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

Butthe great difficulty thrown IN o6r way by theSt
who are opposed tn the road is the 3O00,O0O ofdol
lars it isto cost If we look around and see wha
all the rest of the world are doing the subject o
rail roads-if we consideEthe immense sums which
are laid out for every civilized
country OF the globe, and still oppose this project OF
account Of its cost, shall assume to ourselves
degree of sagacity and prudence which, 1feaf does
not belohg Us, not unInixed with an unreasonable
degree Of santy,n suppesng that all the restof te
world are WRONG and going headOng0 to rnin, willis
we alone are pursuing the pathway to an enght
ened economy What is two Inillionsof dollars fol
North Carolina to spend, and million for her ci
izens ediately interested in this work 2 Ieanno
say what amount is laid by sister Statesy
rail roads, because have the statistics hand
for reference. Every one knows, however that ila
mense sums haVesbeen7expended by them on those
ohjects; but can give some idea of what is being
done relation to rail roads in England by people
as1distinguished for wise and economical admihs-
tration of their affairs any other the face of the
Lord Bfougham in late speech in Parliamentssta.
ted that 1888 millions had been invested in rail roads
in England, and that GIT millions more would have
to be Paldup to make good existing subscriptions.
Thus 1t seems that one thousand four hundred and
seventy six millions of dollars have been subscribed
to rail road schemes in country the of which is
almost identical with that of North Carolina one
measuring 49, 400 square miles, the other 4S, ,0O0
and in which, have said before, every facility
for intercourse, personal and commercial known be-
fore the invention of rail roads,, had already been a
forded the public. Shall hesitate about the ex-
Pendture of % 100000 Shall we alone stand still
the great career of States and nations for the prize
of wealth, and power, and comfort, and happiness
If wetdo shall richly deserve the odious cogno-
men which has been so unkindly and unjustly fixed
upon us. Two millions is but small matter for the
State TO expend itcan be paid and no man will feel
the poorer for i-need not in fact be called upon if
the finances are jndiciousfy. managed. How many
of us feel the amount pay for common schools
even know how much is paid annually by the State
towards them Very few, presume; yet so large a
sum as $780, 900 is paid and no one feels it OF even
cares about it--at least no one complains about it.
Shall then sickle about $780, 900, the interest
the subscription of the State, and all she need pay
until the road gets fully into operaton when in all
probability the tolls will begin diminish both prn
cipal and interest-will in due time extnguish the
debt, and ultimately be source of revenue to the
State --sys ..;t:-- l.... ~. ...-. ~. +. -
1t may be objected that the CASTOR road is failure
and adverse argument drawn as to the success of
this. think such an inference would be very un-
just. There are two conditions, one or the other of
which is indispensable to the of Rail Road
in this country 1t must connect two points at which
there large accumuatlons of produce merchan-
die for transportation. it be link in great
line of travel. The CASTOR road has neither advan-
tage its southern terminus is at inland town af-
fording market for produce, and ii has connec
tion south, with any other road. The inability of
those interested init to procure its extensionto South
Carolina by the way of Fayetteville, to get turn
pike or other road from the through which the
produce of that section might be drawn it, is the
true f1he failure of the company and the pres
ent state of the road. Had the measure we are now
engaged about, been adopted by the Legislature i'm
mediately upon the completion of the CASTOR road,
have doubt it would now be- the full tide of sue
cess. One of the great advantages Of this work is,
that will resusctate and give vitality to t Gas
ton Road.) Ientertan the opinion that the proposed
road will pay fair interest. When consider that
it will be link in the great chain of roads that unite
the remote parts of the Union; that it will be the
route, connecting the capitals of large
cities of nearly all the Atlantic States, and ta it
will be located in healthy and delightful climate,
we have good reason to believe that the travel of all
he middle and uPcountry of the south and southwest
even far as north as Nashville Tennessee will be
attracted to it and when consider the rich count
rY, through which it will pass and the probable
amount of produce that will be carried on it, and The
way travel from village to village, / think there can
little doubt it will pay fair interest the invest
nent. do not, however, consider 1t Indispensable
that State Road should pay interest in money. on
the capital invested in the construction of it, although
i is certainly desirable that it should think the
State is sufficiently compensated when, a public work
promotes the interest and commerce of its citizens
and keeps itself in repair. planter who builds an
expensive caaseway through some boggy swamp
which intersect' his estate and enabled thereby
pass with his teams high and dry, where he was be-
fore up to the hub in mud and could scarcely pass at
ALL, everdreams of per cent. on, the money, eX-
pended on the work. but is perfectly satisfied with
Ne of his estate In consequence and SO it should be
with the State in relation to the proposed roads If
she promotes the public interest," reduces the of
of produce from 35 per cent to 9, in
creases the commerce of the State and thereby its
wealth, levels the distinctions in thesway of manu-
featuring enterprise, and harmonlses and unites in feel
ing and Sentiment the estranged and scattered mem
1ers of her remote sections- she has done all this
she will have done in the instance of the project
before us, when consummated, she will have nothing
10 regret on the score of per cent interest; but
will be satisfied, and will rest quietly and proudly
On the achievement. 80 ~ -, -
The location Of the road is subject Of the utmost
Importance, but one which will be decided on by the
stockholders general meeting by the directors,
IN both of which bodies the State will have con-
rolling influence. shall not therefore enter upon it
It large, but merely suggest that the policy of the
State and the interests of the company clearly point
% route which shall nearly coincide with that on
which the mail stage runs at present Although tits
something longer than the direct route it will cost
less money, from the difference in the character of
he country along the two routes. The direct passes
over broken and mountainous region, and is inter-
,ected by great number of streams-tRe stage-Ioute
or the most part heads those streams, and will pass
through comparatively level country. 1t will con
1ect the towns of Salisbury, Lexington, Greensbo-
ough and Hillsborough and being more to the north
will attrack produce from the counties lying
he Virginia line, and leave wider scope Of country
% the south for the support of the Cape Fear navi-
cation and the Plank Road to Fayetteville. These
considerations, think will be decisive of the ques
ion. q Z ga. 80. tn'7'', .. v' sat -
J. IsrEREsr1NG FoREIeN ITEMS. A medical man,
writing from Paris, during the late visitation of cho
,fa says that nothing checked the disease but the
appearance of violent storm, with much thunder
ind lightning. At the two last meetings of the Aca-
lemy of Medicine, nearly all the members, with M.
Vepeau, the President, agreed that the cholera was