Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-04-06
Remarks OF MIR. Houston, of Dup1in,
IN the Fayetteville and Beaufort Railroad BiU

Having studiou ~ abstained from consuming the
time OF the House heretofore, trust may ask with
in punity, its brief indu gence while | submit few
remarks in favor of the bill under consideration.
The iheraity of the legislature, has hesn heavily
taxed by the propositions of the friends of the eastern
and western extension, but in voting for the amend
n,ent tn the charter of the North Carolina Road
thereby extending it east to Beaufort and by paving
the way for its gradual extension west to the Tennes
see line this legislature has done that which, in my
opinion will in time 10 come, secure to the State
store of wealth and prosperity that will cause US to
look back upon it with feelings of graduation and
pride
But sir, much as am inclined 10 laud the motives
and objects of those with whom this great scheme
ORIGINATED; favorable as | am to it-and sangune as
feel for its ultimate success, am sincerely OF the
opnon that it is insufficient, of itself, TO secure the
cherished object which the people of the State have
in view and erpect to accomplish by lis completion
that is the building up of commercial city at Beau
fort Harbor And why, sir! My reasons shall be
briefly given. The section of country traversed by
the North Carolina Railroad is admitted to be popu
Ious and productive and its citizens enjoy far and
wide reputation for intelligence and Mate pride
NV own acquaintance with them, though slight,
enables me, do with great pleasure, TO accord to
them this distinction. But, sir, while state pride
gives impulse to works of internal improvements
While an aversion to occupy Rip Van-Winkle posi-
ton among sister States prompts US TO activity
in building railroads, there is pocketprlde common
to US all that will compel US to leave tn 1se roads to
languish and decay, cause grass to grow up IN the
streets of those towns to which they lead and drive
us with our produce 10 other markets outside OF the
State. regard it axiom that trade like water
will seek its level and it we would change It's direc
ton must first check lis course by dammng lis
original current, and then furnish another channel
and another basin natural and capacious as the
former. Norfolk and Petersburg acceptable
to the central countless traversed by the North Caro-
lima road as any Eastern towns are-they are much
more convenient to the Northern and North Eastern
counties than any markets within the limits OF this
State, and while they continue to hold out these IN
ducemens and invitations, which now command the
trade of these sections is it not reasonable to pre-
sumo that they will continue 10 control II! Can we
expect the people of this potion of the State to feel
| the interest or anxiety for the welfare of our own
markets. that is felt by other sections Can we eX-
pect them, thus abundantly supplied, TO aid the
building up of new markets at pecunary sacrifice
Sir, it is vain to expect it. 1t is unreasonable and
perhaps uni us to demand their co cooperation, until
the concentration of other energies and resources
shall have built up market within our borders to
which transportation is cheap, at which goods
and groceries may be purchased as cheap, where
they may sell their Pork Flour, Bacon and Tobacco
for much they get elsewhere When this
is donewhen they consult their interest as well
that pride which such results would klnde IN the
bosom of every Caronian then may safely con-
clude that the current which sweeps the rich pro-
ducts of our State into Virginia markets, is perma-
nently damned up and that they will then be forced
to seek sale or shipment at our own ports Besides,
Sir, may not the same inducements take OFT from
Beaufort produce of the West See the gauntlet
to be by bag of cotton from Cabarrus
for instance before it reaches Beaufort. At Ra-
leigh it encounters the agents of Baltimore Nor
folk and Petersburg. Their eloquence in setting up
the superior advantages of their markets in all pro-
liability will triumph and take the trade, but
should Statepride stand stify and suddenly and
refuse to yield to the predominatng influence OF dol
lars and cents it proceeds on its way to Godsboro
where it encounters the influence OF Wilmington and
Petersburg. Passing this point it is next brought uE
at the ancient town of Newbern. Here it is con-
tronted with long dormant capital OF the ancient me
tropolis whose capitalists Jealous in rivalry with the
merchants of Beaufort make the last strong effort II
competition with that young daughter OF the Allan
tic. These large cities from their situation with
ference to the North Carolina road acquire decided
advantage Beaufort far off, and nerpOse sc
many points and localities at which produce may be
drawn off that cannot reasonably expect, by
of this single road to crafty the hopes and
) pectations of the people by building up CONNER.
cial City the Harbor Of Beaufort. Do we expect
to build city without trade or commerce? Can we
expect that commerce to be fed by the of com
munica'ion now supplied! Clear y not Sir Indeed
sir it is impossible TO build up city by means Of one
road alon" at any point. not supplied with water
communication with the interior unless that is en-
ployed in Transporting to that point not merely gen
eral produce, but valuable commodity, and that
commodity must be supplied in such quantities anC
TO that point alone for their supplies. Now sir il
Beaufort that point? Is the North Carolina road
I thst road If where is the valuable commo
dity to be transported For the sake of individual
, enterprise and the millions of dollars expended by
the State trust am mistaken but my religious opin
T ion is, that while Beaufort Harbor is the point thu
Fayetteville, Beaufort and Coalfe Road is the only
means and coal the only commodity that can be 81
concentrated as to attract shipping enterprise anC
!, capital, and thereby speedily accomplish what the
state, at great cost has attempted. My attention il
. called to Wilmington, town whose people | an
proud to claim as North Carolinians, town which
when her population numbered but little more thar
i three thousand conceived and actually executed thu
, monster design of building the present Wilmington
and Roanoke road That road has unquestionabl7
Il benefited Wilmington in various ways, her popuIa
ton has increased ten fold, he wealth in create
= ratio The improvements infused new life and &c
tivty into the energies of her people and stimulated
them 10 other enterprises But sir it must be remem
= bered that Wilmington had considerable commerce
and an extensive inland trade before that road wa
built. 1t must be remembered that she has her rive
= which with It's tributaries navgable for the distanc
u of SO and hundred miles to penetrate the sur
y rounding country and bring to her wharves, timbe
and slaves, articles that incapable of Railroa
- transportation and for which Wilmington must eve
- be the principle market in the State. Without tn
h Cape Fear, Wilmington with all her highways coul
- never have reached her present position and on tb
other hand had she the harbor of Beaufort feel tia
hazard nothing in the assertion that she would no,
~ have population OF fifty thousand instead of te
=, ~ thousand Beaufort has the harbor but no river
le We must supply the want which nature has dene
her by giving her another road, by charerng accord
ID ing to the bill now under consideration the Fayette
,e vile and Beaufort coalfeld road. And what, sir az
ID the objections to the bill am happy 10 learn thu
r. they are lew and very potent. The first obie
ton aedged is that it will conflict with the intere
of of the State in the North Carolina road Genteme