The Hydro-Electric Centre Mcsetafe o^na PUBLISHED BY COPYRIGHT LEAKE CARRAWAY. MANAGING SECRETARY Chai-locoi, M. c:,, 1933 A f f V, c I \ o a n X o 1 y D ;■! ■! i <; n !; •.-! '1 I o ^ yi^ ly. " a ^ ^ S iM C Jl A H L O T T £ " g)ClA:55U79 THE llYoilO .'i^i/iCcVriKc: cMCMfil!^ HARLOTTE, N. C, the county seat of Mecklenl/urg, is not the largest town in the United States, and it has not reached that point where it cannot grow and show improvement in many hnes. But there are so many features of excellence and superiority, that to those who are seeking a home, a place of business for an established enterprise, or a place in which to organize a new industrial undertaking, Charlotte offers unusual opportunities. This city is not a place where a man with no means can make an independent fortune without effort, nor is it a place where capital can make such returns as are offered and never realized in sections more widely adver- tised. Within the past three years, the growth of Charlotte has kept pace with that of other cities of this section of the Un'ted States, and at this time the population is about 50,000. This figure is under the average estimate of those who are in a position to know the facts, but it is the intention of this publication to be ultra-conservative rather than to stretch a single point a hairsbreadlh. At the taking of the last United States Census, the population was a little less than 35,000, and since that time the growth has been about the same as for several years before. While the city has grown in point of numbers, her development along business lines has been greater, if possible, and within the past five years the commerce of Charlotte has shown a greater increase than any city in the Southeast. The growth of postoffice receipts at Charlotte is an indication of the growth of general business and popula- tion. In 1 905, the receipts of the Charlotte postoffice amounted to $84,784.20, while last year the records show total receipts of $154,296.20, and the indications are that the receipts this year will reach into the neighbor- hood of $175,000. If you are making a success where you are, and if you believe that by coming to Charlotte you might make a greater success; if you are dissatisfied where you are, and want to make a change for this reason; if the climate of your section leaves anything to be desired; if the educational facilities of your community are not first-class in every respect ; if the religious environment where you now reside is not just what you desire for yourself and your children; if you believe you would be better satsfied in Charlotte than where you are now located, you will receive a most hearty welcome in this Queen City of the South. No saloons exist in Charlotte and it is one of the cities of the South noted for the temperance of its residents. It is therefore, an ideal section in which to bring up a family. Charlotte as a convention city is gaining fame every year. This present year not fewer than fifteen organi- zations meet in this city, bringing visitors from all sections of the country. There are several reasons for this — one being the excellent transportation facilities, another the climate, and still another is the number of available con- vention halls within easy reach of the railway station and hotel districts of the city. Within four blocks of Independence Square are to be found not fewer than a dozen halls, where meetings of from one hundred to four thousand can be held with all possible convenience and comfort. These halls are at the disposal of organizations for meetings without cost, and with a hearty welcome. [^ ( M ,'\ M CAW, ( iM .s -:r ( - r c; ■ r ( o m .s ^5^^^5^ HARLOTTE'S eight banks are known g^.?^A'^^j wherever Charlotte people transact busi- v^^-U v' J' nsss — not as paragons of the financial ®^?>^TJ*- ''^\ world, but as safe and sound and conserva- ^^^^ — DO tive business institutions, where the needs of their customers are looked after carefully, and all courtesies consistent with sound banking are shown the public at large. The capital of the combined banks of Charlotte totals $2,250,000, with assets of over $14,- 000,000; and at the last call of the Comptroller of the Currency, made for June 4, 1913, the deposits of the eight banks were shown to be $7,234,582.40, while the loans totaled $9,600,770.91. The surplus and profit accounts of the banks of this city on that date were $1,791,937.36. During the financial stringency in 1907, the Char- lotte institutions did not at any time fail to make pay- ments of all accounts, and had the distinction of being the only city between Richmond and Atlanta where this condition prevailed. The banking of Charlotte is char- acterized by progressive conservatism, which is one of the basic prnciples of all business of this city. c; li (, I c, \] ci ( I, 1) ( iM c^, ^ 5]HARLOTTE'S public and semi-public buildings are in keeping with the size and progress of the place. The city hall, located on Tryon Street, houses the entire city government, and is adequate for at least several years to come. Among other buildings which are in daily use by the public, and which attract more than usual attention from the visitor, and are sources of pride to the resident, might be mentioned the Southern Manufacturers' Club, seen on the opposite page. It is said that this is the most nearly perfectly-appointed clubhouse in the Southern States; and presidents of the Nation have expressed deep admiration for the appointments and arrangements. The Carnegie Library, located on Tryon Street, is unique, in that it is open to the people of the City of Charlotte and the County of Mecklenburg alike. Thou- sands upon thousands of volumes are to be found here, and the support comes, not only from the city, as is usually the case, but the county authorities assist materially in its maintenance, and the residents of the county of Meck- lenburg make the same use of the library as do the peo- ple of the City of Charlotte, the same rules applying to both. On another page, grouped with a number of Churches, is to be seen the Charlotte Y. M. C. A. building, one of the most complete to be found in the country. Built by Charlotte funds and Charlotte men, this building houses many young men, who are given the best environ- ment to be obtained, and where they are kept apart from the contaminating influences so often found in city life. The religious 1 fe of the Y. M. C. A. is similar, in large measure, to that of the Associations throughout the country, yet there is a difference, too, in that the services are interesting to a marked degree, and the attendance is remarkable. The Boys' department of the Y. M. C. A. is a feature which has within the past twelve months brought a num- ber of families to Charlotte, since here they get the best training, religiously and physically, to be had in the country, without the denominational feature which pre- cludes the attendance of many of the youth of opposing religious belief upon the activities of any particular church. The Mecklenburg Country Club, shown next to the bottom on the preceding page, is just outside the city, where one of the most beautiful and attractive golf links in the country is to be found. By those who have traveled much, it is said that the Country Club is ideal in setting, location, and appointment. Within the past few years a number of new build- ings have been added to Charlotte, and at this time the contract for the Masonic Temple, one of the finest struc- tures in the State, is about to be let, the plans having been accepted. This building will be in keeping with the spirit of progress which has dominated Charlotte for the past several years, and will provide a home for all the Masonic bodies of the city, as well as for the Mystic Shrine of the State, and the higher bodies of the Order. In this connection, it is stated that within the coming twelvemonth at least three other pubic buildings will be started, including the postoffice of which mention is made elsewhere. The City Hall is at this time adequate for the demands put upon it, and in addition to the governmental uses to which it is put one large hall is turned over to the use of the veterans. Still another suite of rooms is made use of by the officers of the Associated Charlies, which looks after the poor and needy of the city, reducing begging to a minimum. -S W W WlliiAiN DiCV i'J.O i^V( iCMT or ilT THE top of this page will be seen photographs of the entrance and views of one of ihe suburban developments at Char- lotte. This property embraces more than 30> twelve hundred acres, and has been inr- proved at an expense of more than six hundred thousand dollars, and there rema-ns nothing to be done which could add in any way to the pleasure or the comfort of those residing there. This development is similar to Rowland Park, at Baltimore, but those who have seen the Charlotte under- tr.king are of the opin'on that when completed it will not suffer in comparison even with the far-famed Maryland plan. From the heart of the city, this development is reached by electric street railway cars on short schedules, and asphalt streets form a continuous thoroughfare from all parts of the city. In this and all other suburban developments about the City of Charlotte, especial attention