North
Carolina are attractive. Yet the West
loks green to him because distance
softens the view. He will turn his
back on a great opportunity. l think
he will come back. Perhaps it is
wise for him to go and see the worlo
and learn that looks SO rosy III
the distance is commonplace when a
closer vision shows the u~nvarnished
realities. Yet, most boys cannot af-
ford to spend much time and money
running after the decisions of the
West.
saw another thing within the last
few days that [ would like the grown
folks all over the State to see as l saw
1T. and to tell to the boys. Over on
Rockfish creek, between Fayetteville
and Raeford, / watched 7. b. Up
church, president of the Raeford
Power Company, and b. Parks Ruck-
er, a consulting engineer of Charlotte
dig holes in the banks of the creek
70 determine the character of tht
ground, in the search for a location
for a dam that will drive the machin
cry OF several factories.
Rockfish creek is one of severa
hundred small streams that are me
with over the State of North Caro-
lima. 1t is picturesque, clear. swift II
How, hurrying down through a mar
row channel, altogether good to lool
on there in a spring afternoon. Blu
n vision that was presented as tho
men dug down to find a firm founda
tloh " tleiI udIu was one Oh enOr
nous development. of which this par
dcular operation is merely prophetic
h dam on Rockfish creek is no
10 be a very big affair as industria
projects are going now in North Caro-
lima. 1t is only as a text for a sermo
TO boys and those who have the ca
of the boys that it is worth citing a
an illustration of big things. TIL
dam is to develop 700 horsepower.
will run two cotton mills, a ~fertilize
factory. an oil mill. and possibly som
other things.
In 4 way 700 horsepower is no gres
thing. In another way ii is the sig
Of a giant, for it indicates not one dal
OF 700 horsepower, but a unit that "a
be multiplied Indefinitely all over tn
state until the whirr of wheels is
continuous purr from the Tar rivs
to the Hiwassee.
This building of n dam on the Rocl
fish creek signifies more than the mel
development of power. North Car,
lima is full Of power. Rockfish da
shows that small powers are availab
at almost any point. The power
distributed all over the State. 1t
not at one place at Il
expense Of another. In that respe,
North Carolina is singularly f~ortunat
manufacturing may be undertaken
almost every county, and the che;
power be relied on for energy 10 dri-
the machines. That is one thing
the boys advantage. 1t insures hi
a diversity of industry, for. while i
duStry has not been diversified mu,
in the fathers day in North Carolir
the boy rs entering on n world
progress that no one can foresee.
The road that leads out of I
town to the Rockfsh dam shows a