Hill's Greensboro (North Carolina) city directory [1929], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1929
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 810

USA > North Carolina > Guilford County > Greensboro > Hill's Greensboro (North Carolina) city directory [1929] > Part 2

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City Statistics-Total street mileage, 270, with 138 miles paved and 15 under construction. Miles of gas mains laid, 96; of sewers, 130, and of elec- tric street railway, 16. Capacity of water works (municipal) 1,020,000,000 gallons (21,000,000 gallon reservoir) ; daily average pump, 4,000,000 gallons; standpipe capacity, 750,000 gallons; number of fire hydrants, 1,238; plant valued at $2,750,000. Fire department employs 58 men, with fully motor- izer equipment: in 5 station houses strategically located in the city. Value of fire department with property, $350,000. Police department has 58 men, with 1 station and 11 pieces of motor equipment.

INTRODUCTION

PITCAIRN AVIATION NORTH CAROLINA INC.

C. A.M.19

U.S. MAIL C.A.M. NºJe

The Regular Northbound Mail Plane at the Greensboro Airport, with New York-New Orleans Mail.

Greensboro

Some Notable Events of the Year in Greensboro

Establishment of a modern airport and the opening of air-mail service, with Greens- boro as one of the regular stops on the New York-New Orleans line.

Complete modernization of fire protection and water supply, the lowering of fire in- surance rates, and the winning of the prize awarded by the United States Chamber of Commerce for first place among cities of 50,000 to 100,000 population in the Inter- Chamber Fire Waste contest.

Initiation of a city-wide plan for the elimination of grade-crossings of railroads,

and the vigorous execution of this $2,000.000 project.

Adoption of a modern building code.

The continuation of a progressive pro- gram of street-widening and improvement.

The initiation of a $2,000,000 program of improvement in the public schools of the city. The extension of the school district to include most of the metropolitan area.

Appropriation secured for a new post- office and federal building, and the way cleared for its immediate construction.

The Curry Building at North Carolina College for Women, Home of the School of Education and of the Training School.

INTRODUCTION

The Statue of General Nathaniel Greene on the Battleground of Guilford Court House.

Greensboro Today and Yesterday

Greensboro was incorporated in 1808, and the act of incorporation was the first sig- nificant event in its history, for there was only open country on the site until the county commissioners paid Ralph Gorrell $98 fo" 48 acres on which a new seat for Guilford County's capital was laid off, the court house in the center.

Before that time the county seat of Guil- ford, since the county was established in 1770, was at Martinsville, five miles to the north of Greensboro. The old court house site was the scene of the historic battle between the Continentals of General Na- thaniel Greene and the British Red Coats of Lord Cornwallis. The new county seat was named in honor of the great American mili- tary leader.

Even in those early days, Greensboro's central position in the state was the chief factor in its growth and remains so today. Here the main highways of the young state converged on the tiny village which sprang up around the crossroads, and as the state grew stronger, so Greensboro grew. Its his- tory was uneventful for many years. The first railroad came in 1856 and a second in Civil War days. Greensboro had only a few thousand people, but gave its share of men and supplies to the Southern cause, and it felt in full the exhausting poverty in men and resources, which killed all chance for growth in the days of reconstruction.

It was genuine reconstruction however, and there was the gradual accumulation of a reserve of new power. The opening of a new century found the city ready for its flowering. In the '90s came the Cones and, after them, other industrial and business leaders who have transformed the trading settlement into the modern city. Greensboro remains the most strategically located city in North Carolina and that position is a domi- nant influence on its manufacture as well as its trade. Its destiny has always been peculiarly that of the state, and North Caro- lina's amazing advances of recent years have been directly reflected in Greensboro. Here

is the meeting point for people, for raw ma- terials, for communication and for finished products.

