634 



NORTH CAROLINA. 



and Raleigh is in progress. The railroad from 

 Halifax to Scotland Neck, twenty miles in 

 length, was finished in April, opening a fine 

 section of the State, 



The commemorative celebration of the Meck- 

 lenburg Declaration of Independence took place 

 at Charlotte, on May 20th. The streets were 

 fairly decked with flags and banners, filled with 

 citizen soldiers in bright uniforms, and at least 

 20,000 people from the surrounding country. 

 Governor Jarvis and his staff, Senators Vance, 

 Ransom, Wade Hampton, and Bayard were 

 present. The Mecklenburg Declaration was 

 read by Senator Ransom, and Senator Vance 

 introduced the orator of the occasion, Thomas 

 F. Bayard, of Delaware. The address was en- 

 thusiastially received, especially the sentiments 

 contained in the following extract : 



I wish T could impress upon you, gentlemen, and 

 not upon you only but upon our fellow-countrymen 

 everywhere, the fatal fallacy and mischief that under- 

 lies and inheres to every proposition to use the money 

 of the people drawn from them by taxation, the 

 powers of their government, the force of their govern- 

 ment, under any name or pretext for any other than 

 include the mainte- 

 credit, the protec- 

 rywhere, among the 

 just objects for the exercise of governmental powers ; 

 but I wish to deny here and everywhere, now and at 

 all times, the rightfulness of involving the welfare 

 and happiness of the 50,000,000 men, women, and 

 children of the country, whether by laying taxes upon 

 them which are not needed for the support of their 

 government, or paying bounties and subsidies to 

 maintain lines of private business which are too un- 

 skillfully or unprofitably conducted otherwise to sus- 

 tain themselves, or promising the presence of our 

 fleets or armies, or risking the issue of peace or war, 

 or shedding the blood of our soldiers and sailors in 

 aid of schemes of private greed or personal ambition 

 under the guise of claims foreign or domestic. 



The fisheries of North Carolina constitute 

 a large and valuable industry. Upward of 

 5,000 persons, 100 vessels, and 3,000 boats 

 are employed in the business. The average an- 

 nual product is upward of 30,000,000 pounds 

 of fish, worth between $800,000 and $900,- 

 000. The catch of the " alewife " is larger 

 in the waters of North Carolina than in those 

 of any other State, being a little under 16,- 

 000,000 pounds annually. The shad-fisher- 

 ies yield about 4,000,000 pounds, and, being 

 marketed earlier, are worth more than those 

 caught elsewhere. The mullet-fisheries are 

 second only to those of the Florida coast. Of 

 terrapins upward of 40,000 are caught annu- 

 ally, of the estimated value of $11,000. Owing 

 to the success which has attended the opera- 

 tions of the fish-hatching commission, this in- 

 dustry may be expected to grow rapidly in 

 extent and value. 



BANKS. There are fifteen national banks in 

 the State, with a present capital of $2,501,- 

 000, and a surplus fund of $474,956. The in- 

 dividual deposits at the last statement amount- 

 ed to $2,889,789, and other deposits to $190,- 

 840; the loans and discounts to $4,738,012. 



A GENERAL REVIEW. The year 1882 has 



been in the main a prosperous one. The pub- 

 lic health has been generally good. In mate- 

 rial progress, railroad construction, mining, and 

 agriculture, the State has made a healthy 

 though not rapid advance. The educational 

 system has widened its sphere of efficiency, and 

 has gained in popular favor. The financial 

 condition is sounder and more hopeful than 

 it has been for years, because directed and con- 

 trolled by honesty, good faith, and economy in 

 those who receive and pay out the people's 

 money. The cotton-crop is undoubtedly short. 

 The price is low, and the expense of making it 

 was heavy. The uncertainty as to what Con- 

 gress will do as to the tobacco-tax, has disor- 

 ganized the tobacco-trade, but when the ques- 

 tion is once settled, either one way or the other, 

 it is hoped that the industry will revive. The 

 area planted in cotton is becoming greater 

 every year, and the improved culture is an- 

 nually increasing the yield per acre. It is be- 

 coming, however, a serious question whether 

 nine cents per pound will cover the actual 

 cost of production, without taking into the 

 account any allowance for interest on the in- 

 vestment. The Geological Museum, recently 

 established and arranged in the building of the 

 Department of Agriculture, gives a gratifying 

 view of the resources of forest, field, and mine 

 of the " Old North State." The exhibit of iron- 

 ores from fifteen counties is large in number 

 and variety. Handsome specimens of gold, sil- 

 ver, copper, and plumbago are to be seen. 

 The display of white and colored marbles, 

 both rough and polished, of which the sup- 

 ply is said to be inexhaustible, is very attrac- 

 tive. Specimens of kaoline, mica, asbestus, 

 marl, talc, granite, and sandstone are also 

 shown. The exhibit of woods is remarkably 

 fine, comprising 112 different varieties. The 

 manufacturing enterprises, the number of 

 which is increasing largely from year to year, 

 are prosperous and remunerative. The people 

 are more industrious and progressive. North 

 Carolina used to be called u the turpentine 

 State," and later "the peanut State." Now 

 she is known for her cotton, rice, grain, woods, 

 minerals, tobacco, and manufactured goods, 

 and her intellectual progress keeps pace with 

 her material growth. There are, it is reported, 

 3,802 factories in the State, worth $13,045,639, 

 employing 18,109 hands, who are paid $2,740,- 

 758 in wages, and who work up materials worth 

 $13,090,937, and produce goods worth $20,- 

 095,037. The manufacture of pine-wood oil 

 (an industry confined exclusively to Wilming- 

 ton) has grown largely in proportions and im- 

 portance. The oil is distilled from " fat pine " 

 or "lightwood" at the rate of eighty gallons 

 of oil to one cord of the wood. Its chief use is 

 for the preservation of wood, especially for the 

 timbers of ships and boats. It is becoming an 

 article almost of as much importance as tar and 

 turpentine. The receipts of produce at the 

 port of Wilmington, for the year ending De- 

 cember 31st, were: Cotton, 123,572 bales; 