is paid to parking areas, and this forms one of the most attractive features of present residential section developments. M A M U F A C T \J R 1 N G HARLOTTE is the center of the textile industry of the United States. Within a radius of one hundred miles are to be found more mills, more spindles, and more looms than anywhere else in the world. There are several reasons for this. One is the presence of cheap and satisfactory power. Another is the presence of skilled labor at a price the manufacturer can secure it. Another is the presence of the raw material. Still another is the excellent transportation facilities to the markets of the world. One of the most attractive features to the manu- facturer, however, is the fact that there is not that dis- turbing element of trade unionism which is found in so many other manufacturing communities. The manu- facturer at Charlotte takes his labor into partnership with him, and they work in harmony, co-operating to the end that both are satisfied. Therefore there is no need for trade unions, and none exist. On the opposite page will be seen pictures of some of Charlotte's manufacturing enterprises. These are recent photographs, and give something of the spirit which exists between the employer and the employee here. While Charlotte's chief manufacturing industry is cot- ton, there is a wide diversity of enterprise in this field. From piping which went into the construction of the sub- ways through which speed the electric trains under the streets of New York, to the handsome casket in which a multi-millionaire was buried recently, is a long cry ; but Charlotte supplied both. Only recently a Charlotte manufacturer shipped to St. Petersburg an entire frainload of agricultural implements, to be used by the Imperial Department of Agriculture of Russia. T!(15: ^/(,Tr, OTR ( C C :■: M T ;l ':C HARLOTTE has come to be known throughout the United States as "The Electric Centre." It is not merely a name, it is a designation. Within fifty miles of this city are located four immense hydro- electric plants, generating a total of more than a quarter of a million electric horsepower. And one of the dis- tinctive features of this situation is that the four are owned and operated by separate and distinct companies and people, there being no connection between them. One of these, on the ^ adkin River, not far from Char- lotte, is spending twelve hundred thousand dollars in development, and will generate two hundred thousand electric horsepower da-ly. Another, which serves Char- lotte, is now generating, transmitting, and delivering one hundred and thirty-two thousand electric horsepower daily, and is at this time building, a little to the north of Charlotte, another plant, which will generate one hun- dred and eighty thousand electric horsepower daily. The streets of more than one hundred towns and cities are being lighted by the power generated by these four companies. The homes of thousands of people are be-ng made more comfortable and attractive by the modern lighting system. The cost of power for manufacturing and other industries throughout this entire section is attracting many here from communities where coal is too high, and where electric current is either too expensive or unavailable. Charlotte is an ocular demonstration of the value of up-to-the-minute street light ng. Durng the present year a new lighting system has been installed, and the "Great White Way" which graces the principal streets of this city is but one of the many advantages derived from the electrx generating systems at her very doors. vy o iV( A M ' ^ 'I u c^, A'r ( o n ^F 1 ^ < r, . -J^r T— ij AVE you been seeking a city for a home where your daughters could attend a high- class college for women, and still remam under the home roof and am:d the home surroundings? Have you examined into the cond tions prevailing at Charlotte, N. C? If you have not, you may be surprised to find here colleges which will fill your desire completely and satisfactorily. Under the best possible management, containing the best instructors to be secured at any price, anywhere, and located in the famous Piedmont section of North Carolina, Charlotte female colleges offer an unusually attractive suggestion to the parents who have sought long and unsuccessfully for just these conditions. This situation at Charlotte has brought many families to this city who have become enamored of the climate, the people, and conditions generally, and have become permanent residents instead of returning to their former homes when their daughters have completed the course, and have left the institution graced with every accomplish- ment needed or desired. This is but one of the most attractive features of the City of Charlotte. ;^ R A r :C !l N A 1, « O T) ( H S HE spirit of fraternity is especially strong 'f" in Charlotte. There are dozens of fra- 'v;,' lernal organizations in this city, and with- v;S> out exception they are active in their various lines of work. Among the organi- zations is to be found the Masons, who have here three "Blue Lodges," followed by bodies of all the York Rite, and all of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry — the Chapter, Council, and Commandery in the former; the Lodge of Perfection, Chapter, Council, and Con- sistory in the latter. Oasis Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, has its home in this city, and membership over the entire State. The Knights of Pythias are strong here, there being three lodges with a large and active membership. The Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan maintain Suez Temple, No. 73, with headquarters at Charlotte. Its membership covers the entire State. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Eagles, Red Men, Woodmen of the World, Modern Woodmen, Knights of Columbus, Junior Order United American Mechanics, the Eastern Star, and a Hebrew Society are among the fraternal associations of Charlotte. These organizations are all active to a degree, regular meetings being held at stated times, and many special or called meetings are held to transact the business of the various bodies. The Elks have their own clubhouse, a handsome building, well equipped and conveniently located; the Masons are building a temple, which will be a credit to the fraternity and the city; and other organizations are well prepared to do the work assumed by them. It is said that Charlotte is one of the most thoroughly organ- ized towns, from a fraternal viewpoint, in the country. w :l X :^ ( I) :i M c: i^ ^ T il '!C ':u T ^ T the top of this page will be seen, in the center, a view of a residence street, giving an idea of the appearance of Charlotte outside the business section, and still within the city proper, in contradistinction to the suburban developments which are attracting so many people here. On either side is to be seen residences in other sec- tions of the city proper, surrounded by large and beau- tiful lawns, and lacking that crowded appearance which detracts so much from the attractiveness of living in a city. In fact, this is one of the characteristics of Charlotte. There are few houses which are crowded against another, and the visitor to this city speaks of this fact early in his sojourn here. Wide home sites are the rule, and this adds greatly to the beauty of the dwelling, to say noth- ing of the added healthfulness. Rental property in Charlotte differs from the same sort of property in many other cities, in that as large and as beautiful homes are to be leased in this city as can be bought or built by the owner. c: ! [ A 111. O -r T "n: ' .S c: .! ( (i R c^, ! ( !■: .s HE newcomer to Charlotte is immediately impressed with the idea that religion is no small part of the life of this city. This he realizes not only from the presence of the church buildings which he sees on every hand, but if he happens to be on the street just before or after the regular time for public worship he will be im- pressed with the fact that the people of Charlotte go to church. In this city, it is the thing to do. But the religious life of Charlotte does not express itself merely in churchgoing. The people of the churches are always in the forefront of every effort for moral, social, and civic betterment. Hospitals and orphanages, the Associated Charities, and nearly every form of insti- tutional work for charitable relief and uplift have originated in the churches. When clear moral issues face the voting citizens of Charlotte the pulpits of the city lift up a clear and united voice with no uncertain sound. In spite of the fearless way in which the churches of Charlotte try to work out the solution of the practical questions of everyday living, there is very little "dabbling in politics" on the part of the Church forces; no lining up of Protestants and Roman Catholics, Jews and Gentiles, against one another; and little of the political partisanship which arises from religious prejudices. There are eight or ten Christian communions in Charlotte, and no one of them is so do.minant in influence or numbers as to lead that particular church into the temptat'on of political arrogance. The Churches are alive and progressive in providing for the future development and the future needs of "Greater Charlotte." A practical and vital religion has pervaded and does now pervade the life of Charlotte. r !