Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-12-31
The PinsLan counsry.

3 Circumstances among which stand most prominently
our Plank Road improvements, have opened the eyes
of the public TO the immense value of pine forests
and sandy lands There are few among us who
have long entertained proper idea of their value,
(among whom we may name the Hon. Robert Strangely
but with the public generally they have been so little
appreciated that within our knowledge any number
Of thousands of have been sold at from one cent
to twenty five cents acre. Now some OF the same
lands bring from one TO FIVE dollars an acre. Indeed
we have heard of sale that exceeds even this. A
large BODY of pine land sold for taxes. years
ago. and brought three dollars and half. The same
property has been sold within few days without any
proyement whatever for Eight thousand Dollars
There be question, that within the last three
years the lands along the line of the Fayetteville and
Western Plank Road in this county, Eve cannot speak
so confidently TO other counties, haze risen
lue far more then the cost Of that road through the
county, And this is speculative rise, but is forced
upon the public spite of prejuces, by the intrinsic
value of the productions Of those lands. The country
for sixty miles, has been thrown open TO the pr'duc
ton of various articles which previously could not be
brought to market We may instance Turpentne, which
is too heavy for transportation long distances over
bad roa4s. But upon The Plank Road number OF Dis
tleres have been put up, and now gong up sr
tn miles from this place When the immense profit oil
the turpentihe business is considered, may well
feeitate the country work which has opened al
least fifty of those sixty miles 10 its production.
In addition to the rise of land being sufficient TO pay
VI
business, to the consequent occupation OF every dwell
ling and STORE and shop and 10 the manifest improve
ment in the price of real estate in this town. These
advantages would compensate for The money invested
in the Road, even If the stock worthless. Bu'
so far from that, it is good or 8 per cent stock
and worth its cost in the market.
Ii is not here only that such effects are produced
We conversed a few days ago with gentleman who
visited Charlotte, N. c, twice receny,-once week
before the South Carolina rail road opened to that
place, and once three weeks afterwards. He says i
was not the same place at ALL Where every thing
looked dull and nanimate on his first visit, all was
hustle and activity on his second The streets were
! full of wagons, with abundance of produce every
place of business occupied. But it was not In
town only that the change visible. In the coun
try around, few years ago, almost every body wa:
ready TO sell land for little or nothing and scarce
anybody wanted to buy Now lands are in demand
at unheard of prices for that section of the State.
Shall not such results as these encourage US TO un
dertake that far more inn ortant work, Rail Road
the Coal Mines' Who can doubt that the advantages
of this improvement would far exceed those of The
Plank Roads we have already accomplished? And i
Soft the expenditure of half million of dollars will
increase the value of property at least half million
and still leave the stock in the rail road worth its cos
who can hesitate to put his shoulder to the work p
Let accomplish this work, and Fayetteville will ye
realize all the prosperity (which most sangune ho
pes have pictured. Fayetteville Observer.