Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-01-24
c.rpsr,NCE OF THE REMARKS


P In to the argunents OF the Senators from Dr.
;gg9 ggs9, Wilkes and 1she, acao Gdcoclted changing
t"'J, G,,tt;ou of the Roud from Vest to Nortawest |
nc ~ tara . connection ,citA Tie Est Tennessee and
I;roiuia Road at JonesborouJt. ~
, frmer argu d that the line advocated by them |
lii .J cave distance in reaching point of conuec-
Nth the Virginia and Tennessee Road conpar- |
to. T,, tbc route through the French Broad Valley
'I tbe same end wou!d be attained.
o. To senator from Jackson admitted that distance
- in their favor compared to the French Broad
,,a hut contendcd that neither OF those routes
e;,,hcd suitable location tor the main trunk OF
m u' mr,,I That to enable it to compete with the
Ut, md East Tennessee road for through freight
s,vI location must be selected that wOald COM
a "nJ fair portion Of both, and that branch roads
u,,uIl also become necessary to acconno-
s,t the local freight and travel between those two
Great trunk lines. He urged the necessity OF the
slntion of prompt and energetic measures at this
.sI;on to guard against the consequences of being
S.ro,nJed by the railways of Virginia and South
S,aroI;na which he demonstrated would encrcc US
y" srrrv side in the next four or five years. Our
oOmmerce then, instead of finding outlets to the
,n through our own ports must seek outlets
kn,cb the ports of Virginia and South Carolina.
,n1 4hen our ports were deprived of assorted car
s for exports which would be furnished to Charles
e. and Norfolk by their connection with the west
rr norts were not connected with the valley OF
tbe Mississippi by line of railway short enough to
conpee with the line progressing west from Nor
ak the value of the stock in our roaits must DC
lrss than the cost of construction And the com
urcial city of Wilmington, with hArbor superior
IN that of Charleston, free from the Scourgc OF yell
law fever instead of becoming what she should be
rreat commercial city, mast become Tributary to
tine cities of Norfolk and Cha lesion, and occupy the
n,sition towards these cities which Fredericksburg
and Alexandria of Virginia occupy towards Baltl-
more But this not all, NeWbern and taycttc-
loSn ti,piri
tn.v now WERE ana the lic harbOr of Beaufort With
ont SUCH connection would never be able to advance
much beyond what she noN was Ill wealth and pop
Nation Already these cities pay more than one
t5lrd the revenue of the State lie conteni!ed that
by connection with the valley OF the MisSlss'ppl
BY main trunk line properly located, the popuis-
ton and wealth of our cities would DC q'ladriped,
and the revenue derived from that source would be
Increased i'll tile same proportion, while the lands
and village property throughout the State, with the
stocks in all internal improvements would be doub
led in value. And if State debt had to be created
to accomplish the object of constructing main
trunk line with live feet guag. winch Was
the guase of the railways iii the Mississippi
valley the money would be expended in the
State and the people would be better able to pay
large tax than they are now to pay small one lie
cntcIdcd that commercial interests had too long
ccd neglected under the policy which had prevail
ed Of locating improvements to favor the trans
krof trade from our xn ports the ports of neigh
boring States. Every railway that had been con-
sructcd in the State had been based on :his plan.
The Raleigh and Gaston the Wilmington and Ra-
leigh, and the Wilmington and Manchester all had
been located to accommodate travel instead OF freight
And when the North Carolina road was undertaken,
for which he with few other Democrats voted it
was soon found that in the Legislature of North Car
DINA, there were South Carolina and Virginia
patty that must be conciliatcd in the location, and
Notwithstanding its friends set out to build, what the
name implies North Carolina road, yet under the
influence of the South Carolina and Virg parties,
came near sharing the fate that had befalen
the Raleigh and Wilmington roads, its name CORES
ponled but little with its location.
In Raleigh the interest of the ports of Virginia,
represented by the Virginia party mad to join tracks
| fr Norfolk of the same guage which Norfolk and
Portsmouth to reap the benefits Of without be-
ins taxed dime for the construction OF the road
Then the road in search of capital, had to travel
within forty miles of DanyIlle, and then back to
South Carolina at Charlotte, thence to Charleston,
thus iTuring the policy OF transferring the produc-
tons of the centre of the State, from Fayetteville
and Wilmington, Newbcrn and Beaufort, to Charles
ton and Norfolk to the injury of the former. And
yet if any member urged the adoption of North
Carolina policy to protect and build UP seaports
BY main trunk line through the centre of the State
to be located along the line of the 35th degree o
latitude, connecting almost by an air line Fayette
vile, Wilmington, Newbern and Beaufort with the
okee county, and with Chattanooga, they were M
by the very powerful argument of commercial pre-
destInaton " trade uouM seek its Haturat cha"nek
am y IL was TO come t0 our ports 1t aoou1 cooat
&Msher facilities acerc furnished or not
The Senator from jackson contendud that this
doctrine of trade seeking its natural channels was
founded in error, that the ocean was the great mar
ke Of the world and the trade of the interior o
North Carolina would centre upon u central railway
" reach 1t, II transhipmentS We're avoided and pains
,aheh tO prevent the destruction of the main trunk
line by crossroads which would divert trade ane
uaSe when on its transit from the valley of the Mis-
SSSIpp to our Atlantic seaports He also allcgct
"at some OF the most important roads of Eng lant
Aad almost been destroyed by improper connection
with othe, roads
lie showed that North Carolina should complete
inc OF railway on the line designated and protec
" Mnstunwise legislation in future, by preventn;
parallel roads and improper connections. And that
W having upwards OF sixty miles the advantage
Ile Virginia and Tennessee road in completing tn
a""ay connection between Memphis on the Missis
spp' and the Atlantic ocean, fears need be enter
"a" aa"ea OF Its commanding three-fourths of the trad
~ " our own State, and by commanding fair propor
oi VI the through freight and travel North Carroll
o~ would not be under tile necessity of taxing he
r "n ctlzens and their trade to pay for building tn
bu bu But the sixty miles saved i'll distance coul
~ made to secure to the State bonus upon throug
s@ 'u anu tonnage of at least fifty cents upon tn
.er ana forty cents upon the latter, which, est
;hs the through freight and travel to be less tha
now upon the roads north of US, at 200 passenger
ia"a ooo tons OF freight per day would give dali
wG;"h Hhe o $3oo, and yearly income OF $lOS, ,5O(
ien would be sufficient to pay interest upon tn
s;t, ;p'ai necessary to build the road, and create
,h hAie 1und to discharge the whole debt in Lei
ta" " uifty years. But of course, this policy
r.n Ans Tile commerce OF Europe, and the Mississippi
Masy' and China, when the railroad shall reach 5