( :C VI O iV( A iM .S ' C. \, c; \\ HE \X'oman's Club of Charlotte is an in- |/" stitution which is do!ng much for the city, and one in which the leaders among the ladies are taking an especially active and *0< >0 efficient interest. The Club comprises S!X departments, under which the active work of the organi- zation is accomplished. The Educational department is one which enlists the interest of many of the women of the city, because of its basic worth to citizenship. In all good work lookmg to the betterment of educational facilities and conditions this department is especially active. The Health department is one of the working depart- ments of the Club, and its energies are divided over the entire city. Especial attention is paid to the handling of food products, the water supply, health in the schools, and anything which bears on the health of the city is welcomed by this department. The Literature department is one which is very popu- lar, in that it is so intensely interesting to those who are members ; and each year witnesses additional activity. Music is another department which is especially active. Artists of international note are brought to Charlotte through the efforts of this department, and the science of harmony is given due attention. Household economics is a department which attracts many members of the Club, and here it is that some of the best work of the organization is done. The science of housekeeping is the basis of this department, and its success is phenomenal. The Civic department, the sixth, is where the ladies enlist many of the children of the city, under the title of the Junior Civic League, and much good is being wrought in this way and by this means. c: A 11 I. o r r ic A !i ;< .s HARLOTTE only recently awoke to the necessity of city parks; yet, within a com- paratively short time, much has been done in this regard. A number of breathing places, "Lungs of the City," are to be found in Charlotte; and the pictures at the top of this page will give an idea of the views in some of them. At the rear of the Federal Building, facing Fourth and Mint Streets, Vance Park, in the heart of the city, affords a resting-place under delightful shade trees in the summer, and in the winter it is the gathering place for many, both young and old, in search of recreation. On the outer edges of the city are to be found a number of parks; and several suburban developments have set aside charm- ing park areas for future development. At this time, the matter of a chain of parks running through the city, and forming almost a complete belt about Charlotte, is being considered. Just outside the city, on the Catawba River and other waters, are to be found recreation parks, easily reached by electric cars and trains, so that the people have play- grounds where they can keep close to nature. C, !( A 11 I, O -f r ;C !( :C A I, j T IS stated upon apparently good authority that the death rate of Charlotte is the lowest in the United States, save one. In this connection it is pointed out that there are no conditions about Charlotte which induce ill health. There is lacking the malarial con- ditions which prevail in many other sections of the country, and the fact that it is located 189 miles inland precludes the idea of a superfluity of humidity, which is so deadly in the summer months in other cities; and the Blue Ridge mountains at her back door safeguard her from the winds of winter, which take toll of so many places. The sanitation of Charlotte, of which more is said on another page in this publication, adds to the health ful- ness of the city to a wonderful degree. It is well-nigh impossible for illness to prevail where cleanliness abounds, and it is the pride and boast of the citizenship of this city and of her administration that it is most difficult to locate anywhere a city that presents a neater appearance from the outside and which maintains this cleanliness throughout her ramifications. The health department of the city maintains a close watch over the people of Charlotte, and ever and anon action to prevent contamination is taken, resulting in pro- tection and safely to the people. The milk and water supply is carefully guarded, to see that by this means no illness comes upon this people; and with the most equable climate in the United States it is but natural that Char- lotte's health should be notable and proverbial. This city is not a health resort, but conditions pre- vailing here are conducive to the best health. There is nothing which militates against and everything whicb assists nature in her undertaking. CKAiU.Or r'i'y'.S Y/ACtW .SC/i^;M,Y 000, the city has just completed a new supply system, which affords a capacity of five million gallons daily, with a reservoir capacity of sixty million gallons. When the fact that the daily consumption of water in Charlotte is about two million gallons is con- sidered, it is seen that the water in the reservoir v/ill supply the city for a solid month in case of droughts, which are known to give cities so much trouble. The entire city of Charlotte is piped for fire protec- tion, as well as for use in business and the home, and throughout the city the pressure is all that could be de- sired. At the time the pipe line to the Catawba River, ten miles distant, was laid, twenty-nine thousand dollars was spent in extending the c;ty mains to reach sections which up to that time had not been properly cared for. Wholesome water in abundance is to be found in Char- lotte by those seeking a business or home location. It is one of the city's chief assets. c !( A !i L o T -r iC !( o -r X I. .s ITH modern buildings, equipped as nearly perfectly as money and good judgment will allow, Charlotte's hotels offer much more than do institutions of this sort in the average town, and the popularity of the city with traveling salesmen is proof positive of the ex- cellence of Charlotte's hotels. At this time the hotels of this city can take care of fifteen hundred people without crowding the least, and one thousand more can be cared for in a pinch in the regular hotels, to say nothing of sixty-five boarding- houses, in which fifteen hundred more can find accommo- dations of varying character. At the same time, two other modern hotels are being erected, and before the coming of the new year they will be ready for occu- pancy. They are located in different sections of the city, so that neither will interfere with the other nor with the existing hotels. Charlotte hotels are fortunate in that they secure immense quantities of food products from the fertile fields of Mecklenburg and adjoining counties, while the small fruit used is home product almost entirely, and apples come from the nearby mountainous regions to the north of this city. Poultry used here is grown for the most part in this and surrounding counties, and in fact almost all the food served in Charlotte's hotels is "home-grown" and there- fore fresh from the fields, which the average traveler fails to find and appreciates it when he does find it. Charlotte's hotels are used extensively by people going from the North to the South, who desire to break the long journey. Here they find a most welcome break in their trip from one part of the country to another, and once here they make it a rule to stop over in both direc- 4i tions. A most favorable impression of Charlotte is thus made. Another attractive feature about the hotels of Char- lotte IS that at no time do the managers thereof run the rates up. In certain cities of this country it has been charged that hotel managers have taken advantage of the presence of large numbers of visitors to the city, and have made charges which were entirely unreasonable, simply because they had the advantage at that particular time. The managers of the hotels of Charlotte are friends of the city in which they live and do business. They realize full well that to run the charges up when the city is full of visitors is poor advertising, both for them and the city, and they, one and ail, refrain from this perni- cious practice, at all times and under ail conditions. In the hotels of Charlotte will be found an unusually warm welcome, and the courteous treatment accorded the casual visitor to this city is noted. It is not the sole in- tention and aim and idea of the managers to secure for services rendered so much money, but to malce each and every guest feel that he is really a guest of the city; and every effort is made to leave a most favorable impression upon those who sojourn within her gates temporarily. The location of Charlotte's hotels is still another attractive feature. Several are located in the very heart of the business sections, while others are near the rail- way stations, so that the transient guest may take his choice of locations as best suits his individual needs. It is claimed by those who know whereof they speak that the service rendered by the Charlotte hotels is not surpassed anywhere in the country, and the large number of traveling men who make this city headquarters, espe- cially over Sunday, is proof of the excellence of the public houses of Charlotte. Comfort and convenience is the aim and motto of hotel managers here. ■[• [I A iM .s \' o