Hill's Winston-Salem (Forsyth County, N.C.) city directory [1938], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1938
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 826

USA > North Carolina > Forsyth County > Winston-Salem > Hill's Winston-Salem (Forsyth County, N.C.) city directory [1938] > Part 2

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

So rapidly did the new industries grow, absorbing the smaller plants, consolidating efforts and adopting identifying features, that in 1885, a local historian wrote, "Manufacturing continues to be the chief activity of the place." The statement, after more than fifty years, still charac- terizes the city.

The manufacture of tobacco products was not the only important operation conducted in the thriving community. The leaf tobacco market, opened in 1872, kept pace with industrial development, and is now one of the largest in the world.

Prior to the establishment of the tobacco industry, textile-manufac- turing had already assumed important proportions in Salem. This line of industry has also expanded greatly, with the result that Winston-Salem is today the national manufacturing center for men's and boys' under- wear and woolen blankets, and produces large quantities of hosiery, homespuns, upholstering material, narrow fabric, swimming suits and other products.

Famous in earlier days for the covered wagons that carried the names of Winston and Salem across the plains to the Far West, the city has a number of furniture-manufacturing concerns, one of which has grown from the old wagon works.

Unusual Character of Manufacturing

A number of lines of industry in Winston-Salem have no rivals in the state, and in several instances, in the Southeastern industrial area. Tinfoil-manufacturing and the extraction of nicotine sulphate, both in- cident to the tobacco industry, are sizeable operations in themselves. Air- conditioning machinery and humidifiers, swimming suits and narrow fabric are among the locally-manufactured products without nearby competitors.

Another interesting and significant feature of industry in Winston- Salem is that 95% is of local origin and ownership. This situation makes for a civic interest that is reflected in such cooperative enterprises as the annual Community Chest campaigns. Winston-Salem is often designated in social-service circles as "The Nation's Community Chest City," because for fifteen successive years the required budget for the charity and char- acter-building agencies included in the Chest has been subscribed in a single day.

Low Tax Rates

Another advantage of the concentration of all plants of the major local industries is the low tax rate. Through a wide spread of taxable values, there is a definite benefit to the individual home-owner and small taxpayer. Property is assessed on a basis of 60% of the true value, and taxed at a rate of $1.40 per $100 valuation. With the County rate at 55c. Winston-Salem has the lowest combined City and County rate of the large cities in the state.

1 6

- INTRODUCTION

Growth in Population

Growth in industry has been reflected in the increase in population that has in 88 years made Winston-Salem one of the two largest cities in the state. The combined population of the two towns, Winston and Salem, was 4,197 in 1880. By 1890 it had more than doubled to 10,729. Census reports for the decades following show:

1900 13,650, an increase in ten years of 27.2%

1910 22,700, an increase in ten years of 66.3% 1920 48,395, an increase in ten years of 113.2%

1930. 75,274, an increase in ten years of 55.6%

The estimated population in 1937 was 93,000, with continuous growth being noted.

Natural Advantages

The industrial achievements of Winston-Salem has been facilitated by a number of natural advantages which likewise contribute to the city's desirability as a place in which to live and visit.

39793

12238

(Reading from left to right and downward)

1. Office Building of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, Erected in 1929 at a Cost of More Than $2,000,000. The Building Is 23 Stories in Height.

2. Nissen Office Building, Another of Winston-Salem's Skyscrapers.

3. A Forsyth County Tobacco Field, Showing the Type of Leaf That Has Made the Old Belt Famous.

4. Hotel Robert E. Lee, Winston-Salem. One of the Newer Type of Hotels Erected in the Piedmont Area of North Carolina. With 350 Rooms, Each with Private Bath; Numerous Conference Halls, and the Only Roof Garden in North Carolina, This Hotel Is Popular as Headquarters for Many Conventions Each Year.

5. Carolina Theatre and Hotel, Winston-Salem.

INTRODUCTION

Winston-Salem is located on the Piedmont plateau, which extends from Virginia through western central North Carolina and South Caro- lina into Alabama. Predicted by the late Franklin K. Lane to become the "greatest industrial area in the country," this area is rapidly advancing toward the fulfillment of his prediction.

The exact location is:

Latitude: 36 degrees, 5 minutes, 48 seconds.

