- A -- -
ORGAN OF THE STATE FEDERATION OF LABOR OF NORTH CAROLINA.
Volume 5. . Greensboro, N. C, August 6, 1909. Number 6.
Charlotte, the Commercial
Center of the New South
that of the comparative inr.reasA in
the use. of telephones during the past
11. years of from 120 to 2,675. In five
years the annual receipts of the post
office have increased from $50,000 to
$122,000. From a place numbering
eaa man x.zuu people In 1896, Char-
lotte has increased in population to
"CITY OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY."
Real estate .values have always been
In one direction upward. No boom
lias ever been experienced to inflate
values and destroy confidence. The
Qharlotte, North Carolina, is noted reason take pride in the three struc- lot on which stands the Realty build
as the home of the famous Mecklen- tures i named for the possession ing is 64x99 feet, and ;was purchased
burg Declaration of Independence, tbem places the city in a class by by the present owner for $92,000.00.
signed May 20th, 1775, and has at itself so far as the Carolinas are con- One of the best evidences of the
times been called the Hornet's Nest ceed- . , . prosperity and confidence of the peo-
City, because of the statement of Tne careful observer of the rapid, pie of a city is the steady demand
Lord Cornwallis, that he got into a strides which are carrying this city for real estate at a fair price,
veritable hornet's nest when his to the front will desire to know the The building operations of the past
troops tried to drive the colonial mil- agencies whioh are productive of so three years will amount to several
itia from Charlotte town in 1780. steadily increasing development. million dollars. Included in this is a
From a little place of about 2,000 First of all comes the superiority single structure representing a cost of
people at the close of the civil war, position geographically, which has $300,000. Among the larger structures
Charlotte has grown steadily; slowly heen so" cleverly designed by nature built during this period are two ho-
at first, and more rapidly of late years, as a careful scrutiny of the map will tels, two office buildings, auditorium,
Numbering less than 12,000 in 1896, reveal. hospital, churches, business blocks,
and reaching a total in 1908 of 40,000. Rapidly supplanting the use of coal apartment houses, factories, and Y.
The strides made along the path of and steam is the vast production of M. C. A. No better indication of the
material progress have been rapid hydro-electric power. This in recent growth and development of Charlotte
and continuous, resulting in improve- years has entered very materially in- is needed than the facts embodied in
ments of a permanent and solid char- to the economy of the manufacturing the statements which have just been
acter, which have been conducive to interests of Charlotte, and is destined recorded.
the prosperity of the people. in the future to become more and of incalculable value to a city is a
Essentially and pre-eminently the more a factor of marked significance well-operated street railway system
foremost city in the Carolinas may m the industrial life of the city. It and its growth is a very practical
be found among the gentle slopes of proved an exceedingly great attrac- means of putting an accurate guage
the Piedmont region; surrounded by Jon to small manufacturer, and upon the development of the place
a most beautiful spread of farm and has been the Means of drawing many through which its cars run and whose
forest landscape, traversed by spark- such to the city. The Southern Power ipeople it serves. For years there
ling streams; stirring, hustling, teem- Company, with headquarters in Char- has been practically no let up in the
ing with life and activity; occupy- lotte, and with $10,000,000 of capital, work of construction in the extension
ing a most strategic position commer- is rapidly harnessing this great nat- of the trackage of the Charlotte Street
cially, in a location incomparable in ural power and is thus providing Char- railway and without a doubt there is
fitness for the building of a great lotte! with perhaps the 4 chief asset . today no system in either of the Car
city. 7.....