Other factors are playing powerfully for Greensboro's advancement. The back-coun- try is a region of rich and diversified agri- culture and one which is rapidly showing further improvement. The entire region is thickly dotted with industrial communities which look to Greensboro as the central point for supplies and materials. Raw materials essential in major lines of manufacture are at its doors: cotton, hardwoods, clay pro- ducts, stone, wood pulp and the like. Native- born labor, intelligent, loyal and easily train- ed, is present in abundance. Electric power at reasonable rates and in any desired amount, is to be had. One of the chief factors is a progressive city and county government with a friendly attitude and a fair one. Climatic conditions are as ad- vantageous as can be found in the entire country. Neither excessive winter cold nor summer heat is experienced, and the year 'round, a pleasing, equable weather is ex- perienced. The average temperature is 59 degrees Fahrenheit, the average rainfall, 46 inches.

Greensboro lies at the center of the north section of the Piedmont, that great new kingdom of industry and business which runs through the middle of the South At- lantic States. It lies equally distant from New York and Atlanta, about 12 hours by train from each. It lies equally distant from the ocean on the east and the Caro- lina mountain border on the west.

"Pivot of the Piedmont"

Greensboro, "The Gate City" of the Pied- mont in other years, is now "The Pivot of the Piedmont," a focal point for the north- ern part of that great new kingdom of in- dustry, commerce and agriculture. Accept- ing the title in all due modesty, the city is seeking to offer its very best facilities in the public service owed by it on account of its unique position. A review of its ser- vice institutions reveals them to be the equal of any in the country.

INTRODUCTION

Southern Railway Passenger Station.

The city water department has an average daily pump of around 4,000,000 gallons, this coming from a billion-gallon reserve on Reedy Fork Creek, and coming through a completely modernized plant from pumping station to water meter. Recent installations afford a maximum daily pumping capacity of 28,000,000 gallons. This reserve strength, together with a splendid fire department, affords the last word in fire protection. The quality of water supply and fire protection were the chief factors in the city's securing, last year, lowered fire insurance rates, and also in its winning the national fire waste prize for cities from 50,000 to 100,000 popu- lation, as awarded by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce.

Electric light and power current and gas are supplied by the North Carolina Public Service Company, owned by the Duke in- terests. They also operate the street rail- way lines. on 16 miles of track. The city is on a direct line of the Southern Power Company, also owned by the Duke interests.

One of the city's greatest advantages is in its transportation facilities. Through a new $1,000,000 station of the Southern Rail- way, 48 trains arrive and depart daily, to handle the greatest volume of traffic through any Carolina city. From a new bus station, 68 busses arrive and depart each day, af- fording direct service to every part of the state and section. Adjoining the passenger station is the modern home of the South- eastern Express Company. The city is as important in freight distribution as in passenger service, and recent enlargements give Greensboro one of the largest and best arranged freight yards in the South.

Greensboro offers the best mail service that can be given. At the rail crossroads of

the state, direct access is given in every di- rection. Last year postal receipts vaulted to a new high figure of $468,953, and bid fair to go over $500,000 in 1929. The choice of the city as the sole air-mail stop in North Carolina, on the New York-New Orleans Ilne, brings the final advantage in mail service. Air-mail service was begun on May 1, 1928, and from the first, won heavy support. Con- gress has appropriated funds for a $1,000,- 000 post office.

One of the city's chief distinctions is in educational facilities. Through an expendi- ture of $2,000,000, one of the nations finest high schools, two junior high schools, three new grammer schools, a Negro high school and sites for a grammer school and a junior college, are being provided to modernize the public school system and make its physical equipment adequate for years. Quality of instruction is such that the city ranks first in the rating of the state authorities.

Two colleges for white women, two busi- ness colleges and three colleges for Negro students round out the educational system. In North Carolina College for Women, with 1,867 students, the city has one of the na- tion's leading institutions of the kind.

The city's entire area of 17 square miles is in gently-rolling country admirably suited for residential and park development. This has contributed largely to a charm of home development not easily matched. The city leads all North Carolina cities in the per- centage of homes owned by the occupants. Due to its importance as a nursery and flower-growing center, Greensboro is the most attractively planted city. Park areas in public and school lands aggregate over 1,000 acres, and development is under way to provide ideal grounds for recreation.

