The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-27

this charmed region. In nal1 q cen
fury the stag letting has changed put
little, while the actors are lnose o.
the second and third generation. To-
day the sun hines over Ravenwood,
for the Young men are growing up
in Jones county, and they are becom-
ing numerous enough to lend a hand
at what their grandfathers left off
in 1862.
Those of the settlers who remained
gathered about the towns where 1T
was safest TO live after the stormy
period Of civil strife. Gradually they
have established their feet under
them. and brought prosperity TO their
war-swept section. Gradually they
have wiped out most of the marks.
Gradually they have pointed the way
once more toward progress, and from
now On the road is easier and the
prospects bright.
But here is that same problem that
Confronts so many sections or the
state. More people are needed to
utilize the tremendous natural re-
sources.
RavenwoOd plantation is capable, II
] can judge land, of producing fifteen
thousand bales Of cotton and two hun
dred thousand bushe of corn. But
where are the people to make the
crop? Where are the people to make
the crop hat could be made in all
sections of this coast country, a coun-
try that asks no odds of n place. a
section that should be teeming with
farms and homes, and people and
with industrial activity Of every char
acter.
RayenwOOd's P~Otentialities.
/ wandered up and down the corn
and cotton rows and thought OF the
enormou possibilities here at Raven
wood if people who could till this land
were only made acquainted with the
chances existing all around here. l
followed the long avenue OF giant ce-
dar trees, or what is left of them,
that once must have made one of the
most magnificent drives in America,
and the thought in my head was what
a splendid home and farm this place
would be, had it not figured for fifty
years in the tragedy of desolatiOn. ]
could not help but think Of the open
door here that must lead to plenty, an(
the free soup house routes in the
crowded cities of the North where
men line up TO receive the pittanct
that charity doles out to those close
pressed by hunger.
Rayenwood is big enough to FEED
the unemployed of the biggest city o
the United States. But who knows
OIL IdNeHWOOu ludl Cdl Z II iIC
who have not enough to eat?
Our civilization is remarkable 70
it's achievement, but it is rank whe1
it permits such resources to vast
for want Of men to work the land
and when it permits men and womel
and little children to exist as the
do In the " cities of the Nortl
for want OF food and clothes an
shelter.
Ravenwood I mention simply be
cause it happens to be the place tina
caught my notice as the men Of tn
train discussed the name of the sta
ton. When / learned it's history
had a further interest. When I rod
over the broad fields it became nor
impressive. BIT 1 crossed the bOur
daries in many places, and sa
many more plantations, and mar
more evidences of the tragedy tn;
has burned it's marks into the stru,
gle OF these people as we'll as upC
the face Of the land.
Sunshine After the Cloud.
Probably we can never get avs
from the interest that a great disa
ter aYakens. But it is just as int
esting to turn to the sunshine as
is to take note of the cloud. Tho
people who were left after the w
took hold as they could. and tn
Jus liz HSHN
present time. The towns have shOv
the recovery, slow until lately, for
was a gigantic task to gather up m
mentum again when everything h
so nearly come to a ~StandStill. F
years it was almost a hopeless effo
Then the lines began to loosen a
the burden commenced to ease ava
Gaining a little, here, a little the
more some place else, holding all tt
was gained, pegging ahead again w
what was picked up.-these peol
worked their way along. And what
we see now? Well, sirs. here are S
those broad stretches Of arabic La
much of it pathetically appealing
the developer and h~usbandman.
here and there you see new nous
new buildings, new life in the
lagos. new extensions in the tow
railroads pushing out further. 81
oil mills, stores charging, bal
springing up in new locations, am
~..l.1 tJay Stoy- thnf rax- - -