The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-12-19
Prom ths Fayetteville Observer, All ''ssf.
THE RAIL ROAD.


THE RAIL ROAD.
The Board of Internal Improvement
met, as notified, on Monday last, for the
purpose of opening the subscription TO our
Rail Road, which was formally done at the
meeting at the Court House yesterday.
That meeting was called TO order by the
appointment of DIR. L. \. Cameron, Mag
istrate of Police, as Chairman, and John
w. Wright and George Mcneil, Esqs.
as Secretaries. The Chairman briefly cX-
planned the object Of the meeting.
Gov. Dudley then rose. and in the name of the
Board sirnifcd their readiness now TO open the
subscription, and for that purpose, stated that
they had appointed the Rev SIMEON CoLroN, with
a salary OF Sl500, agent 10 travel that region OF
the state interested, 10 solicit the subscriptions.
The Books would have been opened earlier but
the Board did not think the time had arrived. lie
thought this was the period
lie believed that the States subscription could
DO provided for without the necessity OF borrow
ing. 100000 from the Cherokee Lands was
already provided, and he estimated that Sl50,OOO
per annum would accrue from the interest on the
Literary Fund property and dividends from the
Wilmington Rail Road, which he had no doubt
the Legislature would so appropriate He urged
the present as tho time for action. when labor "a
were cheap and abundant. The Wilmington
Road had been made almost AZ the estimate,
though at a tune when every thing was high
In Major McNell's estimate lumber is put at
SIS, whereas there can scarcely be doabt that
it viii be had at 81 or IS. And he thought 9TH
or things could be reduced in proportions sc.
On molten Of II. l.. Holmes Esq. committee
OF ten was appointed TO confer with the Board ana
report resolutions. Messrs. Henry, w Winslow,
Holmes, Strange, Gillis, Mccormick, Dobbin,
W. b. Wright, J. MacRae and Eccles were ap.
pointed and on motion, Gov. Swain and Gen.
Owen were added
After retiring 6 short time the Committee,
through ". Winslow, Esq reported preamble
and resolutions on which considerable discussion
took place
Coy. Swain, who was present by invitation, was
called up, and after some preliminary exPlana
tions, remarked that he had changed no opinion
heretofore expressed in favor of THIS great enter
prize. The only circumstance that had changed,
Sas favorable. The cost Of the road would be
reduced he thought, % or 50 per cent. Tie re-
peated that il is not only within the ability Of the
people interested, but viii be lasting reproach
TO them il they fail 10 accomplish il. The whole
tai. payng community OF tho State, from the
mountains to the sea, have oft red the.rald They
will give three dollars for every two contributed
BY the subscribers They vii furnish nearly ey.
ery dollar OF cash required and nearly the whole
viii be expended along the line OF ths road Tie
read statistical tables prepared from tho accounts
Of the Wilmington and Castor Roads, from which
il appeared, thai Tor the former, only S373,OOO
had been expended for articles brought from
abroad, as cars, iron &c. aud on the latter only
$500 600 had been so expended. The remain4 ?,
S900000 IN the one case, and Sl,l000OO IN Tho
other, had all been cG pended TOR labor, timber,
provisions, &c along tho line OF the roads.
That this work is feasible, he SAID, there can be
no doubt, and that it is desirable i. would be an
insult 10 his hearers TO argue, Tho whole cost
Of the work would b. added TO the value Of the
real estate on the route Ii loo persons would
subscribe 5000 each, and undertake the whole
work, the States subscription would furnish near.
" all the cash required and their own subscrip-
ton would be paid IN provisions, labor, suPerin.
,endence, &c.
lie paid high compliment to the Directory OF
the CASTOR and Wilmington roads, Bot they had
committed some errors Ore was IN putting
their entire work under contract at once, thereby
raising the prize of labor, prov isions, &c. We
might avoid that error and save much OF the cost.
lie instituted a comparison between North and
South Carolina, as TO enterprise Wilmington,
with population OF 5000, had undertaken her
gigantic enterprIze Of l70 miles. alone. Char.
lesion, the proud emporium Of the magnificent
STATE oil South Carolina, when she undertook her
road Of 1877 miles, running from one largo city
\ 10 another, and al estimated cost &c 500 600
4 appealed 10 the General Government for AID "a
the amount Of S330,0009 The Charleston road
is scarcely yet finished, aid the Wilmington road
viii be completed within month Throug out
the world her enterprise has no parallel.
Gen. Owen made few remarks coAGfmatoy
OF Gov, swans statistics
Mr.. Henry followed, on the subjee, generally
and in a strain Of high and deserved compliment
to Mr. Cotton the newly appointed agent.
Mr. Cotton responded expressing deep inter
est in the Improvement OF the State. The apph
cation to him rad been sudden and uneK pecied
but be hoped ho Fou,i be able to undertake the
agency, and IT he did, he would 60 into i, with
I hs hole heart
Gov. Swain, Nj Horny and Mr. Cotton wer,
frequently interrupted BY applause
The resolutions wera unanimously adopted, tht
books opened, AMI handsome subscription AREA
dy obtained. God speed the good cons