Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-08-30
For the Journal.


MEssRs. EDIToRs-I have looked for an answer to
my communication of the 10Th of July last, on the
subject of Plank Road from the Northeast branch
of the Cape Fear River to the Richlands in Onslow
county, that Contained the general sentiments of the
people of that portion of the County which the Plank
Road is expected to benefit have read commu-
nication in the Journal of the I'd of August sign
ed OsMoND, which communication, am persuaded,
does not express the true sentiments of the great
mass OF the people of that portion of the County,
OSMoND says that it would have been better if the
people of Onslow had been reminded of their msfor-
tunes in regard to their water two years ago
and then, perhaps their members to the Legislature
would have favored the improvement of New River,
and obtained appropriation to that effect" Well,
perhaps they might. But two years ago their men,
cries, like the present, needed no jogging and two
years before that in the Legislature of 1861 their
members got an act passed for the improvement of
New River, by removing the rock shoals in said Rv-
er and improving the Inlet And in the preamble
of said act it says, there are many people willing to
aid the enterprise, by contributions of money-and
obtained charter for a navigation company for that
river, by the and style of the New River Navi
CATION Company commissioners were appointed and
authorized to open books of subscription for the pur
pose of receiving subscription to the amount of twen
ty-fve thousand dollars; tolls laid, &C., but
from some mperfection of the act or other cause
the project failed; and l now constrained to be-
Heve that all hope of improving New River is
lost. The strong petition lately sent up to Con-
gross cannot possibly meet with any favor unless
it is to make Jacksonville port of entry and appro-
pirate money for the building of lighthouse and
establishing buoys, &C., at the mouth of the river
though it is highly susceptible of improvement.
OsMoND says the people of Onslow are too much in
the notion of clearing out the mouth of New River
to aid in building Plank Road. But to come to the
point know it is to the advantage of the mercan-
tile class of that County to keep that River obsruc
ted and in obscurty, for the purpose of specializing
upon the labor of the farming class the merchants
and large planters all the vessels that sail in
that River, and keep them employed with their own
business, and thereby compel the farmers to sell their
Naval Stores and other produce at bad market for
the want of better facilities. OsMoND says true they
make large quantity of produce for market, but
the most of is shipped and the freight is but tr
file more than it would be to the Northeast River
Well, cannot te II what the freight might be upon
the Road but the great beauty of the thing is that
the poor man and common farmer can take his eight
barrels of turpentine with horse, and travel off
on Plank Road with perfect ease and put his load
where it will 60 to market at 81 cents per barrel,
and return without having to pay any freight except
the usual tolls upon Plank Roads OsNIoND SAYS that
we folks in Onsow know but little about Plank
Roads, except the information derived from my COM
muncation; that the Road proposed will cost about
one thousand dollars per mile and that is enough
brighten If that be the case, I am afraid that
the New River and Plank Road projects will both
fail. But would like to renew my suggestion to
the people of Onsow County, the propriey of OBJ
tanning charter at the coming Legislature for a
Plank Road from Exeter Sand Hills, on the Northeast
River, to the Richards, in Onslow County. would
also like to extend the consideration of the project
the people of Jones and Craven Countless for the ex-
tension of said Road to Newbern, but feel myself
confined to my former suggestion. The place sug-
gested on the Northeast River is high, airy, and
convenient place for depot, where the main New
bern Road and River within one hundred yards
of each other and within about thirty miles of Viii
mngton by land, and, perhaps double that distance
. by water.
would inform my friends in Onslow County that
am not actuated by any selfintercst in writing
the subject of Plank Road, as live within three
miles of the River and if benefited at all by the
project, it would only be by the creating of brisk
steamboat navigation up river and thereby save
me and the citizens around me from considerable
amount of boating and rafting up and down the riv
err. HOLLY SHELTER.
In answer to the numerous enquiries whether OF
not we have yet found soft place to fall anC
'make mouths at the result of the late election ir
this State, have the pleasure to inform the curl
GUS that we have-found place soft downy pill
lows are-ay, soft as mush and that place is thu
head or skull of the Editor of the Hillsborough Dem
Ocrat.-Mlton Chronicle.
We guess the Chronicle man has been busy lately
in making mouths at some of his neighbours elst
he would hardly be soft in his upper story, as tt
find soft place" in " the head or skull of the Ed
itor of the Democrat" What's the matter, Mr.
EVANS? Has the late democratic triumph upse
your craneum! Keep COOL keep cool
Hon. David S. "a.
This gallant democratic republican, Governor cleo
of this State arrived in this place Wednesday last
His health, which had been much impaired by tn
labors of the campaign, and which Frustrated il
the Mountains, by severe attack of Illness is in
great measure restored
While his demeanor is as modest as ever, he wear
with grace and dignity the laurels of the gloriou
umph with much GOODNESS as he bore his forme
defeat. Though grateful for such unprecedente
support from intellgentpeopl his personal eleva
ton seems not to have excited in him other feen
than heartfelt qualification at the triumph of thOs
republican principles which he has advocated wit
so much ability ardor and discretion. He expresse
his views national & State policy without reserve
and, in a conversation with him, we learned enoug
to enable us to say that should majority of tn