The North-Carolina standard., 1845-10-08
MISCELLANEOUS.'
THE NEUSE AND LITTLE RIVERS
From the Raleigh Star. .gsy.

THE NEUSE AND LITTLE RIVERS.
From the Raleigh Star. = .gs,..s
Internal Improrement-True Patriotic Spirit
Mr. LEMAY: The last General Assembly pass
ed an act compelling (not that they "may' the
County Courts to order hands to work upon GER
tain rivers and streams susceptible Of navigable
Improvement A law of more solid benefit has
seldom been passed. In pursuance Of this act, the
very worthy County Solicitor, Gen. G. w. HAY
WOOD, at May Term called the attention of the
County Court of Johnston to its administration !;
and in conformity to its requirements and the sworn
obligation of magistrates, the Court appointed a
committee whose duty was to district the river
Neuse and Little river, in Johnston, and to allot
10 each district the necessary number of the most
convenient hands with suitable ovcrseers; all Of
which the committee did and reported to the Au-
gust Term when their proceedings were confirm
cd by the Court and so ordered. In conformity
with all this, the different overseers commenced
operation in their various districts last week, and
it is astonishing AMI gratifying 10 sec the work
they have done, and contemplate the widespread
benefit that must result from this spirited move
mcnt That the public may have some idea Of
what is done, let me inform you that there were
four hundred and eighty hands on Neuse and one
hundred and sixty on Little river; and that in two
and three days they made such change, in the
removal Of distractions and impending trees and
limbs on the Neuse 10 the county line below, as
to surprise behoIdcr, and so great as to secure 10
this county the regular visits of Mr. Dibblcs steam
boat at every swell of five or six feet waller over
low water mark. This is truly source of pub
lie qualification, TO see labor freely bestowed on
public highway portant, not alone to those
who gave it, but to Il large portion of the State
back Of us, and especially to you of Wake and
RaIeigh-labor to an amount which, r bought
hired, could not have been obtained for less than
ten 10 fifteen hundred dolarsl Such, venture
to say, stands without comparison in our day.
In projecting this matter, and in the execution
of the work, 1t is cheerful TO observe how harmo-
niously all have moved together. The banffuI
influence of party was not known in this laudabe
undertaking. Its usual disregard to country and
to countrys welfare, in order 10 secure its own
temporary triumph, not permitted moments
thought in this execution. This small affair,
when compared to national policy, exhibits 10 the
man of reflection Il specimen Of what pnblic opin-
ion would accomplish for the honor, glory and
welfare of the country if that opaIon was released
from the ftttcrs that party casts around it.
The benefits of this work will last for an age.
They not only remove the present distractions 10
boating, but they belt many of the trees on the
banKs that they may gradually decay and float off
and give place to hedge of cane and reed that
will the better secure the banks from abrasion.
The Neuse has been supposed to be more easi-
ly improved by labor than any other river of The
State. Such was the opinion OF an eminent En-
ginecr employed by North Carolina some ycars
ago to survey our rivers, and to suggest such i'm
rIovcments in their navigation as was practicable
He made a survey of the Mouse, with report.
The river below this is narrow, bold, prrcipi-
tons stream, in places emarkably crookf d, but
with few or no natural imprdimcnts 10 ordinary
vigaLion and the work now done upon it will
at present be enough to show how easily il may
be permanently benefited, by small outlay even
to within seven miles of the Capital of the State.
The writer of this has not doubt but the time
will come when it will be so improved by locks
and dams to the mouth of Crabtree, as TO employ
steam power on II.
The writer has thought this communication
due to you, Mr.. L"mav, as well from its connec-
ton with the labor Of this and adjacent counties
and the agricultural improvement of the State, to
promote which you have commenced an able
journal, as well as for the notice that you have
lately taken of this very river in view of build
ing up our own towns and markets, at our own
ports and connecting the great trade of the West
tern counties with our Eastern markets. You
are right, sir; Neuse can be made the easiest
line of connection between hcsetwo sections, secur
ING to the West the benefits of various markets.
In this contemplation, there need be rival feel
ing between the towns of Wilmington and New
bern. Improve the Rirer properly and connect
IL a0iM a great Turnpike Road to he West and
each market asiU get its share ofthe trade Thou
sands of articles would take the Rail Road, when
they reached the intersection of the road and river
because suitable to such transportation for Will
mington whilst such as were more crude and
more suitable to water carriage would continue to
Newbern, and so in the return trade. r an. H.
The abundant quantity of ton timber pine on
the upper Neuse, say in Wayne, Johnston and
Wake, is vet untouched and will in time be Of
great value; indeed, it is so now, and most espe-
ciaIly, if the prices and measurement at Newbern
were the same as at Wilmington; and, by the
by, it would be very gratifying to large portion
of this community, if in the spirited editorials be-
tween yourself and the worthy Newbernian, that
paper would undertake to investigate or explain
this matter of ton timber prices and measurement,
so different at Newbcrn and a: Wilmington, that
whilst it is the most profitable kind of labor on
the Cape Fear, It is on Neusc not worth following.
The writer not long since heard ton timber man