New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-08-04
Town Topics

Within a few weeks, it is expected,
something like 800 able bodied New
Britain boys will be encamped in the
southland at Charlotte, North Caro-
lima. where Uncle Sam is already
building a big cantonment for them
to use while preparing for service
abroad. Comparatively few of the
men themselves Or their relatives and
friends know anything of this typical
southern city, That the people of the
city may know something of the place
that Is to be home to their boys for
some time to come, the Herald here
with publishes a few descriptive para
graphs of Charlotte, written by the
mayor Hon. Thomas l.. Kirkpat-
rick:
The City of Charlotte is nestled at
the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains
with an elevation of seven hundred
and sixty feet above sea-level, free
from marked extreme heat Or cold
and judged from a climatic stand
point, occupies most enviable posi-
ton
Charlotte is the county seat Of
Mecklenburg County, situated on the
main line between Washington and
Atlanta and in the leading CONNER
cial center of the Piedmont Carolinas.
In 1853 it was legally incorporated,
and made the permanent county seat
of Mecklenburg County. Today it has
a population of approximately fifty
thousand people and is the center Of
the biggest hydro-electrical develop
ment in the United States. Of the
eight hundred cotton mills in the
South approximately four hundred of
these are situated within radius Of
one hundred miles Of Charlotte. rep
resenting investments of three hum
dred million dollars. with an annual
pay roll of two hundred and seventy
five million dollars. and giving en-
ployment to one hundred and fifty
thousand operatives. The city of
Charlotte with its rural population is
one Of the most populous counties in
the State and yet there is room for a
much larger population. In addition
to it's own population. including the
towns in the county, it has within a
radius of fifty miles. five hundred
people.
AS a manufacturing center, Char
lotte contains one hundred and forty
manufacturing plants, also large
number of cotton mills in other parts
of the county. The annual pay roll of
the cotton mills alone amounts to one
million eight hundred and twenty
thousand dollars. The value Of the
products of Charlotte in 1914 was ap-
proximately twelve million dollars;
the cost of material used during the
wear was seven million four hundred
ad tWenty-six thousand dollars, an in
crease over 1909 Of thirteen and sew
en-tenths.
In 1907 Charlotte had approximate
ly fifteen thousand people with five
and one-half square miles. Today her
area square miles is twelve and eight
tenths with a population of approx
mately fifty thousand. There are
thirteen and three-tenths miles of
drainage, eighty miles of sewerage
and one hundred miles OF sidewalks.
In the city there are four hundred
and fifty-two thousand one hundred
and seventy yards of permanent street
improvement, built at a cost of one
million, forty-fve thousand seven
hundred and ninety-nine dollars and
forty-one cents; and has total of
sixty seven miles of paved and ma
cadamized streets.
Charlotte has a large humble of
splendidly stocked, high-class retail
stores and from their varied stocks,
any one can easily supply his or her
most particular requirements.
Charlotte has always taken a deep
interest in the education of her popu-
lation and has increased her. school
facilities from two buildings to ten. In
addition to her graded schools she
has two high schools for boys, and
Horner's Military Academy. There
is Queens College which, is one of the
finest institutions for young women to
be found in the south. Moreover, she
is situated within thirty minutes ride
of Davidson College, which is one of