ii r A -r ( O M HARLOTTE is the most favored city in the / ff'-iT'-l^-- '' i Carolinas from a transportation viewpoint. r'v%-}'-5 - At this time, there are three hnes of railway, ©'>^^"5l^Br each separate and distinct in ownership and < ^ y^^ operation; and before the year is done another will have been completed into the city, from the east, giving Charlotte an additional deep-water outlet. More than sixty passenger trains arrive and leave Charlotte within the day, and many people reside here for the reason that it is so easy to reach any and all sec- t:ons of the Southeast from here. What is true of the passenger service is also true of the freight service. Fast through freight service is maintained by two of the lines entering Charlotte, from the North and East, and from the South and West. This makes Charlotte an ideal distributing center, and with the com- ing of the other line to the Coast, which will be put into operation this Fall, still another advantage will accrue. Prompt service, both passenger and freight, marks the operation of the railway lines serving this section, and this is one of the advantages Charlotte is offering especially to traveling salesmen and manufacturers. N E A Tl 13 Y TO ¥/ M ^S HARLOTTE is especially fortunate, in tRat she is located near no town as large as herself, and that she is the center of a great section covered by smaller cities and towns which co-operate with her to a wonderful extent, resulting in mutual benefit. Within a radius of fifty miles of Charlotte, there are one hundred and fifty cities and towns where dwell the best people in the world, who are satisfied with their lot in life, and are enthused wth the idea that in Piedmont North Carolina is the garden spot of the earth. The prox-mity to Charlotte affords them opportunity to trade in these markets for the things which are not to be found there, and this means big retai. establishments for th^s city. It means that the merchants of this Piedmont section, instead of going to the North, as was the case only a few years ago, for large stocks of gcods, tying up immense sums of money for long periods of time, easily "fill in" from the nearby wholesalers at Chailotte. re- sulting in building up a big jobbing industry :n Char- lotte, saving them in freight charges, lime lost in going to market, and interest on money which can be used to better advantage. Throughout this section are grown many of the food products upon which Charlotte subsists. This means that the planter or trucker who resides in this section is r;ore fortunate than those of almost any other section of the country, in that he is close to an ever-ready market. In these towns there are many manufacturers which call upon Charlotte for many items of manufacture. In fact, there is such a close interest between Charlotte and these nearby to^vns that they are considered of'.entimes as one immense community, instead of separate, individual civic centers. -S r O lU c: A i, ( M T iC ll'i^^T T THE top of this page will be seen pictures of a number of historical points of interest at Charlotte. In the center will be seen a picture of the tablet imbedded in the in- tersection of Trade and Tryon Streets, known as the "Square," and which marks the site of the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, on May 20, I 775, the first official action taken by the people of the colonies toward freedom. On the left is seen the residence of Mrs. Stonewall Jackson, on Trade Street, where resides the widow of the great Confederate chieftain. Mrs. Stonewall Jackson is loved by the people of this city and State, both for her association with one of the leaders of the Southern Con- federacy, and for her own sweet characteristics. To visitors she is most courteous, and her home is a point of especial interest to tourists. On the right is seen the Cornwallis Oaks, on Tryon Street. It was here that Lord Cornwallis had head- quarters, and it was here that he named the people of Mecklenburg the "Hornets," and designated Charlotte as a "Hornets' Nest." 11 .s I) N c: M l( # M 1 1 1 ti 1 ITHIN recent months, Charlotte has been visited by an especially large number of people seeking residence. This has brought into the limelight the fact that Charlotte is coming to be known as "The City of Homes. " On the opposite page, will be seen a variety of homes and home conditions existing here. At the top of the page will be seen a home community plan into which the owners of a city block ha\e entered in an effort to individualize their home sites. Below appears a home in one of the suburban devel- opments, and below this is seen a one-family city block plan, showing a large park area between the buildings and the street. At the bottom appears a house which contains all the modern conveniences, and is rented for twenty-five dollars per month. This building contains six rooms, a bath- room, butler's pantry, and reception-hall ; has electric lights, water, gas for cooking; is located on a paved street, sidewalks laid, and within a half-block of a car line whose schedule is five minutes between cars. This building is located within easy walking distance of the center of the city, and homes of this sort, for rent, are in great demand. Residences like this, built for investment, are paying handsome dividends on the outlay, and are daily increas- ing in value also. Lower priced homes are to be rented in less attractive sections of the city, and homes suitable for the business man who does not care to purchase are to be had in all sizes, and at all prices, both in the city and in some of the most attractive suburban developments. Living conditions in Charlotte are not perfect, but advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. A J O \) ',) I iM c^, C, :C N T ;l ;C HARLOTTE is naturally and logically a jobbing centre. Its geographical location is such as to make it so. Its progressive i^^^^^gj citizenship adds to this natural condition, *^^^>C — DO and the fact that it is the centre of one of the most progressive communities in the United States, that its transportation facilities cannot be equaled, to say nothing of surpassed, all combine to make it a point from which enormous quantities of merchandise are distributed. Here are located wholesale houses, jobbers, and manufacturers, whence it is possible for this entire section to secure its stocks of merchandise, without the necessity of going to distant cities, spending time and money to reach them, waiting long periods of time for the delivery of orders, and the necessity of investing large sums of money in stocks which are not to be used for months to come. The fact that ' filling-in" orders, mailed by a mer- chant in Charlotte territory one day, to Charlotte, are filled that day or the following at the outside, and are shipped, as a rule, within twenty-four hours after the receipt of the order, is making this a most excellent trad- ing centre for many, many miles around. The banking facilities of Charlotte are such as to pro- vide accommodations as attractive as can be found in the North, and these facts, as they become more generally known, are but adding to the popularity of Charlotte as a jobbing centre, a city where entire stocks of merchan- dise of whatsoever nature, or the little emergency order, will receive instantaneous attention. These conditions work for the mutual advantage of Charlotte jobbers and the merchants doing a successful business in this territory, in that it keeps capital at home and saves time and freight charges. N iC A H . (V( T Y 1) 31 Y TTJ , O P ?/( :ii M T T IS probable that there is no city in the United States that has developed as many high-class residential sections within the ^V:.>i.i past five years as has Charlotte. At the top of this page will be seen a view of the entrance to one of the smaller but very exclusive resi- dential suburbs of the city, which is attracting the atten- tion of people from many sections of the country. The price at which this property was put on the market was considered a short time ago very reasonable, and since then in many instances it has been resold several times, each seller making a handsome profit on the naked real estate. Here nothing has been left undone to make an ideal suburban residential section. All the conveniences of city life — in fact a part of the city, yet detached from it; distant enough to miss the roar of city life, and near enough to have at beck and call all the benefits of urban residence, it is especially attractive to men of means. In these developments the restrictions as to home values and character of purchasers add materially to the attrac- tiveness to the purchaser of discernment. ^' ( c: r O ;l ( A I, :C V ( i) jC N (^ iC N THE preceding pages will be seen three views which are illustrative of the develop- ment of Charlotte and this territory within recent months. The top picture shows a view of the new skyline of this city, and a number of the more prominent buildmgs are to be noted, among them several churches, hotels, clubs, and the like. Office buildings, twelve stories high, appear in the background. The centre picture is a development well within the city, where hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent for homes within the past few years. When the