But the new era was heavily dependent upon Duke’s continued investment in
building the State’s power infrastructure. When Ben MacNeill, a journalist from
the News and Observer, interviewed J. B. Duke at his estate in Charlotte, Duke
asked, “Do I look like a dangerous man to be let loose in the state?” Most influential
North Carolinians would have responded “no,” as they either acquiesced in
Duke’s control of the state’s energy resources or praised his generous investments.
And with the development of state regulation of power rates, trusting that State
commissioners would protect the interests of the public softened much of the
existing resistance to Duke’s monopoly.