This, the "City of Electrical Ener- of view. to charlotte,
gy," Charlotte, North Carolina, wide- Within a radius of 100 miles there Th. .h mafloHam rnai1fl
awake and progressive, is attracting are about 350 cotton mills operating n?deft J?a a(?!
the attention of the people far and 5,000,000 spindles and including an in- the Sun rp nr vv 2h
wide-, and' many predictions are being vested capital of $140,000,000. No SI5 to SS hS Siter
made by the wise and clear-minded place in the South is in such close J of nwwf o!h w! w?5!
prophets, to the effect that the future touch with the cotton milling Indus- hL ?Tlfth h iS2LJl
of this promising place will include try and Charlotte is recognized as the SSaS
a very prominent position in the com- center of manufacturing in the South, compete system of SunS roL Z
mercial and manufacturing world. A considerable part of the industrial De found Invwhere ta th? TFnSd
The atmosphere contains the ele- life of Charlotte is .the continuous JrTtiJt
ments of progress, and all who operation of its 23 cotton mills. ta tes an d vwyn gggjjat
breathe it seem to catch the infection, The possession of various avenues MeMS to thlTrtraLt No one tea
develop the Charlotte spirit, and feel of outlet and inlet over the railroads f tte ritaiei of Char'
a desire to join the moving throng prove a very essential factor to the tte haf contributed I much to ite
and put forth a hand to aid in the success of the various enterprises do- abroad as have ttieTe ? excellent
work of building a Greater Charlotte, ing business in Charlotte as well as conlxy roads Thev e andvan-
The consequence is that a never-ceas- the accessibility to an abundance of See Lerciallv aSd fSanciSlv
manifold. In all the factories of Charlotte will
homes in Charlotte. The Building and
Loan Associations have provided the
means for Charlotte to become a city
of many homeowners, the streets are
beautifully shaded, the climate Is al
most perfect, and as a whole,. a bet
ter place to live in, a better place to
invest money in, or to engage in busi
ness can scarcely be found anywhere
the country over. In other columns
of this issue will be found a brief men
tion of progressive enterprises which
have by their co-operation in &1 wor
thy movements made possible' the
Queen City's wonderful growth. '
"WATCH CHARLOTTE GROW."
CHARLOTTE A CITY OF PARKS.
mer, for the interests of both are
jctrg uiuuciu, cicgout uvuiuuiga " uuuiusi j.-xv, xuxu ai. ux vui, country roads
being erected, streets are being im- time the evidence is Indicative of a 4
proved, and car lines extended, nun- speedy increase and especially among Tne various commercial bodies are
dreds of new dwelling houses are go- the smaller operators, as these fur- very potent factors in the progress
ing up each year, steam railroads are nish Jhe nucleus for future large oper- and development of the city, and all
building large extensions to accom- ations, and the conditions here are contribute to the progress and wel
modate tne increasing freight busi- particularly favorable to this kind. fare f the city , . , .
ness, extensions to business blocks. The cotton mills, cotton oil mills, The most active commercial body
and factories, new enterprises, and in machine shops and trouser factories is the Grater Charlotte Club, with a
fact many other features incident to comprise about one-half of the capi- membephip of over 500. This or
the growth and development of the tal invested 4n manufactories of Char- ganization has no social features
city. Within the last few months one lotte, and produce annually $9,390,000 whatever, and devotes its entire en
of the finest Young Men's Christian of manufactured goods. The balance ergies to the building up of Char
Association buildings in the South, of the plants are needed to round lotte and the promotion of her vast
costing $150,000, has been opened for out completely the industrial side of interests. The members are actuated
the young men of the city about 100 Charlotte, and add very greatly to the through love of home and are prompt
of whom have sleeping rooms in it, business life. ed to put forth their efforts by civic
and also enjoy the many other ad- Sound banking institutions are the pride, they are at all times ready to
vantages which this elegant and thor- foundation stones of all great com- make a sacrifice of time and money
oughly equipped building affords. mercial centers, and every business n the cause of the Greater Charlotte
The Charlotte Sanitorium, recently man realizes the essential value to Clu. .