INTRODUCTION

Consuming Power

Its commanding place of influence has made Greensboro a city of amazing powers of consumption. Through the demands of its population of over 50,000 persons, the rich agricultural region around is being de- veloped, and trucking and dairying have become leading factors in the life of Guil- ford County. This consuming power is in- creased through the creameries, condensing plants and distribution houses which forward products to other sections. A baking center, the city draws a tremendous quantity of flour and other products for distribution through the state.

A building activity running from $4,000,- 000 to $6,000,000 a year, is the heaviest fac- tor in the consumption of lumber, although sawmills and furniture factories take an important place also.

The wide use of electric power has low- ered consumption of coal for industrial pur- poses, but the city remains a center of con- sumption and distribution of the product.

Greensboro cotton merchants handle hun- dreds of thousands of bales of the staple each year; its cotton mills consume them and its garment factories use the manu- factured materials. Silk and cotton-hosiery and webbing plants, iron and steel-working

A Greensboro Office Building, Housing one of the Leading Banks and the Largest Insurance Company.

INTRODUCTION

plants, automobile body factories and others contribute to the enormous demands the city makes for the materials out of which it fashions its life and products.

In manufactured products, the city's con- suming power is greater than would be ex- pected from a municipality of like size. This is due to the width of the trading area, as one factor. Another is the free- dom with which Greensboro people buy. A student population of over 5,000 in or near the city, adds $2,000,000 or more each year to the consuming power of Greensboro.

Industrial Leadership

Greensboro has 141 industrial plants, af- fording employment to 8,700 persons, with an annual payroll of $12,000,000, and making goods worth $47,500,000 each year. The

ton, hard and soft lumbers, the best of ceramic clays and other raw materials sug- gests the lines in which an immediate ad- vantage exists. Not only is the city ideal for the manufacture of cotton and silk prod- ucts, furniture and other lines, but its posi- tion in the center of the Southern furniture- making and cotton-manufacturing area gives it the best of advantages as a point for the manufacture of all kinds of mill equipment, hardware and machinery.

Power is abundant and at reasonable rates. Transportation facilities are not sur- passed in the Carolinas.

All these factors have combined to diver- sify the industry of Greensboro as they have developed it. The city is not depend- ent on any one line of manufacture. For that reason the community is immune from

The World's Largest Denim Mill, Located in Greensboro.

largest single industry is that of the Cones, holding world leadership in denim manu- facture, and also making of flannels and other fabrics. The Blue Bell Overall Com- pany is the largest of the garment-making plants, and one of the largest overall mills in the world. Other products in which leadership is held are fabricated steel and iron, clay products, medicines, automobile bodies, silk hosiery, elastic webbing, lumber products, fertilizers, dairy products, ice, laundry machinery, wood-working machin- ery, foundry products, silk and cotton prod- ucts, cotton hosiery and stoves.

The city is so built that advantageous industrial sites are numerous and can be reasonably secured, with adjoining railroad trackage or highways. There is a plenti- ful supply of native white labor, easily trained and intensely loyal. Greensboro's position as a center of distribution, and its wealth of labor, trained and untrained, af- ford a striking opportunity in nearly every line of manufacture. The proximity of cot-

those periods of business depression which may hit any community with a majority of its workmen employed in one line of work. There are many factors of advantage, and all have worked together to attract to Greensboro various types of manufacture. They will continue to do so, and in its well- rounded industrial development the city sees one of its greatest advantages.

Financial Strength

At the head of Greensboro's financial institutions is the city government itself, a modern government of the city manager- council type, administered by some of the ablest men in the community. Since this business administration began some eight years ago, the rating of the city has ad- vanced to the very top. With a total valua- tion of $105,594,954, the net debt of the city is but $5,645,120, and this in spite of the fact that recent years have brought a pro- gram of improvement which few munich- palities of the size can equal. There is

INTRODUCTION

no guesswork about the city's finances, but everything is conducted along the strictest lines of business practice. Contracts for public work, for bond sales, or for the borrowing of money, are let only after due advertisement and on submission of sealed bids.

Greensboro has a solid and progressive banking business, with three commercial banks and three industrial banks having total resources of $36,649,069, and with sav- ings deposits of over $28,000,000. Clearing- house debits for 1928 totaled $312,587,000. Three building and loan associations are in prosperous condition.

