The Tenth District
Which includes the counties of Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Catawba,
Avery, and Mitchell.
By JOE U. ERVEN
Congressman from the Tenth District.
THE Tenth Congressional Dis¬
trict of North Carolina, which
includes the counties of Meck¬
lenburg, Lincoln, Catawba. Burke.
Avery, and Mitchell, and stretches
from South Carolina to Tennessee,
is standing on the threshold of a
new economic era. eager and deter¬
mined to garner ‘‘acres of dia¬
monds” in the creation of new
wealth through the application of
many ideas for the full utilization
of its abundant resources.
Necessary Ingredients Present
This area is blessed with all of
the ingredients for this exciting
endeavor. Our agricultural prod¬
ucts will be increased, while the
products of our farms, forests and
mines will be wisely used. Bold
streams from our beautiful moun¬
tains now furnish plenty of hydro¬
electric power to drive the ma¬
chines for our processing and
manufacturing plants, while a
highly intelligent, patriotic and co¬
operative labor force will tempt
enterprising promoters and in¬
vestors to engage men with the in¬
dustrial “know how" to increase
and expand those varied plants.
Our transportation and distribu¬
tion facilities will carry these valu¬
able products to nearby and dis¬
tant markets; and our extending
lanes of travel and lines of commu¬
nication will provide many jobs
and aid our expanding industries,
as well as make living conditions
generally more pleasant and agree¬
able.
The climate in the Tenth Con¬
gressional District is highly inter¬
esting, contributing materially to
the agricultural, industrial, and
recreational opportunities of that
area. It is certainly conducive to
the growth of cotton in most of the
Charlotte. North Carolina's largest
city, is located in the Tenth Dis¬
trict. There are many other pro¬
gressive cities and towns in the six
counties that comprise this district.
In the rural sections you will find
many prosperous farms of which
the one shown in the picture is
typical.
district, to the fast growth of the
"green gold" of our forests in the
entire district and to the develop¬
ment, in Avery and Mitchell coun¬
ties. of what I consider the most
fascinating new industry for our
state — the raising of fur-bearing
animals. An increasing number of
people from far and wide are com¬
ing to this section at various times
during the year to enjoy its scenic
beauty and its recreational advan¬
tages.
Of equal importance is the fact
that the climate in this district fur¬
nishes to the people of the district
both the opportunity and the de¬
sire to keep busy in the develop¬
ment of these abundant resources.
Existing Industries
It would be impossible with a
few words to enumerate the exist¬
ing industries in this district, which
include the mining of iron in Avery
County, feldspar, kaolin and mica
in Avery and Mitchell counties, tin
in Lincoln County and gold in va¬
rious parts of the district; the utili¬
zation for various purposes of the
inexhaustible resources of our for¬
ests; the production of certified
seed potatoes and tobacco in the
mountain counties and the produc¬
tion of dairy products, cotton, cat¬
tle. fruits, vegetables, grain and
animals in the various counties in
the district; the manufacture of
textile goods, hosiery, furniture,
gloves and other products; the tan¬
ning of leather; and a number of
other varied industries.
We may naturally expect an ex¬
pansion of the existing industries,
but there is also an eagerness and
determination to use our raw prod¬
ucts for new purposes.
As the mechanical cotton picker
decreases the cost of producing cot¬
ton. there will be new uses for this
natural cellulose. The plastics in¬
dustry offers one of the most prom¬
ising new uses for cotton, having
been accelerated since the begin¬
ning of the war.
During recent years, it has been
realized that cotton, when treated
chemically, has unusually excel¬
lent qualities as insulating ma¬
terial.
Cotton rags have been used for
years in the production of high-
grade paper and experiments show
that raw cotton can be used satis¬
factorily.
The Quartermaster Corps of the
THE STATE. NOVCMOER 17. 1945
43
