The North-Carolina standard., 1849-08-15


scheme, is our determined purposes thrust, to
ry OUT r. 60 -
Some well meaning men place but little value on
any plan whose object is to promote the Commerce of
our own ports Such notions are not in keeping with
the opinions ofthose who have tasted the advantages
of trade and slight recurrence to the efforts made
by nelghbourihg cities to retain at least large por
ton ofit speaks language which cannot be misuIl-
derstood and shows what high estimate they place
upon it. .s. rls5 .-7Ef,F r.,. Tn sz,,!t ,.;,ar,H
The first, impulse given towards Rail Road build
ing in North Carolina was given by the Roanoke
Navigation Company. The object of this company
was to afford water transportation forthe produce of
the upper Roanoke, the Dan, and Staunton rivers to
Norfolk. AS soon the company had completed their
works at the great falls and the trade had taken that
directions the citizens of Petersburg, with
prise and energy truly laudabe, projected the first
Rail Road to the Roanoke, at Blakely s(situated a
mile or two below the lower outlet of the Roanoke
cana for the purpose of intercepting and bringing
back to themselves the produce now floating towards
Norfolk The citizens of the latter place. not to be
out-done in the competition for the rich boon of the
Roanoke trade, set about and accomplished what is
now known by the name of the Portsmouth and Sea-
board Rail Road, (which terminates Immediately at
the lower end of the canal the favorable point of
receiving the produce, since it there landed as
matter of necessity. Petersburg still competing for
the prize then projected and caused to be executed
what is called the Greenville road branching off from
their first road and rQnning some Is or lS miles to
the Roanoke at CASTOR, IL miles above the terminus
of the Portsmouth road and entirely above the canal
have been built the sake of securing the Roanoke
trade and remarkable fact that there at this
time three splendid Railroad bridges that great
and rapid streams within the distance OF some thirteen
miles. ~
Well: The people of Norfolk and Petersburg are
enlightened communities and understand thoroughly
the advantages of this trade and IT II is worth to
them the immense sums they have expended to Sc
cure it, doubtless it is, why is not the trade OF
middle and western North Carolina worth similar
expenditures to our town of Wilmington, to any
other which it shall be ultimately concentrated!
But the enterprise of our neighbours and our own
datorness, has we'll nigh putt out of our power to
do justice ourselves and it is greatly to be regret
ted that the measure proposed by the Legislature
had not been adopted long ago.
Advantageous as 1t promises to be, candour COM
pels to say that the object contemplated cannot
be attained to the full extent desired. The Vir
ginia roads which have been permitted to penetrate
the State several points the hand, and those
of South Carolina the other, must draw off no In
considerable portion of our products notwthstand-
ing the interest Of the State in relation to its
cia character must be greatly elevated by this measure
of the Legislature, whilst the competition between
markets and those of the neigbourng States
will be of such decided advantage to producers
in great measure to compensate the loss on the
transactions growing out of that portion of our pro-
ducts which may be carried abroad, for ultimate
shipment.
have said that the plan before us is the best that
can be devised for the attainment of the object in view
If there was fine navigable river flowing directly
from this place to the ocean, l doubt whether our
produce could be carried off more cheaply than by
the proposed road and il certainly could not be done
as expeditiously-a rapid exchange of commodities
is the life of commerce, and what possible means OF
facilitating their interchange is at all comparable
with the Rail Road! In England, where internal
improvements had been carried to the highest pitch
of perfection known before the invention of Railroads,
where canals and McAdamised Roads intersected the
country every direction. rail roads have been found
much superior for the purpose of nercommunl MICA
superseded
modes. The transportation of immense burthens at
the rate of from 90 to 60 miles per hour, has nothing
to compare with it in all the world. When the pro-
ject we have In hand shall have been completed,
farmer of Orange may mount the cars with his 10,
20, 80, 40 SO bbls. of -four in the morning. and
find himself in Wilmington at night; or If his ln-
clinatiop should so lead him IN Petersburg or Nor
fok in about the same time his crop sold and busl-
ness finished, he may be at home in another day.
To the industrious man time is money and What an
immense saving Of time is made, as compared with
the present mode of going to MARKET which requires
fortnight or three weeks of exposure to the cold,
and rain and mud of winter, to the heat and dust
of summer. How many cheerless, solitary nights at
the camp, the bleak road side will be avoided, and
how many anxious sighs and heartfelt longings for
the comfortable freside of home and cheerful smiles
of its happy inmates will be saved and, may add,
how many untimely deaths the consequence of such
exposure! -... .s .-..,.. ..-... 49,, e.,
Among many striking advantages of rail road trans
portation, mentioned in distinguished foreign peri
odica, remark which is peculiarly interesting
to our country and to our State especially. Ithas
been clearly ascertained that the same amount of
commercial business can be carried on, in conse-
quence of the quickness Of interchange by rail roads
with vastly diminished capitals, as compared with
those found necessary before their introduction.
This advantage consider one of great importance
in country where monied capital is scarce, and
where industry and intelligence are abundant Our
enterprisng young will find in this fact great
incentive to exertion, and their parents sufficient
reason for aiding literally in efecting work. which
will materially lessen the burthen of-settlng up
their sons in business. If the same amount of busa
ness can be done with half the capita it is manifest
that double the profit can be made with given
amount of capital. Thus large profits will excite
competition, and in the end the whole community
wilI:be benefited by reduction Of prices. ' ~
But the most obvious and Important advantage
which will grow out of the proposed rail road pro-
ect is the great reduction it will effect in the cost of
transporting the productions of the country to market,
which will necessarily result. Let us examine this
part of the subject somewhat in details The cost of
hauling barrel of flour from Hillsborough to Will
mington to Petersburg is usually 81 The value
of the article at the shipping port Is $3.50 that
the producer gives expends (f he IS his own car
rer) one-hird of his crop to get it to market hat
enormous loss is this it is utterly runous to the
interest," and accouats for its depression
in middle and western North Carolina: The Gem
trail Rail Road of Georgia carries flour for 40 cents
per bbl distance of I76 miles. If our road should
something less to get barrel 10 Wilmington, the
distance being less but suppose from or
other should not be able to carry for less than SO
cents per bbl we shall still dollar per bb,
and if we suppose that of the 800 free holders OF
Orange county, as it stood before the diFislon,)