photograph here shown was taken, no fewer than six residences were in course of construction, and the value of the cheapest was more than four thousand dollars. This development is within two miles of the heart of the city, and has every convenience of the modern and up- to-date city. It has been a part of the city for years past, and the residences are of a most substantial char- acter. Street paving, electric lights, gas, sewers, street railway service with a schedule of five minutes, are a few of the attractive features of this section, where there are restrictions covering the kind and value of homes to be erected as well as to the nature of their occupations. The bottom picture on the preceding pages shows the Sloan's Ferry Bridge over the Catawba River, near Charlotte, completed this last winter at a cost of a few dollars less than fifty thousand. This bridge is the longest concrete structure in this section, the central part being one thousand six hundred and seventy feet in length. It was built jointly by Mecklenburg County, in which Charlotte is located, and Gaston County, on the opposite side of the river, and forms a part of the National High- way from New ^'ork to Atlanta. O U M T Y R O A I) .S ECKLENBURG County, N. C, was the pioneer in the building of good roads. Be- fore those counties which of late have sought to take first rank in road building dreamed of macadam, Mecklenburg County was actually engaged in the building of main roads through- out its territory, and from that day to this the work has been continued, until now nearly four hundred miles of roads, better than the average city street, form a network over this entire county. A glance at the pictures at the top of this page will give an idea of the construction of these roads. It will be seen that they cross streams on concrete bridges rather than the old wooden structures, which endangered, sooner or later, life and limb of those who of necessity crossed them. These county roads are graded so that there are no stiff grades to be taken, and a two-horse team now has no sort of trouble in bringing a load of twelve bales of cotton to the Charlotte market, and the speed of the auto on these highways is limited only by its horsepower and the nerve of the driver. i) 1( A :M, O r r :'. C i. ( iV( A T :'. NE of the most valuable natural assets of Charlotte and immediate vicinity is its vk'holesome climate. Situated in the Pied- mont section of North Carol. na, about two hundred miles from the Atlantic Coast on the east, and two hundred miles from the crest of the Blue Ridge mountains on the west, and nearly eight hun- dred feet above sea level, it has a sub-temperate climate, noted for its freedom from sudden temperature changes, high winds, or destructive storms. The average annual temperature of Charlotte (for thirty-three years) is sixty degrees. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of forty degrees; while the warmest month is July, the average temperature being seventy-nine degrees. The average mmimum tem- perature of January is thirty-three degrees, and the aver- age maximum, forty-nme degrees. The average maximum temperature for July is eighty- eight degrees, and the average minimum temperature is sixty-nine degrees. It will thus be seen that the winters are comparatively mild, while the summers are not excessively hot. The winters are cold enough to have an invigorating effect, the average number of days per winter with freezing temperature being forty-five. This is less than one day in three, after winter sets in, on which the mercury reg- isters thirty-two degrees or lower. The heat of the summers is lessened, seemmgly, by the comparative dryness of the atmosphere during the sum- mer afternoon. The annual average of the relative humidity at eight a. m., is seventy-eight per cent. ; at eight p. m., sixty-four per cent. No record of humidity read- ings at other hours in the day have been kept, but on sum- mer afternoons the humidity ranges lower than either of the above percentages. This feature alone is worthy of special note. Agriculturally, the long growing season is of primary importance. From the average date of last killing frost in spring, to the average date of first killing frost in fall, the period is two hundred and nineteen days, which is exactly six-tenths of the year. This allows ample time for the maturity of the slowest-growing crops, and time for maturity of two, or even more, of the crops of quick growth. Precipitation is well distributed for agricultural pur- poses. The average yearly precipitation is 49.20 inches. February is the wettest winter month. April, the month of planting, has a normal of 3.44 inches. July and August, the principal growing months of the year, are the wettest, each having normally about five and one- half mches. The months of harvest — September, October, and November — each have less than three and one-fourth inches. November is the only month having an average precipitation of less than three inches. Snow is not unknown, but is usually limited to light falls, which remain on the ground only a short time. There have been three winters in thirty-five years in which only a flurry of snow occurred, and the average annual fall for that time is a little less than seven inches. Floods are unknown, there being no large streams in the near vicinity. The average wind velocity, for twenty years' record, is six miles per hour. The highest velocity, in thirty- five years, is fifty-five miles per hour. Sunshine is abundant, especially during the summer and fall months. The average for the year is about sixty per cent, of the possible amount. It will be seen from the foregoing figures, which cover a period of thirty-five years, that the climate of Char- lotte is one conducive to good health, as well as to com- mercial and agricultural activities. X R V R •') A M 1 T THE top of this page will be seen photo- graphs of Interurban trains, both at Char- lotte and on line to the south. This is a new development, completed within the O O past twelve months, which is meaning much to this city and the country served. It has increased the value of farm lands through which or near which it oper- ates, brings the people of the various sections into closer touch, and makes for a general bettering of living and business conditions. This line is now being completed to the south, and within a short time will extend from Charlotte, N. C, to Greenwood and Anderson, S. C. To the north, this line will go in the near future to Durham, N. C, at least, and probably to the coast. This system is operated by hydro-electric power, gen- erated by one of the four companies located within a radius of fifty miles of the City of Charlotte, and is a freight-carrying line also. Freight trains, drawn by huge electric engines over a one per cent, standard roadbed, materially aid commerce and increase the value of lands through which they operate. c, 1 ( A 11 L o r • r :■: ' .s m :'. v/-S;\'\i';C!i.s P HE newspapers of Charlotte offer a fair measure of the progress and prosperity of the city. Three daily newspapers, with twenty-five other publications of various kinds and nature, make up the publicity department of the city. The daily newspapers, one morning and two after- noon, are members of the Associated Press, and receive daily the complete daily report of this greatest news gathering and distributing agency in the world. This service is so complete that every day Charlotte people may read of the present activities of armed forces in the Orient, the acts of the Reichstag at Berlin, or the stories of discoveries, scientific or otherwise, throughout the world. One may read of the doings of the American Congress, of the acts of the Congressman and Senator from his own district and State; of achievements of man- kind in every State in the Union, and of the success of his fellowmen throughout North America. He may read of the acts of the Governor of the State of North Carolina, the doings of the people of the various one hundred counties of the Old North State, and of the wonderful development of yet more wonderful resources throughout the length and breadth of his own State. He may read of the activities of the people of his own county — Mecklenburg, of the City of Charlotte, and of his own Ward ; and if he has accomplished aught that day he will find a truthful record of the same in the columns of his paper. The periodicals of the city serve the same purpose in their different fields, so that one of the most attractive features of living in Charlotte is the ease with which one keeps in direct and almost personal touch with the great outside world. rici/iCPKOi c:OiV(iVU;iNlc:A-.lMOi^ <:x HE telephone connections of Charlotte are f I not to be equaled anywhere in this country. Within the city of Charlotte there are 'l__v^.v, nearly five thousand individual telephone ^^^ stations, and from this city they reach into every tovv'nship and school district of Mecklenburg County, and thence into the ent re United States through the long distance lines. Housed in buildings erected for that sole purpose, and supplied with such equipment as telephone engineers have spent many years to perfect, manned by efficient and capable people, the system offers all that is to be desired by the