Longitude: 80 degrees, 14 minutes, 48 seconds.

Protected by neighboring mountain ranges-the Blue Ridge, the Sauratown and Pilot Mountain, the city enjoys a remarkably balanced climate. The altitude is from 885 to 1,000 feet. The city has an average of 232 clear days a year, and a mean temperature of 58.2 degrees F .- high, 93; low, 11. Normal for July, 70-75; normal for January, 35-40. Rainfall, 54.4 inches; snowfall, 6.5 inches.

Winston-Salem is the year-around gateway for such famous resorts as Pinehurst and other Sandhills winter communities, and the summer mountain resorts of Roaring Gap and Blowing Rock. It is within less than a day's comfortable motoring of the most colorful stretch of the Atlantic Coast to the east, and the peak of eastern America to the west.

With so many natural advantages, plus a wide variety of enter- tainment and recreation facilities, Winston-Salem is growing steadily in popularity with convention groups and tourists.

Statistical Review

Form of Government-Aldermanic-commission.

Population-1930 U. S. Census, 75,274; local estimate for 1937, 93,000. American-born, 99.5%.

Area-15.5 square miles.

Altitude-885 to 1,000 feet above sea level.

Climate-Mean annual temperature, 58.2 degrees F .; average annual rainfall, 54.4 inches.

Parks-27, with total of 328.09 acres.

Assessed Valuation-$98,997,779, with $1.40 per $100 tax rate.

Bonded Debt-$15,506,400.

Financial Facts-1 national bank and 1 state bank and trust company. with total deposits of $75,839,624.60 (June 30, 1937), and total resources of $82,415,602.98 (June 30, 1937). Clearings for 1936, $457,380,000. 1 home loan bank. 4 building and loan associations.

Postal Receipts-$413,263.77 (fiscal year ended June 30, 1937).

Telephones in Service-10,420.

Churches-139, representing 22 denominations (4 undenominational). Building and Construction-1,332 permits, with total value of $1,909,- 257, issued for fiscal year ended June 30, 1937.

Industry-Chief industries of city and surrounding territory: Manu- facturing and agriculture. 80 manufacturing establishments, employing 18,980 workers, paying wages of $12,977,496 annually, and having products valued at $278,578,166 annually (1935 U. S. Census of Manufactures). Prin- cipal manufactured products: Cigarettes and other tobacco products, underwear, blankets, hosiery, furniture, homespun cloth, tinfoil, nicotine sulphate, swimming suits, and air-conditioning machinery.

Trade Area-Retail area has radius of 50 miles, and population of 825,000; wholesale area, radius of 150 miles, and population of 5,000,000.

Newspapers-2 dailies with combined Sunday issue, and 2 weeklies. Hotels-4, with total of 650 rooms.

Railroads-3: Southern, Norfolk & Western and Winston-Salem Southbound. Also 25 off-line railroad offices, representing 60% of the major lines.

Highways-U. S. 52, 158, 311 and 421; State 109 and 703.

Airports-1, municipal.

Amusements-Largest auditorium in city (Civic Auditorium) seats 3,000 persons. 7 moving-picture theatres, with total seating capacity of 8,500 persons. Municipal stadium, with seating capacity of 11,174 persons. 2 golf courses.

Hospitals-3, with total of 500 beds.

INTRODUCTION

Education-Salem College and Academy (for women); Winston-Salem Teachers College (c). 21 public schools, including 4 high. Number of pupils in public schools, 16,000; teachers, 428. Value of public school property, $5,154,000.

Public Libraries-2, with total of 27,683 volumes.

City Statistics-Total street mileage, 265, with 143 miles paved. Miles of sewers, 252. Number of water meters, 14,225; light meters, 20,529; gas meters, 3,019. Capacity of water works (municipal), 12,000,000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 7,460,000 gallons; miles of mains, 235; value of plant, $3,845,000. Fire department. has 81 men, with 6 stations and 12 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department property, $120,000. Police department has 101 men, with 1 station and 19 pieces of motor equipment.

This Publication Is The Product of a Member of

PRO PUBLICO BONO ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICAN

1898

IZED

DIRODIACODIREC

DIRLODIRECTORIO

Hill's Winston-Salem (Forsyth County, N.C.) city directory [1938], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company. Publication date: 1938 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 826

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1938
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 826