opened, is equal in its appointments a community in possessing banks This club has been the means of
to the best hospitals in the country which are well conducted by able men. stimulating the Charlotte spirit and
and in charge of most competent sur- The bankers of Charlotte are deserv- in this way has been of great benefit
geons and corps of efficient nurses, ing of a full share of praise for the tto the city as well. It has distributed
This magnificent edifice in addition part they have played in the devel- many thousand pieces of advertising
to the four other hospitals in Char- opment of the city. During the panic matter all over the country, it has
lotte has made the city, a center for of 1907, Charlotte was one of the four been the medium for drawing con ven-
expert medical advice and surgical cities in the entire South whose banks tions to the city, during 1908 alone
aid, inducing patients to come from issued no script whatever. The fore- there came to Charlotte twenty-four
the country for miles around. v Alto- sight of these men provided against conventions. The building of the au-
gether 115 trained nurses live in Char- such an acknowledgement of weak- ditorium to provide a place for the
lotte most of whom are employed in ness. The present assets of the Char- contentions was promoted by the
the hospitals. lotte banks reach over $10,000,000 and Greater Charlotte Club. The means
The twelve-story Realty building is the steady growth in the strength of of the organization has become a syn-
filling a long heeded want lp supply- these institutions indicates that the onym for energy, enterprise and en-
ing the modern office accommodations time is not far distant when this place deavor.
to outside business houses who want will assume considerable Importance Charlotte is a modern city, geo
to take advantage of Charlotte as a as a banking center. graphically it is a logical center corn
superior point of distribution. Probably no better evidence of the mercially, and because of this over
The citizens of Charlotte may with-growth of this city is needed than 500 traveling salesmen make their
The slightest description of Char
lotte is incomplete without mention of
its beautiful parks and splendid street
railway service thereto. There is
Electric Park, to the north, Indepen
dence Park to the east, Latta Park
to the south and Lakewood Park to
the west Three of these parks are
owned and maintained by the street
railway company for the pleasure and
benefit of its . patrons. The fourth,
Independence Park, is owned by the
city.
Electric Park is reached after a
three-mile street car ride northward,
being at the end of the North Char
lotte division. There Is to be found
a resting place within a natural
grove wit beautiful green lawns! and
large towering oaks, making an ideal
picnic ground with ample room, abun
dant shade, cool spring water, swings
for the children, restful seats forthe.
grown-ups and a cage of monkeys:
for the delight and amusement of alL
At Electric Park It is possible to
board a street car and for a fare of
five cents ride back through the city
to Latta Park, a distance of five miles,
or to Lakewood Park, a distance of
six miles.
Latta Park is the city's oldest and
best known pleasure ground. There
the hand of the landscape artist, laid
upon naturea original meulding, pro
duced a spot that has for many years
afforded unlimited amusement, recrea
tion, pleasure and rest for. Charlotte
and her visitors. The Pavilion and
Casino, where thousands have spent
so many pleasant evenings, are sur
rounded by pretty shrubbery, rare or
namental trees, grassy slopes, and at
tractive walks and driveways, and a
more beautiful place is not to be
found anywhere around the city.
Lakewood Park is located three
miles from the center of the city on
the Hoskins street railway line and
is Charlotte's newest and most elab
orate park, having been thrown open
to the public for the first time about
the first of July. Here nature has
been most generous in her contribu
tion to Charlotte's pleasure. Beauti
fully wooded hills and shaded valleys,
with their rippling streams, combined
with the glimmering waters of the
large lake, make a sight that is in
spiring and impressive. The site,
once ragged in woods and shrubbery,
has been converted into a park beau
tiful. The Lakewood pavilion Is a
two-story structure, mas3ive and sub
stantial, having a total water front
age of three hundred and forty feet.
On the upper floor is a seating capac
ity for an unlimited number and a
dance floor, which is unexcelled any
where in the state. From this point
all parts of the lake are within view,
and when dotted with boats one can
hardly realize they are in Charlotte.
On the lower floor is the boat landing,
and the box ball alleys, as well as
plenty of seats for those who like to
sit close to the water and imagine
they are on the ocean front. Boating
is the leading feature and the lake is
equipped with eighteen modern press
ed steel boats, fashioned after the
pattern used by the United States Life
Saving stations. Each boat is equip
ped with water-tight chambers which
render them non-sinkable. They are
in charge of competent men and can
be rented by the hour.
The lake is unusually large, being
three quarters of a mile long, with