Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-01-22

Every riII and branch and creek and rlVer will
pour in its tribute to swell the mighty current J
and by the time it reaches Raleigh 1t Will be IN
deed a torrent! Think oft for moment LOOK
at the counties OF Orange, Aiainahce; hahu OPP
GuiIfr5 Stokes. Forsythe, Davidson, Surry, adj
kin Dayie. Cabarr,ls Rowan, Iredell, Alexander,
Catawba. Lincoln, Castor, Rutherford, Cleave-
iIonJ Rurke Mcdowell, Caldwell, Wilkes, Ashe
and Wataura on this side of the mountains; every
acre of each one can be titled to advantage, ana
every article of produce made in each tor Market
will have to 90 OYER the Central railroad. from
each will go corn wheat, TOBACCO nay os's' rye;
fruits potatoes, WOOL butter, cheese, DC, DC and
to each in return will pass over the Central road
all the sat- sugar. moasses, dry goods, DC, which
they use.
It is no exaggeration to suppose that the exports
of these counties, by the time the road is compile
ted will amount to some eight or ten millions OF
dollars, their imports to six or eight millions ; and
we know that the completion of a road through
their midst will very soon double and treble their
productions Then, sir, will the vast water-power
of the country be turned to account; and then
will be great accession of business on the road,
fabrics going from the factories to the markets OF
the world, and the raw materials coming IN.
This is slight Wow of the els montana trade
and then let us look across the Blue Ridge to that
magnificent and fairy land which lies beyond
Where is more beautiful a more grand or invit-
scenery its delicious climate, its delightful attrac-
TONS To the pleasurehunter, the invalid, the mi
neralogist and botanist it is the most interesting
country in the world audall sir, that it needs to
bring to it. annually, of such people, is the
means of getting there.
Now, sir, look eastward from here. We behold
vast level, ONCE covered by the sea- and lettri
by its receding waters.
There is no soil to compare with it ; but, sir, the
l. vol, 1la
an agricultural country have also at certain
sons rendered it unhealthy. 1t is. no disparaagment
to say the country is unhealthy at particular times,
and if it were not sir it would have too many adj
vantages.
Now the inhabitants of this rich country in
the habit of leaving home in the summer for health
and pleasure and at the watering places OF Nlr-
ginia, at Saratoga, and at all the cities and bath
ING places of the North they are found in droves,
money which they realieze from their exuberant
crops their fisheries and forests of Cypress and
Juniper.
Suppose our railroad to the Tennessee line were
completed: why the summer tourists alone from
our eastern counties would almost sustain the road
while they would save at least half the sums they
annually spend, in finding health and pleasure
nearer horne, their money, with interest, return
ing to them every spring in orders for fish and
oysters.
| know, sir, that our eastern fisheries are very
extensive andimI oEtaIt among the mos.important
in the world-but, sir, give us the means of get
ting at them from the up country, and III agree 10
engage every shad, herring and rock caught in all
eastern waters, every year and at cash prices.
The railroad will bring the Blue Ridge down to
the Atlantic-space will be annihilated, and the
mountains will dip their bases and reflect their tall
shadows in the broad waters of the Pamlico Fish
al a. h.
thrown on the tops of the mountains aud while
all your fish and oysters would thus be purchased
by your own money, your young folks and your
old people, your invalids, your pleasure-hunters,
your school boys and your young ladies would
swarm through our mountains and every hill and
valley, every rugged steep and fairy dell, be peo
pied in summer months with gay parties and
musing loungers.
And, sir, this mountain region is not important
merely as place to 90 for health and comfort in
the summer: it is one of the richest mountain re-
gions in the world, Astounding in mineral, and ag-
ricultura resources, with water power to turn all
the machinery of the world, and timber enough to
build it, with rich pastures, natural meadows and
magnificent fruits.
But, sir, there is another point in which to view
this matter. speak Of duties statesmen
to the people of this fair upland and mountain re-
gion. They are GU: off from the markets of the
WOfIQs ana Hnle Lnclf productions are ScDeTtlIy
of bulky character they have to be hauled in
wagons to market, and generally hauled distance
of at least hundred miles.
The difference in freight by wagon and railroad
is two thousand per cent, nearly
that that is while it costs ore dollar or one dol
lar and fifty cents per ton of freight for every 100
miles on the railroad it costs twenty dollars by
wagon.
And, sir, two tons are very heavy wagon load
and for every ton so hauled, there must be a good
wagon and five or six spirited horses. This is
slow as we'll as expensive way of going to market;
but a very few of the kinds of produce made can
be so transported, and the price of these may
change FIVE six times before they get to their
destination. Thus people have no inducement
to improve their lands and it is familiar fact
with us, astonishing as it may be to you, sir, and
to our eastern rienns that it is harder to sell than
to make.
We do not cultivate half the kinds of produce
that we can raise in abundance and of the arti-
cles that we raise, we do not produce the tenth
part of the amount that we would, if we could
get it off our hands. This is our great trouble;
it takes one half of the year to get off what we
make during the other.
We will suppose that the price for hauling by
wagon Is cents per hundred weight for 100 miles;
and suppose that it will generally equal in value,
according to weight, the article of flour.
When flour sells at So per hundred, the cost of
getting to market is exactly one-fourth of the
value Of the article hauled and putting this as the
1 Il Al al,