homeseeker or the business developer. In the illustration at the top of the page is to be seen another business building, occupied by a one-man busi- ness, which g-.ves an idea of the substantiality of the structures erected for business purposes in Charlotte. No ramshackle construction is allowed in the fire limits; and they are sufficiently extensive to cover the larger part of the city. In the centre is a business street scene, with a twelve- story office building in the distance. o iV( ic \) c; ( I, I) 1 N c. T IS a well-known fact that it is easier to -^1 own a home in Charlotte, N. C, than any- ^f^t) where else in the world. There are several ^^^Mii reasons for this condition, but the most important is the fact that in this city are a number of Building and Loan Associations, which make it exceedingly difficult for a thrifty individual to not own a home. There is one Association in this city which has been in continuous and successful operation since 1881, and another since 1 883, these being thirty-two and thirty years old, respectively. There is still another nearly twenty years old; one went into business four years ago; while the last one was organized during the past Winter. The feature which stands out head and shoulders above everything else in connection with the existence and opera- tion of these organizations is that in all this time not a penny has ever been lost through bad loans, nor other- wise, except through the inevitable error of making change, such as occurs with a teller or cashier of a bank. This is a record of which no other financial system can truthfully boast. The gross assets of these institutions since organization totals $13,500,000, and they have made in the neigh- borhood of seventy-five thousand loans, and more than eight thousand homes have been constructed, in whole or in part, or relieved of burdensome mortgages, by this means alone in the City of Charlotte. Three of the Associations are maturing on an average of eight series annually, and this means the retirement of many mort- gages, and the turning loose into the avenues of trade and commerce of large sums of money. These institutions have been the enabling power in the erection of handsome churches, commodious hospitals and sanitariums, beautiful college buildings, and many pri- vate business houses which now occupy the commercial d stricts. In many instances they have been the means of transforming nearby farming lands into charming resi- dential districts; and they are largely responsible for the great and substantial activity in the local real estate market. They have stimulated education until today any of our boys and girls may go to one of the great colleges that do honor to this section. They have promoted temperance and sobriety, moral- ity and religion, for all of them find their chief inspira- tion in the home. Charlotte is famous for its electrical energy ; its trans- portation facilities ; its good roads and paved streets ; its beautiful churches; its strong banks; its stately office buildings; its cotton mills and other manufacturing enter- prises; but the fame that is dearer to the hearts of the people of this city, more enduring and ennobling, and more attractive to those not so fortunate, is contained in the simple statement: "Charlolle is the Ciflj of Homes" There is now in active operation in the Building and Loan Associations more than sixty thousand shares, growing steadily toward maturity, representing a par value of more than $6,000,000. Estimating the popu- lation at fifty thousand, there is about one and a half shares for every man, woman, and child, white and black, within the city limits of Charlotte. This means that there is being paid into these associations from 37'/2 to 44 cents per capita each week, toward the build- ing of homes. The United States census shows that a larger percent- age of Charlotte's permanent population owns homes than in any other city of its size, and this to the business man spells prosperity among the rank and file of the citizenship from which comes the support of almost every sort of enterprise. iBiiii T THE top of this page is to be seen three of the hospitals of Charlotte. Plans are now being made for the erection of two additional hospitals, the principal feature ■- "^ of which will be charity. Three of the present hospitals have a charity feature, in which those who are so unfortunate as not to be able to pay for hos- pital service can secure expert treatment. All e.xcept one of the Charlotte hospitals are owned and operated under the direct-on of a church, while the exception is owned and operated by a stock company composed principally of physicians of the city. From many sections of the State, people stricken in health are brought to Charlotte for attention, and if the knowledge of the men of medicine and the attention of the attending nurses can avail they soon return to their homes either entirely recovered or materially benefited by their sojourn here. It is said that the equ'pment of Charlotte's hospitals wil' compare most favorably with that of institutions of worldwide fame, and w^ith Piedmont climate to assist they are most successful. HARLOTTE is essentially a Southern city, being possessed of the true and far-famed Southern hospitality, and lacking in the prejudices which are so distasteful to those who are not in sympathy with them. In this North Carolina city the negro is respected by the white population so long as he respects himself, and the result is that the black man here is making strides which are surprising to those who do not realize the rela- tions existing between the races in this city. At the top of the opposite page is to be seen a negro hospital in this city, where the ill of the race may find treatment at the hands of the best physicians of the State. Below is seen a negro church which, if it were a Christian virtue, white Christians of many communities of the North as well as the South might well envy. Built by the subscription of negroes entirely, this structure is a monument to the thrift and religious inclinations of Char- lotte negroes. Below appears the library presented Biddle Univer- sity, that institution of learning for the negroes of this section made possible by the Biddle family of Phila- delphia, by Andrew Carnegie whose name its bears, and where is to be found the best literature. And im- mediately underneath is seen a view of the University it- self, and its campus studded by magnificent trees, who, if they had tongues, might tell of very different con- ditions prevailing among the negroes of the United States only a few years ago, whence the race has risen to a place of importance in the nation. In this institution the negro youth of the country are being trained to take their pjace in the everyday affairs of life, and to reflect credit upon the race which has made greater progress in a half-century than is to be found recorded upon the pages of history. The best teachers to be obtained are here found, and the environment is of the proper sort and kind. The record of the graduates of this University is one to which the founders may well point with pride. At the bottom of the page is to be seen the city library for the negroes, the low building to the right. This institution is supported by the City of Charlotte for the sole and exclusive use of the negroes of Charlotte, and here is to be found the duplicate of the best libraries of towns of this size. Across the s'de street is to be seen a negro publishing house, owned and operated entirely by the negro race, and whence issues a religious publication which would be a source of pride to almost any white congregaton. It is of constructive value to the community. The negroes in the rural districts of the county are progressive, industrious, and are not given to disturbances with which the negro of the South is often charged; and withal the black man of this community is a living demon- stration of what the race can accomplish, given a friendly and co-operative spirit from their white neighbors. A large number of negroes are in successful business in the city of Charlotte, and in the adjacent country they are leaders in agriculture and fruit growing. In the professions they stand well, and are respected by their white neighbors because they respect themselves and the community in which they live. In Mecklenburg County the negro is welcomed in the pursuits to which he is best adapted, and there is nothing of the race prejud'ce felt elsewhere, and he is given every opportunity to better his own condition and that of his children, to the end that the coming generation will have shown more progress than the present. He is assisted in his laudable undertakings rather than hampered and handicapped. •!