The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-08-17
Internal Improvement.
Letter Of Gov. Swain.
To Governor Morehead. Chairman Of the Erscp
tire Committee Of the Salisbury COnrsnfion.

ROME, Ga. 22j June, lS49.
NY DEAR SIR: arrived here last
night, and avail myself of the first day s
pau-e IN my J1uinsy TO present, 10 com
p'ia0ce with your request, my views upon
some OF the topics which we're discussed IN
the Salisbury Convention.
/. viii three millions Of dollars, the sum
contemplated by the charter, be sufficlent
10 construct and equip the road! confess
that VIXEN my attention was first turned to
this inquiry, entertained serious miseiv
ings upon the sui ject. ! have availed my.
self Of every reliable source Of information
within my reach, and at presen, entertain
no doubts about il.
| have travelled fvo times over the main
stem of the Georgia Rail Road extending
from Augusta to atlanta III miles, with q
branch from Union Point TO Athens of 80
miles. making the aggregate length Of 2l0
miles.
The distance from Charlotte pid Saisbu-
ry and Raleigh to Goldsboroush by the road
ord nariy travelled, is abou, the same dis
lance, (2l0 miles.) The letter from Judge
King. President of the Georgia raul road,
blch read TO the Convention, and copy
Of hlch communicate herewith, is TO my
mind entirely satisfactory. The inquiries
submitted to him, have been proposed TO
many intelligent persons familiar With such
sui jects, and have found no one from
Camden to this place who dis,'us's his as
cur.cy.
On my presen, journey | passed over he
first 1870 miles from Augusta, in the night.
The SO miles Of road from the Social Circle
10 Atlanta are constructed over q country
more u!ieu!atine, presenting deeper ravlnes,
ma's fe?uen, 'edg ard larger masses Of
rock than will be found in the mos, Difficult!
section Of our road, happened to find two
gentlemen in the cars, one native Of Gull.
ford, the other Of Chatham. residing a,
ptesen. in Mississippi aud Georgia. both Of
Them much more Familiarity acquainted With
the country between Ilaw River aud Ra
leigh than myself, who concurred with me
IN oyiriou, this, the difficulties 10 be encoun.
ler>d east OF Ha~ River are bs 90 means so
great, as those which have been overcome
On the Georgia Road.
| 1t IS almost superfluous TO remark, that,
The same amount Of labor can al all times
be performed for less money With US than
here, on account, Of The comparative cheap
ness of wages and provisions, and the great
ef salubriiy Of our climate. The slaves en-.
gagged 10 these operss..i;GGaa.. iG 5 Georgia are
J At preset nlred at aD average price of 90
| Dollars per annum. lf,ten. such road as
that described by Judge King, can be bull;
and equipped for SIP 500 per mile in Geor.
| gis, tina, sum will be found ample with us.
The line Of rail road between Raleigh and
Goldsborough will more probably exceed
than fall shor, Of the distance by the road
ordrsrlIy travelled. Suppose then instead
of 2 0 i, proves 10 be $50 miles in length
It will be perceived that ae will have some.
hing more than SIS 900 per mile.
The branch road from Kingston TO this
place, completed about SIX months ago, is
bu; 5 miles in length and cos, with all the
appur,enances about $1,000 per mile
The nett profits for the first BALI year are
equal to four per cent. The President Of
the company is a na,lye North Csrollnian,
shrewd man, whom | have known ia
miliatly from my boy hood, and is one Of
many competent persons who have express.
ed to me the confident belief, that the anti,
cipa,ions Of Judge King, under judicious
management, will be fully realized. Ma.
nv errors productive of heavy losses, were
committed en- ell the roads in this State, 10
the infancy Of The system, which experience
all enable US to avoid. In the construc.
lion of the Raleigh and Castor, and vii
mingron and Raleigh rail roads, We have
purchased some knowledge at high price
and OF our blunders we're Of small moment
compared with Georgia and South Carroll
ne errors. The former endeavoted 10 es
cape from her perp|exnes BY suspendng
all operations in her gtea. woT k-the W es
tern and Atlanta rail road-direc.ing /, t
be sold 10 the best bidder, al price not les
than a million of dollars. Fortunately fo
, her best interests, no purchaser could b.
obtained and after the embankmenls hat
, been greatly injured, bridges burned, ant
superslructures decayed, her Legislature
was induced TO enter with increased energy
upon her great enterprizs. She has nov
! abou, eco miles Of road in successful ope
: ration, her scrip is at par, her rail roa'
stock is generally at premium, che ha
; me Of the best devised systems of ln,erna
' improvements in the Onion, and if not S
already, promises q, no distan, day to b
the most magnficen, of the Southern States
i In December, 1887, the Georgia ri
y road Terminated at Greensbofough, SO mile
9 from Augusta. The Western and Allan.
l. road, beginning in The Wilderness at wha
q is now the aourishing town Of Atlanta, 2
N miles beyond Greensborougb, vas grade
., nearly TO the Tenuessee line. trAvelle
in the cars TO Greensbotough, ard in stage
y along the proposed line Of road TO Cas-
d vile. came 10 the conclusion at the cls'
'e of my journey, that majority of the Pc
o pie in North Western Georgia not mersl
q, believed tho, the road never would {
u could be completed, but were anxious f
tho immediate abandonment Of IN impra
an ,;r,h,e and visionary scheme. The e.