The New International Encyclopædia/Newbern

NEWBERN. A city, port of entry of the Pamlico district, and the county-seat of Craven County, N. C., 107 miles southeast of Raleigh; on the Neuse River at its confluence with the Trent, and on the Atlantic and North Carolina and the Atlantic Coast Line railroads (Map: North Carolina, E 2). It is connected by steamships with New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk, passing through inland water routes, and exports fish, cotton, lumber, and vegetables. It has hosiery and knitting mills, cottonseed oil and lumber mills, machine shops, canning, barrel, carriage, fertilizer, and cigar factories, and extensive fish and oyster and truck-gardening interests. The most prominent architectural features of the city are the Government building, the county court house, and two bridges over the Neuse and Trent rivers, both affording fine views of river scenery. The government, under a charter of 1899, is administered by a mayor, elected every two years, and a unicameral council. The water-works and electric light plant are owned and operated by the municipality. Newbern was settled by Swiss in 1710, was for a time the capital of the Province of North Carolina, and for many years was its most important seaport. It was strongly fortified during the Civil War, but was captured by General Burnside, March 14, 1862, after a severe engagement three miles from the city, the Union loss being about 100 killed and 500 wounded. Population, in 1890, 7843; in 1900, 9090.