Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-07-18

make the charge we look little more matter In
the year 1885, the Legislature chartered Wilmington and
Raleigh Railroad, to terminate point in the vicinity
of Raleigh. At the session passed the for
charterng the Raleigh and Castor Railroad and at the
session the charter of the Wilmington road amend
ed to allow the stockholders to change the terminus
from the city of Raleigh point the Roanoke.
Why this change for who purpose? Was to gain the
tobacco trade the Roanokthe great staple of this section
of the State Not so, you will perceive. The Roanoke
tobacco has gone and viii continue to go to the Virginia
markets. The Wilmington road terminates at Weldon,
where the Roanoke Canal also terminates and he doubt
cd if single hoghead of tobacco had been carried
that roadto Wilmington he wshe could be otherwise but
it could not be- long the Virginia markets maintained
their present high character regards the article tobacco
Now, said Gen. s., Grocery Market, the Whining
ton Market possessed superior advantages from her West
India trade The tonnage of Wilmington according to the
returns of 1850 upwards of 5000 tons, whilst that of
Richmond and Petersburg BOTH only about 600 Butt
he again asked for what purpose did the stockholders of the
Wilmington road desire co. not to Raleigh but to the Ri
Roanoke? The charter itself has oldus Its words
th the of connecting ,ci the Petersburg aud Nor
folk Railroads. Now, said Gen. S., the friends of the Gas
ton road do complain of this The people of Raleigh do
complain because the stockholders find to their
interest form this connection if the people of Whining
their advantage, either with the view of trade
for mail facilities in the of all that is just let them
it, But certainly whilst they enjoy themselves,
let them wish to deprive the friends Of the CASTOR road
of the privilege That all whto have the right
doing by way of the CASTOR road what is done by the
Wilmington with the Petersburg and Norfolk
road. When they shall discontinue this
connection then they with little consistency call
upon do likewise; certainly there be greater
of State pride North Carolinan going
burg by way of CASTOR than by way of Weldon
This is the portion of Gen. SAUNDERS Warrenton
speech, in which alluson is made to the Whining
ton and Raleigh Railroad. We wish to give the
true history of the circumstances therein alluded to,
that readers may judge how far it differs from
the Generals account. Of course could not have
been personally cognzant of the progress of the af
fair but the sources of our information are beyond
question.
In 1888, charter was obtained for a company to
build railroad from Wilmington to Raleigh-these
two towns to form the terminal points. The people
of Wilmington were earnest in their endeavors to
raise the stock, and subscribed very large amount
in proportion to the then capital of the place They
used every argument to induce the people the line
of the proposed road to take stock and every posi-
bic appeal was made to the people of Raleigh to do
the same The country a direct line from Will
mington to Raleigh has sparse population, and lit
tie surplus capital and thus the effort to raise
! the stock was thrown upon the two towns forming
! the VI the lOdui dItu VIM was
Wilmington with not at that time half the uninvest-
ed capital of Raleigh, subscribed little over three
hundred thousand dollars while Raleigh, the propo-
sed head of the road subscribed only .fre hundred
dollars! (S500D Something less than twelve thou
sand dollars was taken in Wake county, but five
hundred dollars the whole amount taken by cit
liens of Raleigh, and that by man, Mr. SMITH,
who is still generous and patriotic friend of North
Carolina Improvements!
Under these circumstances, a proposition was made
to Wilmington, first by the citizens of Wayne, and
afterwards by those of Edgecombe Nash and Hall
fax, to run the road in their direction and some
from Johnston. Lenoir and Greene into their
views, and it ascertained that the road could be
run over and through the most productive counties
of the State, among people who were willing tt
aid in the grand enterprise. And instead of urging
the reaching Virginia markets reason for chang
ing the direction, the only reason urged upon the
Legislature was that it would enable those counties
f to reach Wilmington The line of the road through
these counties paid for building it in that direction
100000, more or less and the balance of the indi
=. vidual stock was taken in Wilmington The fore
going is history which Gen. SAUNDERS knows to b.
true for he actor the railroad stage ever
5 then. He knows that the of the change, wa
because the people of the lower route would assist
building the road. while the people of Raleigh woul
vt not Although Raleigh could only give five hun
d dred dollars to road to reach Wilmin gton, it
d ainly subscribed literally for connection with Pc
,e tersburg.
1t The General is mistaken in another point as
lie the proposed freight road reason fc
l. the change. 1t was argued that the Roanoke toba'
II co could and would go this road to Wilmington
IL and the books of the Company show that Thousand
of loads of tobacco have gone the whole lengt
e. of the road, and been shipped at Wilmington. An
Id moreover, other freights daily brought tt
be road and sold shipped at Wilmington, from poin
or nearly hundred miles further from Wilmingtc
it than Petersburg
G. 1t is true the projectors of the road expected th
their principal prof:s would arise from the commar
of the great line of travel North and South but IL
road would never have received the amount of aid
VI did from the farmers but for the desire they hi
he of reaching market at Wilmington and there
reason to believe that the lliberal'' dispositit
o. of patriotism in favor of State work.
10 These things are long past, and do not no
4 allude to them for the purpose of awakening
,g wing unpleasant feelings but simply to place thin
N in proper light, and to yindicate the community
E. Wilmington from the charge of = illiberality.'
H. hope that hereafter several towns may vie wi
~ each other in their earnestness in the promotion
& North Carolina works of improvement, without al
other rivalry than such may conduce to their