Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-12-05
rne onne Fear and Deep river Navigation.


We do not again refer to this work for the purpose
of again finding fault with 1t or lis managers
Some of these latter we know and see almost daily
and we feel certain that they agree with Us that
something has been wrong and that something ought
to be done. What this something is or ougn' TO Oe'
is the question. It is 10 the future we propose to
look not to the past Or if to the past only lot tue
nurnose of using its and wrong movements as
beacons 10 warn US off from the same shoaiS ahu
ouicksands upon which its hopes have been wrecked
That there has been Encouragement OF the most eA
traordpary character cannot be doubted oy any man
who has watched the affair from lis start before ground
was broken upon the Central Railroad, up 10 the
nresent time when the last named immense
work is. and has been for considerable leng'h
of time, in operation, while this WORK IS S'i',
rr6nished still in a cloud, still in doubt and
distraction And vet we have laid before u.s. mol
| .;r,r1y Col Thompsons romantic specuations' but
~ lo,;haroto on;non Of Mr.. Douglass slack water
! ;oor of biob and well established +eputatlon' who
savs that the work is feasible and lurtner' Pu''"e
together the several reports that have from "ne ~
time been ssued it ought TO have been maze avala'
able with less than the amount placed at Inc uspo
sal of those having control of It's fortunes
Rut, AZ already remarked, it is still unfmsheo'
still unavailable still in position hat' II S'oPpeu
all that has so far been done on it must prove ul-
ect loss This is the position OF affairs no" present.
Cd to us, and that with which we are calico uPo" 10
doal and the question is nOw-what IS best 10 oe
| 1o9 VIII the State abandon the work-sacrlhce
bt che and her citizens have done on 1t, the money
+bov have advanced and the efforts they have maze :
1bero will hardly be an affirmative response to his
p,+ AGAIN after the failures that have been maNe'
+h octa,ons that have been raised only 10 be DIS
noin,od where is the faith to come from necessary
to ;nduce the legislature 10 come to the rescue MS
appears to US to be dlthcult queSuoh ~ a"'" q
and vet it is one that must be answered and that sat-
isfactorily before anything can 1alry Dc eAPe''eo
from the State or individuals
It appears to us that unless the Legislature does 10
something, one of two contingencies must happen
The work must 60 down or Unjust passnto Inc hanuH
Of new parties who. for a merely nominal conslu'
cration-not enough, it may be, to discharge It's noa'
inc debts will receive and reap the fruits OF all that
, has already been done Humiliating as this woulo
he and much loss as il would entail ii would yet De
preferable to seeing the work stop or lii ger on IN
D finished for another decade.
But we take it for granted that few if any Woulc
I he willing to see either of these contingencies hap
non The Stockholders in this place. we feel certain
Iookad for their recompense mainly through the &C
p coss;op to the trade and prosperity of the town
sxpeced to flow from the opening of this great Work
T. with its new and vast addition to the commerce o
Wilmington and of the State, and therefore "oul'
prefer it's completion by anybody, to lis maj aoah
n donment or indefinite suspension, at the same lih
1t that both their Stale pride and feelings OF lneres
10 would alike lead them 10 desire Its complexion an
n the retention of its proprieorshp by the State an
l. the company
it The company employed Mr.. Douglas at salar
lie of rs 900 per annum and expenses paid, ceraInI
v some money for anybody on anything being With
at one fifth of the amount paid to MIR. Fleming for DE-
~ voting all his lime 10 the Engineering and Superb
IS tendency of the longest line of Railroad now in pr
n cess of construction in the United States Sure
If bov ouoht 10 have confded TO an officer in whom the
placed five thous md dollars worth of confidence tor
mart of his me the appointment of bis own subord
on nates-his OVID executive officers, by whom his pla
he were to be carried out State pride, county prd
y neighborhood pride are very right and proper thing
le but they are not engineering will they build
Ter work like this and at any rate ought not TO lhWar'
IS, and yet it is too apparent that they nave 'n"diV
re- this 1t is toe apparent that 10 the wish 10 give
OF or that contract to "our own people" IN CumOerla
a or Chatham, 10 employ this that one OF "our o'
nd Young men, there and thereabouts, the interests
IN. the work have been made subservent. 10 get T.
M work done-to get it we'll done-to get 1t promp'
re- dope-these are the ends and objects of primary
ey norance not the distribution of contracts or empc
ments to the best men in the world for other bu
ne. or On their own hook but the for tn
as To enable the Legislature conscenousy to DO al
are thing, they must know something-haVe some Il
tu- about the work. and must feel that the work. ana
by EMPLOYEES or contractors is first to be looked to-
ler it's interest is the one to which all other interests m
be postponed that neither holding back nor pref
is ence nor exception management nor any'h
pe else is to be known-save il the interest OF the wo
do Let it be felt that the real actual whole case IS
zist fore the legislature and, above ALL that the worl
mo- to be done by those who will do it best, no mat
nts, who thew may be, and feel assured that it
her neither be allowed stop pass into the hands
IS IN spectators.
Ms The re-opening of the slave trade, advoca
'ne by some few Southern journals, and recommended
sIec' Gov Adams, of South Carolina in his late mess
he to the Legislature of that Stale, does not appear
HUI meet with sufficient favor at the South to elevate
lN0u to the dignity of practical question. The conn
nd' impression seems to be that this trade is prohib
the by the Constitution of the United States This
ines ..o:o :; &c oo,rso orronoous # is simnlv proh
lolCe tod h DOT of Conoress The Constitution restra