The farmer and mechanic., 1915-09-14
BION II. BUTLER.

Siler City Sept. IA right good |
example of what North Carolina is
going to do with itself is seen at Siler
city, a spot on the map that is grow
ing a little more conspicuous every
day and doing it in it's own original
way To some folks who do not pry
far into underlying causes Siler City
is known as the greatest rabbit ship
ping station on the continent. To
other folks who are better informed
Siler City has other grounds for dis
tinction besides rabbits.
II is true that here is a remarkable
rabbit supply. The hills seem to be
the happy retreat Of Molly Cottontail
and her large family, and the boys
OF Siler City evidently have the fac
ulty of setting traps and picking the
correct bait, for the thousands of rab-
bits that go out to all quarters each
season leave no doubt of the success
Of the trappcrs. But Siler City sells
a lot OF stuff besides rabbit hams and
lucky feet.
Siler City has a reputation for eggs
and poultry. 1t is one of the great
poultry markets of the country, ship
ping annually from 100000 to 10000
pounds of poultry and close to two
million eggs. This stuff goes all over
the East from Palm Beach, Florida,
60 the cities of New York and New
England.
Leads I'm Express.
Siler City probably loads more
Packages Of express the year round
than almost any other station in the
State, and more than very many other
stations in the South outside Of the
big cities. The express business OF
Siler City is one Of the features OF
the railroad line that goes down
through this part Of the State. Siler is
one Of the best freight originating
stations Of the Southern railroad sys-
tenn. barring only the big cities. Silel
is q market at which the farmers sci
their stuff the year round. and it |:
a place that brings cash to it's patron:
every day in the year The bank:
handle out Of town business check:
for farm stuff every day but Sundays
IT Is likely that SiJer City runs from
$1,000 to $500 a week the year rount
on chickens, eggs and rabbits alone
and the bulk Of this goes out to th'
farmers. where it is scattered in Ittl'
sums all over the county.
or course at some seasons the ship
ments are bigger than at others. bu
the average Of egg shipments will rul
500 dozen day, the off season show
ing smaller shipments and the bus
season Ducn greater sales. Same wa
with poultry and rabbits The oil
Dominicky hen is a big fellow in TIL
Siler City community. ranking amon
the leading business ventures and al
ways carrying on a successful trade
Siler City poultry is not a systema
tized business. 1t is the gathering o
the product from the farms arOun
the country, most of which have thei
little fiocks, and marketing the stu
tAt.
hens are kept, not much effort mad
10 standardize focks and no grea
quantity of product comes from an
one farm. Eggs and chickens com
romf every direction, and the none
realized is scattered thorough
throughout the land.
Two Flour mills.
But this is not all Siler City farm
make. In the town are two f1oI
mills that run very largely on graf
raised within reasonable distance
The mills. Until a year or two ae
one mill seemed sufficient to hand
the traffic. Then another was bull
thd now two excellent roller mills al
turning out u good quality of flOl
NJ Siler City. and the farmer of tt
nelEhborhood eats -four made fro
hlN own wheat. and sees it go 'o1
WN"n he has surplus to buyers
hll quarters. The mill men say tn
'hatham and Randolph county whe
makes flour Of the best quality. al
ne TACT that they dispose Of all II
h"ur they male without trouble