( ( c^, 1( ;C ;l X t) U C A T ( O M HERE was a time when (he education ol the girls of the family was considered a luxury, and comparatively little attention was paid to them, while the boys of the same family were sent to the highest grade col- leges of the country. Later there was a change, and many girls were sent to college in d-stant cities. But the cost was then im- mense, and only the favored few were able to take this course. But at Charlotte are to be found institutions for the education of the girls of the country amid the very best surroundings, by the best tutors to be secured at any price. A glance at the pictures at the top of this page will give an idea of the natural environment at a Charlotte college for girls. Equipped with all that goes lo make a college a place where a real and valuable education and proper training is to be had, Charlotte institutions offer as good as can be found anywhere. Many people remove to this city to live while they educate their sons and daughters, and then become permanent residents of the city because they like the place and its people. c: ] 1 A 11 T . O ■ r r :'/3 CITY .SC^IIOQI.S HERE is no feature of city life more im- yi^ portant than that of schools. From the days of the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence — May 20, 1775 — the people of this community have sought and obtained an education. They have realized that their children must be better educated than their parents, and have continuously provided therefor. Within the past twelve months a total of one hundred thousand dollars has been expended for new school buildings within this city, and several sections which were not provided for as well as could be desired were put on a parity with the more favored parts of Charlotte, so that at this time people living in any part of the city have a high-grade school within easy distance of their homes. The Central High School and eight grammar schools take care of the white children, and two schools are pro- vided for the colored children. During the present year the enrollment in the Charlotte schools is 5,95 7. Of these 3,980 are white, and 1,977, colored. These children are taught by a competent corps of instructors, totaling 123. The High School prepares boys for the Freshman class at the University of North Carolina, and girls for the Sophomore and Junior classes of the colleges for women. Prof. H. W. Walker, State Supervisor of High Schools, has credited the Charlotte High School with more Carnegie units than any other High School in North Carolina. In the piesent Freshman class at the University of North Carolina, a Charlotte High School boy lakes highest rank, and another Char- lotte High School boy takes third rank in the same class. At Davidson College this year, in a graduating class of sixty men, a Charlotte High School boy took second rank, and another took third rank. At Trinity College, a Charlotte High School boy has been recently made instructor in mathematics at Trinity Park High School. Th:s same record continues through Wake Forest, the State Agricultural and Mechanical College for the boys, and through all the colleges for women in the Stale and section. The cooking department of the Charlotte High School is splendidly equipped, and the State High School in- spector recently declared it to be the best he had seen in a High School. Cooking and sewing are taught by demonstration; and a commercial course is to be added this year. The city school authorities endorse the doctrine of a sound mind in a sound body, and therefore encourage athletics. Football and baseball teams for the boys, and basket-ball for the girls, are under the supervision of a member of the faculty. The grammar school course in the Charlotte school covers seven years, while the High School course covers four years, making eleven years of high-grade training at the cost of the city. In the grammar schools, especial emphasis is laid upon the thorough teach ng of the essen- tials — reading, writing, and arithmetic; and proper at- tention is given draw'ng, music, and other courses. The city makes an appropriation annually to send one-third of the teaching force to the various summer schools, enabling the teachers to keep themselves well informed and fully abreast of the times. The schools are supported by a tax of twenty cents on the one hundred dollars property valuation, and the ex- pense of the city schools for the past year totaled $66,- 293.04. 1 he excellence of the city schools brings many resi- dents to Charlotte, from immediately surrounding ter- ritory as well as from a distance. The high standards maintained call for high praise from educators. '^ .•^•.,^.Jrt.-'fJ.^* I) ,'\ ;l Y M c^, i mm AIRYING about Charlotte is an industry which has shown immense development within the past few years, due to several causes, among which is the increasing popu- lation of this city, the fact that this section is especially adapted to dairying, and that the climate lends itself to the business in a most satisfactory way. When it is known that the growing season at Charlotte is exactly six-tenths of the year, and that a greater part of the remaining four-tenths is so mild that no housing is necessary for cattle, it is seen at once that there is all reason for profit and pleasure in the business. The people of Charlotte appear to be using more mlk and butter than heretofore, with the result that new dairy outfits have done well from the beginning, and there is room for yet others. The city statutes provide for milk of a standard, and examinations are made from time to time to protect the people and the dairymen from all troubles incidental to the trade. The initial expense of equipping a dairy is well-n'gh the entire outlay, since Charlotte is so ideally located as to eliminate excessive feed'ng and high-cost care for animals durmg the wmter. S T O C X H A 1 .'S 1 M n jfMONG the industries which have been neglected to a degree in this section, and one which offers perhaps as great returns for money and labor and time invested as any, is stock raising. This applies to well- nigh all classes and kinds of stock, with the single excep- tion of sheep, this section not being adapted to their growth to secure the best results. The growing of high-bred hogs has been shown to be a most successful undertaking in th's county. The Berk- shire prizewinner for the United States is a native of Mecklenburg County, and this entire section is peculiarly fitted for the growth of the bacon-producers. At this time large quantities of bacon and hams, to- gether with lard and other by-products, are shipped into this county ; but there is no reason for it except that there is none to undertake the production of these food-products for the people at home. The dairy business, of which more is to be found on another page of this publication, has undergone a com- plete transformation within recent years, by reason of the introduction of high-bred cattle; and one dairy, which carries nothing except the highest-bred cattle that can be purchased, secures a premium of sixteen cents per gallon for certified milk, because of the fact that it contains a much larger percentage of food value than milk produced by the average cow. The horses and mules used in this county and section are of a much higher value than in almost any community pointed out. This is the result of work on the part of lovers of horseflesh and of those who have long been interested in the general improvement of farm conditions. Big returns on the money invested are coming to those engaged in scientific stock raising. C, O V :C ;l iM iVl !'. M T '•) U ( I, D ( N C .S i>o>c HARLOTTE has outgrown the Federal building, and Congress has appropriated a quarter of a million dollars to build a new and more commodious structure, where the 3 postal affairs of this city will be handled. Work will soon commence on the new building, according to information from Washington, and ere long an adequate building will take the place of the handsome big post- office which has grown too small for the city. The Mecklenburg County Courthouse stands upon the site of Queen's Museum, located by the English queen in the eighteenth century. A handsome building, well equipped and located, it is a pride to the taxpayers of the county. In front stands the monument to the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, which document came into being May 20, I 775. In front of the postoffice building is seen the Shipp Monument, the first officer killed in the Spanish-Ameri- can war, a resident of this city. The building in the background is the United States mint building, used for many years for the issuing of money, and later as a United States Assay office. A c. Ti •( c c; I. r u u X ECKLENBURG County, N. C, is far- famed for its rich lands, and for the abund- ance of yields of all crops adapted to this Piedmont section. One of the great money crops is cotton, and the annual income from this one crop for this one county reaches near the tvvo- million-dollar mark. But diversification has been the plan of Mecklenburg farmers for years and years past, so that this is unlike many sections, where the land has been systematically robbed year in and year out ; and the fertility which attracted the attention of the thrifty Scotch-Irish in the eighteenth century is still drawing to this section the right sort of new people. A few years ago there was a movement from the country surrounding Charlotte into this city, for a number of reasons, and that left many farms untended, and at the same time added to the consummg element in the cty. This has resulted in the necessity of importing into Mecklenburg County many articles of food which could as well or better be produced in this immediate neghborhood. Within the recent past, a number of most excellent people of experience and thrift have come to this county, and have engaged in trucking, either in a small way or on a larger scale, resulting in excellent returns to them, and at the same time the people of this city are being furnished with home-grown truck at more reasonable prices than they have been called upon to pay for inferior food products from a d-stance. ^ et there is a demand for many additional families of this kind in this county, where the price of land is still exceedingly low when compared with the same sort of property in other sections of the United States. Aside from trucking, the staple agricultural features of this county are attractive to a notable degree. [!