The quality of goods handled is above the average, since the city has never catered to the cheaper class of merchandise pe- culiar to communities where wages are uni- formly low.

Chief instrumentalities in maintaining high standards of life and business in the area are the newspapers, two dailies and a number of weekly publications. The Greensboro Daily News is one of the most powerful organs in North Carolina, with a . circulation close to 40,000 and with an authoritative editorial and news voice in the morning field. The Daily Record is a rapidly-growing and popular afternoon daily, with a circulation of 15,135.

One of the Leading Hotels in Greensboro.

A chief asset in the business and financial life of the city is insurance business. Five home life insurance companies in 1927 had a premium income of $14,500.000 and $435,000,- 000 insurance in force. Four home fire in- surance companies had assets of over $3,500,- 000 and over $200,000,000 insurance in force.

Retail Trade

Greensboro has always been an import- ant point of retail trade since its location over 100 years ago at the main crossroads in North Carolina. The state's magnificent program of road construction, aided by a comprehensive road program of the county, has placed the city at the center of a verit- able network of paved and improved high- ways. The city's retail dominance extends from 30 to 75 miles from the corporate lim- its, and it is the chief dependence of some 600,000 persons living in that area, This means that all lines of retail trade are well developed. The city has particular strength in automobiles, hardware, clothing, shoes, drugs and furniture.

Wholesale Trade

Greensboro's importance as a wholesale and jobbing center extends far beyond the bounds of its retail area. This is due to its favored position in transportation and mail communication. Some 2,000 traveling men make their homes in Greensboro, and a great many of them are traveling from state or district offices or plants located in this city.

Greensboro holds the dominant place in the state, and reaches into neighboring states in hardware distribution. In drugs it is al- most as favored, while in the various other lines, strong houses are represented. Par- ticular strength is shown in the distribution of produce and food products, tobacco, bread products, candies, dry goods, clothing and the like.

The city has an abundant supply of mod- ern office rooms at reasonable rents, and this fact, together with the advantages of position, is inducing the location here of more and more of the state and district offices representing national concerns.

INTRODUCTION

Greensboro Country Club.

- -

King Cotton Hotel

Sedgefield Inn and Golf Course.

INTRODUCTION

Y. M. C. A.

Civics and Welfare

In its material advancement, Greensboro has not lost sight of moral and civic vir- tues. There are over 50 churches in the city, each of them the home of a growing congregation. The ministerial group is a very progressive one. Modern buildings house the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A.

In civic organizations, the city is well developed, with a smoothly-functioning com- munity chest, maintaining the upkeep of wel- fare work, and various other activities. The Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants' Association are both active and progressive. The various civic clubs are strongly rep-

resented. Greensboro has a civic music as- sociation, an open forum and various other organizations which devote themselves to a constant educational and cultural effort.

Four regular hospitals provide a total of over 300 beds, while a number of other private institutions offer at least 100 more. The medical and dental professions are strongly represented. The City Health De- partment is one of the most progressive in the nation, and is particularly forward on educational and prevention work in the schools. Operated along with the depart- ment is a nursing corps of 12 nurses for public service.

Y. W. C. A.

INTRODUCTION

Carnegie Library.

Memorial Stadium, Virginia-Carolina Baseball Game.

INTRODUCTION

Greensboro, The Center

Greensboro has won a name for itself as the chief center in North Carolina, in various fields. It is the insurance center of the state and one of the insurance cen- ters of the South. The city is the state's chief cotton merchandising center. It is one of the cotton manufacturing centers of the South. As a convention city, it ranks high in the state due to its eight hotels with a total of over 900 rooms. These are also a factor in its leadership as a home of travel- ing men and as the center for state offices and distribution houses.

Choice location and admirable roads have made Greensboro the focal point in the heavy tourist traffic between North and South, and at all times of the year on the streets may be seen cars from all the states. Greensboro is also a convention city, with some 25,000 delegates attending sessions here each year.

One of the city's most important points of leadership is in educational facilities, with the highest ranking public school sys- tem in the state, and with five colleges in the front ranks of institutions of their kind.

