CAROLINA, NORTH. 



CAROLINA, NORTH. 



340 



Manufactures, Commerce, <bc. North Carolina is mainly an agri- 

 cultural state, but has considerable manufacturing industry. The 

 cotton manufacture employs above 1600 hands and a capital of above 

 a million of dollars. The woollen manufacture is at present only 

 small, but is steadily increasing. The iron manufacture employs about 

 500 persons. There are extensive tanneries, breweries, distilleries, 

 potteries, soap and candle-factories, machine-worts, carriage-factories, 

 hardware works, and numerous saw and grist-mills. 



The exports in 1852 amounted to 576,399 dollars, the imports to 

 300,488 dollars. The exports consist of live cattle, tar, pitch, and 

 turpentine, lumber, Indian corn, cotton, tobacco, pork, lard, tallow, 

 bees'-wax, myrtle-wax, ginseng, and medicinal roots and plants. A 

 considerable portion of these are sent to South Carolina and Virginia 

 to be exported thence. The number of vessels entered at North 

 Carolina in 1850 was 188 of 28,300 tons burden, of which 140 vessels 

 of 19,185 tons were American, the remainder being foreign. The 

 clearances in the same year were 274 vessels of 42,232 tons, of which 

 212 vessels of 30,739 tous were American. The total shipping owned 

 in the state in 1850 amounted to 45,218 tons, of which about 30,000 

 tons were employed in the coasting trade. 



Divisions, Towns, <kc. North Carolina is divided into 79 counties. 

 None of the towns are very populous. The following are the principal : 

 the population is that of 1850 : 



Rale''<jh, the capital of the state, population 4518, is situated in 

 35 47' N. lat., 78 48' W. long., about 6 miles from the Neuse River. 

 It stands on an elevated site, and is a regularly-built town, having in 

 the centre a square of ten acres, from which extend four main streets, 

 99 feet wide, dividing it into four quarters, and in the centre of each 

 of these quarters are squares of four acres each, from which proceed 

 street* 66 feet wide. The state-house is said to be the finest building 

 of its kind in the Union with the exception of the state-house of Ohio 

 in Columbia. It is intended to be a copy of the Parthenon at Athens, 

 but hoi the un-Oreciau addition of a dome. The other principal 

 buildings are the court-house, governor's house, secretary of state's 

 house, a jail, market-house, a state deaf and dumb asylum, not yet 

 finished, the grounds of which are four acres in extent, and several 

 churches. There are several schools. Raleigh is a place of consider- 

 able business, and the centre of the railway system of the state. Ten 

 newspapers are published in the town. 



Newbern, the former capital of the stale, population 4722, is situated 

 on the right bank of the Neuse River, 100 miles E.S.E. from Raleigh. 

 The town is well built, and has a good deal of commercial activity. 

 The Neuse is one mile and a half wide, and the Trent, which here 

 falls into it, is three-quarters of a mile wide, and of sufficient depth 

 to admit steam-vessels. The principal exports are lumber, naval 

 stores, and agricultural produce. There is also a good inland trade. 

 The town contains a court-house, jail, and four churches. 



Wilm',1 : i'',n, the chief port of North Carolina, population 7264, is 

 situated on the left bank of the Cape Fear River, about 35 miles from 

 the Atlantic, in 34 11' N. lat., 78 10' W. long. The site is low, 

 marshy, and unhealthy, but well adapted for trade. The harbour 

 has a shoal at its entrance, but admits vessels of 300 tons burden. 

 The total tonnage of the district in 1850 was 15,198 tons. The foreign 

 commerce during the same year was entries, 118 vessels of 20,670 

 tons; clearances, 175 vessels of 31,098 tons. The public buildings are 

 the court-houge, jail, and several churches. It has five newspapers. 

 The Wilmington and Weldon, and Wilmington and Manchester rail- 

 ways greatly facilitate the trade of the town. 



PayeUerille, situated one mile from the right bank of the Cape Fear 

 River, and 49 miles S. by W. from Raleigh, is one of the busiest towns 

 in the state : population 4648. The town is regularly laid out with 

 streets 100 feet wide, and contains a court-house, a United States 

 arsenal of construction, and several churches. It has considerable 

 trade in grain, flour, tobacco, and naval stores, contains cotton-mills 

 and flour, grist, and saw-mill*, and publishes three newspapers. 



The only other places requiring notice are Beaufort, a sea-port 

 town and capital of Carteret county, 126 miles E.S.E. from Raleigh : 

 population about 1300. The harbour, which is safe and spacious, 

 admits vessels drawing 1 4 feet of water. The entrance to it is by Old 

 Topsail Inlet, west of Cf.pe Lookout. The town has a good coasting 

 trade. Charlotte, the capital of Mecklenburg county, population about 

 1300, is situated between the Sugar and Little Sugar creeks. It is 

 the centre of a gold mining district, and contains a branch of the 

 United States Mint. Besides the county buildings it contains four 

 churches, and supports two newspapers. The South Carolina rail- 

 way has it* terminus here. Edenton, population 1607, is situated at 

 the head of Eden Bay, where the Chowan opens into Albemarle 

 Sound. It is the capital of Chowan county, and contains the usual 

 county buildings. A good deal of shipping belongs to the place. 

 Elizabeth City, the capital of Pagquotank county, stands on the right 

 bank of the Pasquotank River, 20 miles above its confluence with 

 Albemarle Sound : population about 800. Vessels drawing 7 feet of 

 water ascend to the city, and it has communication with the Hampton 

 Roads by means of the Dismal Swamp Canal. It contains the usual 

 county buildings, and several mercantile establishments. The exports 

 are pine lumber, shingles, and staves, chiefly for the West Indies. 