■ il U ( T c^, R O y/ -{ N c^. tV~^"irr^^ RUIT growing is one of the features of I ] ^' ~- -' community life which has been neglected to a greater or lesser degree by the people of jj^'i^c^fji: this section, and the result is that immense "< )0 quantities of fruit of all kmds are shipped into this city every year. This is especially true of peaches and the smaller fruits. Apples grow better and give better returns a little to the north of this particular community, while this is the home of the peach, and investments in orchards of this fruit give wonderful returns where time and labor are added to the financial needs. The small fruits, however, offer the greatest oppor- tunities for immediate and continued success. Straw- berries are at home in this climate and soil, and it is de- clared by experts that the flavor and color of the Mecklen- burg berry is not to be equaled by those grown in any part of the world. The labor necessary to produce this most satisfactory and greatly-sought-for fruit is comparatively little, and the initial outlay is small, while the returns are scarcely to be believed by those who do not have actual personal knowledge. Small areas planted to this fruit have already made people of small origmal means independent. Blackberries, of the cultivated variety, are much sought after, and those who have had the foresight to invest in this industry are reaping their leward in immense percentages ; and thus it is all along the line of fruit growing. Watermelons from this county are famed wherever the melon is known. For size, texture of meat, sweetness, and flavor, they have no equal, and the manner in which they grow in the sandy loams of certain parts of this county reminds one of the grapes of Eshcoi. c: o iV( iV( (/ M {-cr I ) ic y !'. i, o i> iV( t-: n ■ T the top of this page is to be seen views of one of the residential developments of the city of Charlotte, where the idea of com- munity life is being worked out. This <^>CZZD suburban section is one of the several about Charlotte which is attracting to Charlotte a class of resi- dents which means much both for the newcomers and for the city. Here the restrictions on buildings are severe, the kind and cost of homes being looked after very carefully by the owners, so that the section is one which appeals par- ticularly to the family seeking something a little different from the general run. Near the center of activity of the City of Charlotte, yet not a part of its busy business life, it offers especial attractions to the man of affairs who does not desire to live so far from the scene of his operations. Beautiful homes are being erected in this section, more are contracted for, and the development, which has already reached a high degree, continues toward per- fection, adding almost daily to the best population of Charlotte. I'HE Greater Charlotte Club is the Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce of Char- lotte. It is now in its seventh year, and f^ points with a great deal of pride to accomplishments like bringing two lines of railroad to the city within that time, together with many industries, ranging from a few thousand dollars" capital stock to those of hundreds of thousands. The Greater Charlotte Club is neither political nor religious in its nature, and no matter bordering on either can come under its consideration. Politics, either local. State, or national, is under the ban, so far as the organi- zation is concerned. Its members, nearly one thousand in number, are in each and every instance qualified voters, and as a rule each exercises his right of franchise on any and every matter which presents itself, personally and individually, but not as an officer or member of the Club. It IS the same way in religious matters. Any question which borders on the denominational cannot be discussed by the Club, and this rule is adhered to steadfastly. At times it appears to some that the Club should take a hand in matters religious, but experience teaches that in the long run the Club and the City suffer when this is done. The purposes of the Club are to build up Charlotte in every way. Commercially, educationally, residentially, and in fact in every way that will make for a big- ger, better, busier town, where living conditions are the best. Its work is directed by a board of twelve of the leading business and professional men of the city, and any movement which has for its purpose the upbuilding of Charlotte along any line has the hearty support of the Greater Charlotte Club. Its Information Bureau is used extensively by its members and the public in general, without expense of any sort or kind. twffC- 11 !«: I) A ii r iV( ic HE FIRE department of the City of Char- lotte is one of the most effective to be found in a city the size of this. Two automobile trucks enable the firemen to reach the scene of trouble within the shortest possible length of time, and these are supported by a complete equip- ment of fire-fighting apparatus, including a steamer, hook and ladder truck, and hose wagons. The department is manned by efficient workers, and at th's time the city administration is preparmg to add further to their number, in order that the growing de- mands may be promptly met. The apparatus and men are located at different sta- tions throughout the city, so that no section is without protection, and at this time at least two and possibly three other stations are about to be established in order that additional territory may be properly cared for. The work of the Charlotte Fire Department attracts favorable comment from all who are in a position to compare it with that of other cities. Fine streets, ex- cellent equipment, and efficient men tell the story of suc- cess in this department. !) O A Tl "0 O ;r T) ( Tl li: C T ORS I N the last page will be found pictures of the members of the Board of Directors of the Greater Charlotte Club, the com- mercial organization of the City of Char- lotte, which is responsible for the publi- cation of this book. Reading from left to right they are: Thomas T. Allison, Chairman Public Imprpovement Committee, A. V. Harrell, Chairman Membership Committee; J. Frank Wilkes, Chairman Convention Committee; Word H. Wood, Vice-President; Charles C. Hook, President; James A. Houston, Vice-President ; W. R. Foreman, Chairman Finance Committee; Leake Carraway, Man- aging Secretary; Robert G. Barr, Assistant to the Sec- retary; Clarence O. Kuesier, Chairman Ways and Means Committee; W. C. Dowd, Chairman Publicity Committee; C. G. Creighton, Chairman Transportation Committee; and F. C. Abbott, Chairman Industrial Committee. Since these pictures were made, Mr. W. S. Creighton has succeeded Mr. C. G. Creighton as Chair- man of the Transportation Committee. Each member of this Board of Directors is either a successful business or professional man, and once each month they meet at the office of the Greater Charlotte Club, regularly to act on many matters of interest and importance to the City of Charlotte. On an average they meet twice a month, under call of the president, to discuss matters of pressing moment which cannot wait for the regular monthly meeting. Every matter of importance to the city is brought before this board before action is taken by the president or the managing secretary, to the end that the best pos- sible advice is obtained, and mistakes, which are so costly, are avoided. S A A O 1^1 i=x::>m HARLOTTE was somewhat behind cities of her size and class in undertaking the proper sanitation of her territory, but taking the experience of others this city went for- ward with the work when once under- taken, and at this time the clean, neat appearance of the streets of Charlotte cause comment by all who come here. An efficient street cleaning force, properly equipped, keep the streets in perfect condition, so far as cleanliness is concerned, and other departments see to it that no damage to paving remains not repaired. Street sweepers, both men and machinery, are kept in constant activity, summer and winter, and the absence of filth of any sort or kind on the streets of Charlotte is a distinguishing feature of this community. Refuse is hauled outside the city by municipal wagons, and nothing is allowed to lie on the streets, detracting from the beauty of the city and endangering the life of the people. Char- lotte is becoming to be known as the "Clean City." The citizenship of Charlotte co-operates to a wonderful degree with this department to maintain the high standard set by the people for cleanliness. AUG 20 1913 KH'?!?'*' '" .h'':\:'^'X£r^k0m^