Another important point in Greensboro's leadership is in climatic conditions, with perhaps the most agreeable and constant conditions to be found in the Piedmont region, itself the most signally blessed sec- tion of the country in that respect.

Again, Greensboro is a center in sport activities, due largely to its World War Me- morial Stadium, which attracts many of the major college athletic events of the sections, and the leading interscholastic contests. The stadium seats 9,200 persons and is equipped with the most modern fields for football, baseball, track, tennis and other sports. The stadium was completed in the spring of 1927. It was erected with $150,000 donated by citizens of city and county as a memorial to the men who died in service in the World War.

Chamber of Commerce Service

With a membership of around 1,000 and with the support of the best element in Greensboro's citizenship, the Chamber of Commerce is active in service of both resi- dents and visitors. P. A. Hayes is president for 1929, and Chas. M. Ketchum is executive secretary. The various departments and bureaus of the organizations are actively functioning.

As one of its chief functions, the Cham- ber of Commerce is engaged in supplying accurate and detailed information and data on any phase of the city's civic, industrial or commercial life. Inquiries of any kind will be carefully considered and promptly answered. For the convenience of those seeking information, a series of leaflets and bulletins has been printed, giving the facts in the various fields of activity.

The New Guilford County Court House of Greensboro, One of the Finest Public Buildings in North Carolina.

MORE GOODS ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD THROUGH THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS LISTS

OF THE DIRECTORY THAN ANY OTHER MEDIUM ON EARTH

CLASSIFIED BUYERS' GUIDE OF THE CITY OF GREENSBORO NORTH CAROLINA

1929

The

DIRECTORY S THE COMMON INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN BUYER ... SELLER

The Buyers'Guide contains the advertisements and business cards of the more progressive business men and firms in the city, classified according to lines of business

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ACCOUNTANTS

D. HUGH EVERETT, C.P.A.

D. H. EVERETT & COMPANY

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

AUDITS -- SYSTEMS -- TAX SERVICE

MEMBERS : North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants American Society of Certified Public Accountants

A North Carolina organization for constructive service to the business and municipal interests of the state in Audits, Systems, Federal and State Taxes, Production Costs, and Municipal Budgetary Accounting Systems.

Offices, 603-4 American Bank Building Telephone 5410 Greensboro, N. C.

ACCOUNTANTS-CERTIFIED

GREENSBORO, N. C.

HICKORY, N. C.

TARBORO, N. C.

Hollowell, Gorham & Company

AUDITORS, ACCOUNTANTS INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS

DAVID R. HOLLOWELL

Certified Public Accountant (N. C. and Va.)

FRANK C. GORHAM

Registered Public Accountant (N. C.)

MEMBERS :

North Carolina Association of

Certified Public Accountants

Offices : 807-808 Jefferson Building GREENSBORO, N. C. PHONE 4783

(1929) HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S

ACCOUNTANTS-CERTIFIED PUBLIC

R. J. BEAMAN and COMPANY

PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS and AUDITORS

Rooms 605-606-607 Greensboro Bank and Trust Bldg.

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Cincinnati

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A. M. PULLEN & COMPANY Certified Public Accountants

AUDITS-INVESTIGATIONS-BUSINESS SYSTEMS TAX COUNSELLORS

We maintain an adequate force of competent accountants, enabling us to promptly take care of all accounting matters with which we may be intrusted.

RALEIGH, N. C .- Commercial National Bank Building RICHMOND, VA .- State-Planters Bank Building

GREENSBORO CITY DIRECTORY (1929)

ACCOUNTANTS AND AUDITORS

AUDITS, EXAMINATIONS, SYSTEMS, FEDERAL and STATE TAX SERVICE

Smith Auditing Company

PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Rooms 727-728 Greensboro Bank & Trust Bldg.

Office Phone 2791

Residence 4774-W

GREENSBORO, N. C.

ADDING MACHINES

Telephone 2936 Burroughs Adding Machine Company

220-221-222-223-224 PIEDMONT BLDG. GREENSBORO, N. C.

D. P. SMITH, Manager Greensboro Agency

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Hill's Greensboro (North Carolina) city directory [1929], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company. Publication date: 1929 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 810

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1929
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 810