 Three newspapers ar publiihed here. Elizabeth Town, the capital of 

 Bladen county, population about 600, is situated on the right bank of 



Cape Fear River, 40 miles above Wilmington. It contains a court- 

 house, jail, &c., and has a considerable river trade. Greemsborough, the 

 capital of Guildford county, population about 600, situated 75 miles 

 W.N.W. from Raleigh, contains a court-house, jail, and several neat 

 dwellings, and supports two newspapers; here is the junction of the 

 North and the S.mth Carolina railways. Greenville is the capital and 

 situated near the centre of Pitt county, on the right bank of the Tar 

 River, 35 miles above its confluence with Pamlico River : population, 

 1893. It contains the usual county buildings and several good stores, 

 and is a place of some trade. Halifax, the capital of Halifax county, 

 is situated on the right bank of the Roanoke, about 7 miles below the 

 great falls, and at the head of the sloop navigation. A canal is 

 earned round the falls and continues the boat navigation of the 

 Roanoke 130 miles higher. The Wilmington and Weldon railway 

 adds to the commercial facilities of the town. Halifax is a place of 

 considerable trade in cotton, corn, and lumber. The town is regularly 

 laid out, and contains the usual county buildings. Lincolnton is the 

 capital and stands near the centre of Lincoln county, on tho left 

 bank of the Little Catawba River, 178 miles W. by S. from Raleigh : 

 population about 1000. The town contains the usual county build- 

 ings, several large stores, and in its vicinity are some extensive cotton 

 and paper-mills and iron-works. Oxford, population 1978, is the 

 capital and stands near the centre of Granville county, 39 miles N. 

 from Raleigh. It contains a court-house, jail, hospital, aud market- 

 house. Plymouth, population 951, the capital of Washington county, 

 is situated near the Roanoke, a few miles above its entrance into 

 Albemarle Sound, and carries on a large trade in lumber and the 

 building of coasting vessels. Smithvillc, population 1464, on the left 

 bank and at the mouth of Cape Fear River, opposite Smith's Island, 

 has a good harbour, and is a place of some trade. It contains a 

 court-house, jail, market-house, and several churches. Tarborough, on 

 the right bank of the Tar, 63 miles E. by N. from Raleigh, population 

 about 700, contains a court-house, jail, &c. : steam-boats ascend the 

 Tar to Tarborough. Washington, population about 1300, is situated on 

 the left bank of the Tar River, at its confluence with Pamlico River. 

 Vessels drawing 9 feet of water can load and unload at its wharfs. 

 There is a considerable coasting trade. The public buildings are a 

 court-house, jail, and three churches. 



Government, Judiciary, Education, <te. The legislative body consists 

 of a Senate of 50 members and of a House of Commons of 120 mem- 

 bers. Senators are chosen biennially in districts apportioned on the 

 basis of taxation. Members of the House of Commons are chosen 

 also biennially, not less than one for each county. An apportionment 

 of both houses was made in 1851, and a new apportionment is to be 

 made every twenty years. All free white men twenty-one years of 

 age, who have been inhabitants of the state for twelve months pre- 

 ceding the election, vote for members of the House of Commoi.s ; but 

 a freehold of tifty acres of land is a necessary qualification to vote for 

 a senator. No descendant of a negro to the fourth geuei'ation is to 

 be accounted a white man or admissible to the suffrage. The governor 

 is elected for two ytars by the persons qualified to elect members of the 

 house. His salary is 2000 dollars a year, with the use of a furnished 

 house. The governor, with the council of state, which is elected in 

 the same way, forms the executive. 



The revenue from all sources for the year ending October 31, 1852, 

 was 366,728 dollars ; the expenditure was 249,254 dollars, being an 

 excess of income of 117,474 dollars. The state debt ia a contingent 

 one arising from endorsements by tha state of railway bonds, and 

 amounted on November 1, 1852, to 1,230,000 dollars. The militia of 

 the btate is composed of 79,448 men, of whom 4267 are commissioned 

 officers. Every white male citizen between the ages of 18 and 45 years, 

 unless exempt by law, is liable to militia duty. 



The judiciary consists of a supreme court, presided over by a ch ; ^f 

 justice and two associate justices, who have a salary of 2500 dollars 

 each ; and seven superior or circuit courts, each presided over by a 

 judge with a salary of 1950 dollars. The judges of the supreme and 

 superior courts are appointed by joint vote of the two houses, and 

 hold their office during good behaviour. 



The instruction of the poorer classes is less attended to than in 

 many other states of the Union. A board of literature was estab- 

 lished iu 1837 to devise a plan of common schools, for which a fund 

 had been provided, but nothing effectual has yet been accomplished. 

 There are in the state about 200 academies and above 800 common 

 schools, which are attended by upwards of 18,000 pupils. The 

 children of the coloured people are excluded by the laws from 

 receiving instruction. The instruction of the upper classes is better 

 attended to. The University of North Carolina is at Chapel Hill, 28 miles 

 west-north-west from Raleigh. It was incorporated in 1793, and first 

 conferred degrees in 1797. In 1853 it had 11 professors and 270 

 students; and a library of 13,700 volumes. A school of science and 

 art was attached to it in 1853. Davidson College, in Mecklenburg 

 county, founded in 1838, had 81 students in 1853. There is also a 

 Baptist Theological College. In 1850 there were in the state 1678 

 churches belonging to all sects, containing sittings for 558,204 persons. 

 The number of newspapers published in the state in 1850 was 52. 



Hiitory. North Carolina is the site of the first English settlement 

 made in North America ; a small colony which was sent out by Sir 

 Walter Raleigh to occupy the country granted to him by letters 



