Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-02-28
LETTER FROM COL. W. H. THOMAS.
RALEIGH, Feb. 8, 1857
=, the Editor Of the AsAeriiis News:


., ,ae laws in which my constituents are interested.
now haze to spend few days among my relatives
in Virginia, after which shall proceed on to my
home in the mountains Of Western North Carolina.
Before this time presume that you have been in
formed Of the failure Of the favorite project the ex
tension of our Railroads to connect with the Rail.
roads and steamboat navigation In the Valley Of The
Mississippi and heard many causes assigned for the
failure, respecting which no doubt q difference of
opinion will exist.
At an early period Of the session you no doubt
observed that there two important Railroad in
terests favoring extension west lst The Whining.
ton, Charlotte and Rutherford. I'd. The N. G. Rail-
road, with its connections east and west Both de-
sired extension west Of the Allegheny range OF noun.
tans IS shown by the bills introduced. The first
introduced bill in the House Of Commons which
provided for the extension of theirs west, through
Henderson, Buncombe, Haywood, jackson, Macon
and Cherokee counties to the Tennessee line at Duck.
town.
bill was introduced into the Senate, which pro.
vided for the extension Of the Western North Caro-.
lna Railroad from the Catawba river west TO Ashe-
willie. And another bill was int, oduced by me to
authorize the extension to the Blue Ridge Road in
the county Of Macon, with the privilege OF extend
ing to Ducktown.
The Committee on Internal improvements Of the
House of Commons made favorable report on the
bill to extend the Road from Wilmington to Duck.
town and the Committee on Internal improvements
Of the Senate made report in favor Of taking Oft
the restrictions Of the act ofas session, AMI ample
provision made to extend the Western n, G. Rail-
road from the Caawba river to Ashevlle--to ac-
complish which additional appropriation was
asked, beyond the appropriation Of last session.
From Asheville the Committee recommended two
branch roads, one north through the Frcnch Broad
Valley to the Paint Rock, to connect with the East
Tennessee and Virginia road, AZ miles the other
west from Ashevle to connect with the Blue Ridge
road, so miles, to be extended from there to Duck
town, 65 miles
Both projects went on smoothly until an attack
was made in the House of Commons by the member
from Henderson on the bill which proposed the con.
nection Of Wilmington with Ducktown. This at
tack, made with much zeal and ability by the mem.
Der from Hen ierson, who represented the cost Of
constructing the road west at fifteen millions, led to
the total defeat Of that bill. In the Senate the effect
Of the defeat in the Commons was soon pcrceptble
An amendment had been put Oh the bill in the Sen
ate which provided for constructing the road from
Asl.evlle to the Paint Rock, which had passed its
third reading, but motion of the Senator from
Richmond was reconsidered. II will be remembered
that Gen. Dvckery, the Senator from Rchmonds
constituents. deeply interested in he bill in the
House Of Commons, which had been defeated by
the Commoner from Henderson; and that defeat no
doubt led 70 the adopted the Senate by the
gentleman from Richmond. And it is highly proba.
bic if the Cominoner from Henderson had not COM
menced the attack upon the favorite project Of the
Senator from Richmond, that the latter would not
have made the attack off the extension to the Paint
Rock. But the attack being made in the Commons,
led to the attack in the Senate, which was attended
with similar results-the defeat of both Alter this
defeat bill was reported by the Committee on In
ternal Improvements Of the Senate prepared by me,
which received the support of Gen. Dockery, and
finally passed the Senate, but failed in the House Of
Commons for want of time. Its provisions may not
be uninteresting to Of the readers Of your pa
per. Sec 2, provided that upon condition that the
Greenville and French Broad Company would sur
render the Charter south of Ashcville, the
Company procured 800 600 to be subscribed by bona
de solvent individuals the State to Subscribe $780,.
600, payable In the Stock OF the North Carolina
Railroad. at its value or in the Bonds of the State,
to be increased pdr passu until the Road from the
Paint Rock to Ashcve was completed. If payment
was made in the bonds Of the State, then the sum
expended in building that branch to be deduct
ed from the four million appropriated for the Yves.
tern Extension nj last session.
The Sd section authorizes a survey from Ashe-
vile west to DucklOwn.
The 4lh section made provision for the Western
N. c. Railroad Company to locate the Road beyond
Asheville, IL deemed practicable.
The 9th section made provision that the East
Tennessee and Virginia Road should be completed,
and the link from the Paint Rock to that Road un-
der contract, with means to finish it. before the State
should be called on to make payment Of the stock
subscribed.
have no doubt that this project will, If properly
managed at the next session, with a branch west
from Asheville, be secured, il the west unite ard
the west may profit by the defeats Of this session.
In conclusion, permit me to mention some little
legislation Turnpkcs west of the Blue Ridge,
which may be advantageously constructed in ad.
vance of the Railroad and act as feeders TO it. The
Western Turnpike remains under the Act of last
session. Banister Turner, Esq, of Haywood coun.
~, has been appointed Superintendent by the Coy
ernor, in the place of Capt Munday whose time
had expired and who did not desire to continue in
the office The tolls and labor are to be applied to
the extent necessary TO keep the road in good re-
pair. The remnant Of the bonds and lands appro
priated by the Act Of lS4s to the construction Of
the Western Turnpike, Snd by subsequent Acts TO
constructing branches to it, to he applied fol-
lows, under the Acts of this session.
/. Aid is to be given to the Jonathan's Creek and
Tennessee Mountain Turnpike Company, to extend
their road from the Tennessee line to Waynesyie,
to the extent subscribed by individuals.
A road is to be extended from the Western Turn
pike up Jonahan's Creek, down Soco, to Quala.
town. Individuals TO subscribe two and the State
three fifths of the stock.
The bill to give aid to the Rich Mountain Turn
pike Company, in Haywood, failed, the petition hav.
ing been sent too late in the session.
Provision is made that for the Tuckasiege and
Keowee Turnpike, the State subscribes three ffths
instead Of half of the capital stock; the road 10 be
extended from Cashiers Valley to the South Caro-
lima line, and South Carolina has made arrangements
to extend it to the Stump House Tunnel on the Blue
Ridge Railroad. 1t is also to be extended north to
the Tcuhessee line, from Quallatown, under another
charter and branch is to be extended TO the Blue
Ridge Railroad at the mouth Of Nantihaa, bridges
to be constructed across the Tuckasieee and Ten
nessee rivers Also branch is to be extended up
the East Prong of the Tuckasiege river, through the
Toxaway Valley to the settlement in Henderson
county.
Also road from Quallatown up Wisscr's Creek,
with bridge across the Tuckasiege river, to be ex
tended down CCWpe Cretk DOlnt The