Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-03-07
spEEcH OF J. u. HAUGHroN, ESQ.
OF cHATHAM,

Mr. SPEAKER The bill your table asks tn
endorsement by the State Of the bonds of the Cap
/ Fear and Deep River Navigation Company for $500,
700 for the purpose of completing the works 10 reil
! der the Cape Fear and Deep Rivers nayigabie
The enquiries that will naturally suggest them
selves the Legislature LIST. Is the improve
4 nient practicable? I'd. What Is it TO accomplish
I 81 Will it pay +!
| First then, am called upon to show the improve
practicable, for admit if it is not then ough
mot to receive the md of the Legislature. Fortu
nately, Mr. Speaker, enough has already been done
upon these rivers show beyond question that upoI
this point there should be longer any doubt, fol
at this very moment during period OF unprecedcnt
ed drought, there is ABUNDANT supply Of water at
every point where our works have been completed,
and good igation. This fact alone would seem
to bc sufficient put at rest all further doubt on
the sui cct but it will, if possible, appear In still
stronger point of view by .'arlng 1t with other
similar works elsewhere. Take for instance the
Lchigh Canal and Slack Water Improvement, the
most difficult portion of which executed upon
the plans and under the direction OF MIR. +. A uoug
lass the distinguished Engineer who has recently
amned our rivers and pronounced then the finest i,l
the world tor slack water navigation. On the Lehlgh
in a distance of taoentysir mites fall OF SEE
Hundred rect is to overcome, being something over
tuentythree feet to the miie while according the
high authority, III distance OF one hundred
miles these rivers there is fail of only two hun
drcd feet being only feet fall to tie m.1Ie. Again.
the foundations for locks and dams much
better than the Lehighal of ours being solid rock
except four, and even those better than the founda
tons of works elsewhere that have stood the test OF
" time and tide"
know Mr.. Speaker, that the apprehension has
been expressed that some of our dams too high,
and consequently will not be able for that
withstand high trcsletS but here again we have the
advantage OF the work referred to, for the highest
dam the Lchigh is So feet, while the maximum
height of ours is only about lS feet.
1t is sufficient to say that in the opinion Of Mr. Doug
las who, i'll the language of another distinguished Eli
a. a
equals and superiors i'll his profession; his exps-
rrnce in such works having been very extensive and
of the very best kind"-tlere is doubt about the
practcablity of this improvement, and that notwth
standing his great experience he did not hesitate to
pronounce these rivers the cery best for slack water
navigation, owing to their very uncomfortable fall
their high banks and teir fine rocky foundations and
the ample supplies OF the very finest stone for COLI
Structng the locks, the river banks. There Is Mr.
Speaker another important consideration that Should
not be overlooked Ill comparing our Improvement
with any similar one at the Norlu-therc they have,
Us we All know, not only to cncounrer the heaviest
reshcts, but what is infinitely more, huge of
ice the attacks oi which are lar more obstructive
But it can scarcely DC necessary to pursue this
branch OF my subject further. l Should not have
said this much but for the fact that OF those
whose interest OF prejudice has prompted them to
oppose this great WORK. have cndeaVorcd to produce
the impression thatlt 10 impractIcaOle. The answer
to which is the opinion OF those living
these rivers as expressed IN the numerous memorials
that have come up to Us and now your table.
Let these neutrality-suspicious. of men best acquant-
ed with the rivers and the works already
ed-et the strong appeal of the cntCrprising, ihte
gent and patriotIc citizens of " Ilmnglou answer
They with one voice call upon 10 complete this !
great work and to do speedily and the reason they
give Is that 1t Is emineny practlcaoc, and the most
Important improvement that has been project |
ed in the State, for the prosperity and grown of |
that city.
2. What is this improvement to accomplish?
This, Mr. Speaker, brings Inc to very interest ;
cp,l
and fully appreciated by tho people of
North Carolina-would, L believe, cause them to
mite and press forward and never stop
ill this work should be completed Indeed, Mr.
speaker, when We come to answer the enquiry, what
this improvement to accomplish, it is difficult to
the immense benefits that are to flow from
t. In the first place these rivers penetrate very
extensive regOn of the finest pine forest from which
OF thousands Of barrels Of naval stores
rill annually be taken and added to the growing
omnIcrcc OF W inIngton besides large quantities Of
lumber and timber 1t must also be remembered
hat in the region of our narigao. forests + the
NEST oak from the trunks of which will in a short
inc, be wrought large quantity of slaves wnilc
'om their roots will be taken k!,ecS for snip build
~. Our improvement will also bring to market !
urge Quantities of grain, flour and other agricultural
roducs, for 1t must not be forgotten that the
Y of Chatham which have the nDnor to represent
this floor, is the largest Whebt grouotg county en-
he Stute.
These various articles of commerce will in a very
mort time make the stock in this Company profit !
bic, and perhaps than that of any other
ork in the Stale; but when take into account |
he vast the untold mineral of the region
hich this improvement is to tevrlope, must be |
to believe that the stock i'll be the very
est i'll the country.
You aware, Mr.. Speaker, that this improve
tent penetrateS region vi the cory best COut in the
orld-a region that has been subject to the scien-
tic eye OF the first biologists in the country-such
en as a johnson, AN EnmOns, 4 Jackson and n |
of world reputation, who have
evoted their valuable lives scientific inyestea-
ons and discoveries and they all concur in one
olnlon, and that that the Deep River Coal fields
'ntain an incxhaustble supply of the finest coal
II commercial purposes, and Tor gas the best ever
It discovered not only this continent but in the
orld Until the experiment was made with our ,
al, the English regarded the best gas coal o
1t actual test has established the important fact
at the Deep river coal is superior to the English
a ton OF ours will yield s to compared with
at.
Some four years since the distinguished and lamen-
d W alter K johnson explored the Deep River coal
Slon for the purpose of ascertanng its extent and
neither 1t would justify large investment of capital
the purpose OF bringing it to market. After care
examination, that able Geologst came to the de- il
led conclusion that the coal was inexhaustible n
at Its extent was at least fifteen miles one to four g
lies in width, and he stated that he had reason to
lleVe 1t douby extensive. Subsequent exanina- v
ms, Mr.. Speaker, have not only demonstrated the
rrectness of the opinion then expressed by Profess
johnson, but it has been ascertaned to be far S
ore extensive than was then supposed | have
en- assured by MIR. McLane, the able and experi. a
ced mining Engineer of one of the coal compan- "
h.1,~