NORTH CAROLINA 



4264 



NORTH CAROLINA 



titles of commercial importance. Nearly one- 

 half of the total income from minerals is the 

 value of clay products, and the state produces 

 half of the kaolin in the United States. Next 

 in importance is the quarrying of stone. White 

 granite of a fine quality and excellent varieties 

 of marble are taken from the western moun- 

 tains. In the output of mica, North Carolina 

 ranks first among the states and produces white 

 mica of the best grade for glazing, and of as 

 fine a quality as is found anywhere in the 

 world. The mining of corundum was very im- 

 portant until the discovery of larger deposits 

 in Canada ; none is now produced anywhere in 

 the United States. 



During the first half of the nineteenth cen- 

 tury, before the discovery of gold in California, 

 North Carolina was one of the leading states 

 in the production of gold. Before the War of 

 Secession this metal was produced in such 

 quantities that a branch mint was established 

 at Charlotte. North Carolina still ranks first 

 among the Eastern states in gold production, 

 but is comparatively unimportant in respect 

 to the total output of the United States. Mag- 

 netite ore is mined in Avery County, talc is 

 widely distributed, and zircon and monazite, 

 used in the manufacture of incandescent lights, 

 were formerly produced. Copper, lead, feld- 

 spar, quartz, soapstone, sand, gravel, mineral 

 waters and gems, including rubies, opals and 

 agates, are found. The value of the mineral 

 product of the state is about $3,500,000 a year. 



Manufacture. The more extensive use of 

 the great available water power of the Pied- 

 mont rivers and mountain streams, navigable 



waterways and improved railroad transporta- 

 tion have placed North Carolina among the 

 leading manufacturing states of the South. The 

 principal industry is the manufacture of cotton 

 goods. In 1910 North Carolina, being sur- 

 passed by Massachusetts, ranked second among 

 the states in the number of producing spindles. 

 The manufacture of tobacco is next in impor- 

 tance, followed by lumber and timber products, 

 including rough lumber, materials for interior 

 finishing, furniture, and tar, rosin and turpen- 

 tine. Other important industries are the manu- 

 facture of flour, cottonseed products, fertilizers 

 and knit goods and the curing and tanning of 

 leather. Durham and Winston-Salem are the 

 most important manufacturing cities. In 1910 

 North Carolina ranked eighteenth among the 

 states in manufacturing, producing goods val- 

 ued at $94,795,000. 



Transportation. In 1915 there were 286 miles 

 of electric railway and over 5,400 miles of 

 steam railroad in the state, the chief roads be- 

 ing the Southern, the Atlantic Coast Line, the 

 Norfolk Southern and the Seaboard Air Line. 

 The coast waters and large rivers of the coastal 

 plain are navigable. Communication between 

 Albemarle Sound and Chesapeake Bay is af- 

 forded by the Dismal Swamp Canal. Wilming- 

 ton is the commercial center and has steamship 

 lines to New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. 

 The chief exports are tar, turpentine, rosin, 

 lumber, cotton, tobacco, flour and fish. There 

 are two customs districts, Wilmington and 

 Pamlico. In 1915 a state highway department 

 was created, and an annual appropriation of 

 $10,000 is made for the improvement of roads. 



Government and History 



Government. The present constitution, 

 adopted in 1876, is the fourth constitution of 

 the state, and it has been revised and amended 

 in 1879, 1888 and 1900. A constitutional con- 

 vention may be called when approved by two- 

 thirds of both houses of the legislature and by 

 a majority of voters. Amendments must be 

 accepted by three-fifths of each house and a 

 majority of voters before becoming part of the 

 state constitution. Suffrage is restricted to male 

 citizens residing in the state two years, who are 

 able to read and write the constitution in Eng- 

 lish, and who have not been convicted of crime. 

 A state board of elections appointed by the 

 governor has charge of elections. In 1915 a 

 primary election law was passed requiring state 

 officers, representatives in the national Con- 



gress, district officers and members of the state 

 legislature to be nominated in primaries. Athe- 

 ists are not permitted to hold office. 



The legislative power is vested in a general 

 assembly consisting of a senate of fifty mem- 

 bers and a house of representatives of 120 

 members, elected and meeting biennially. 



The executive power is vested in a gov- 

 ernor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, 

 auditor, treasurer, superintendent of public in- 

 struction and attorney-general. The governor's 

 power is greatly limited by an administrative 

 council consisting of the secretary of state, 

 auditor, treasurer and .superintendent of public 

 instruction. He has no veto and very little ap- 

 pointive power, and neither he nor the lieuten- 

 ant-governor may serve two successive terms. 



