Page:Eastern North Carolina Encyclopedia.djvu/8



Although this publication deals primarily with conditions in Eastern North Carolina, it might be well to give a few facts about the State as a whole. The counties listed in this publication have made it possible and although the territory covered by this organization includes 46 counties, only those making appropriations for this special work are included in this book. However, the Eastern Carolina Chamber of Commerce will be delighted to furnish information about any of the counties of the 46.

No state in the Union has made such rapid increase industrially, agriculturally, and educationally as North Carolina, during the recent years. Her growth sounds more like a fairy tale than it does real facts. But it is a fact just the same. In 1900 expenditures for education in North Carolina amounted to less than a million; in 1923 the expenditures total $23,000,000.00. In 1900 the expenditure for new school buildings was less than $41,000.00; in 1922 it was more than $6,000,000.00. In 1900 the average value of each school house was $150.00; in 1922 it was $4,500.00. In 1900 the average length of public school term was 73 days; in 1922 it was 143 days. In 1900 North Carolina had about 30 high schools; in 1923 she had 475. In 1900 the percentage of illiteracy in North Carolina was 29.4; in 1920 it had been reduced to 13.1, the white race being only 7.1.

In 1900 the capital invested in manufacturing in North Carolina was $68,283,000.00; in 1920 it was $669,144,000.00. In 1900 the value of manufactured products was $85,274,000.00; in 1920, $943,808,000.00. In 1920 North Carolina cotton mills used 190,000,000 pounds of cotton; in 1920, 449,000,000 pounds. In 1900 North Carolina produced 29,790,000 bushels of corn; in 1920, 54,630,000 bushels.

These figures speak for themselves. In 1900 the total resources of the National Banks of North Carolina was $15,362,000.00; in 1920, $183,816,000.00. In 1900 the total deposits in National Banks in the State were $16,700,000.00; in 1920 they were $315,000,000.00. In 1900 the assessed valuation of property in the State was $306,579,000.00; in 1920 it was $3,139,705,000.00.

Our territory covers half the State and the enormous figures referred to above apply half to Eastern Carolina and half to the other part of the State. No section of the State has made greater progress along any line than the Eastern Part of the State and we take great pride in submitting figures to anybody interested in determining any of the above facts relating to this section.

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