Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-05-16

valley OF tue MiSSlSSpph except tne CtateOi xNoT'
Carolina. And by the adoption of energetic meas.
ures to complete the Western extension Of our rail-
roads at this session, it will doubt enable NoIth
Carolina to complete her railway connection with
steamboat navgat,onin the valley of the Mississippi
against the time that South Carolina completes her
connection. This must be done, the people Of
North Carolina will have to acknowledge that their
State is the Rip Van Wrinkle Of the South, and her
citizens inferior to their~brethren of their sister
States. The extension, when completed, will, 1t IS
believed, have the same effect in rth.Carol,na as
was experienced in Georgia, upon the completion OF
the Georgia railroad, but exclusively by the stare
t6 supersede the necessity of the States increasing
her public debt for works of internal improvements
The connection with the Mississippi valley VIII make
investments for objects of that kind prohtaoie III
stead of as now, Improbable, and private caPaa
will be sufficient to complete the system OF in'e''a
improvements; and the income which VII: tue" "
derived from works of internal improvements, wiz"
the sources that ought to be provided tor the otae
would be sufficient not only to pay the interest y"
the public debt but to create sinking fnnd 10 o,s
charge the principal, without an increase OUT WIN
gradual reduction of the taxes. until the people VI
North Carolina like those of New-Jersey, nave ho
taxes to pay for the support of the State govern
ment.
This NAV be easily demonstrated by advertlng 10
few Of the advantages secured to the oa'e u
North. Carolina, by extending her railroads east ana
west 1st 1t furnishes the shortest line to goou
harbor on the Atlantic, from Memphis, on the Mis-.
sssippi river, along and to the 35th degree OF
latitude. The Georgia and Blue Ridge roads iurn'sn
lines few miles shorter, but their ports OF entry
are much inferior to Beaufort harbor when mas ~
feet in low, ard % feet in high tde Anu n.a" ths
is a much more healthy situation, free from the
scourge of the yellow fever, and in more dirsct
line to Liverpool the centre of European commerce.
The line with which the North Carolina road, con-
Meeting Beaufort and Wilmington harbors, the ior-
mer suitng the European, the latter the West IN
i,ottap on
Memphis on the Mississippi, Little Rock on the Ar.
kansas and St. Diego the Pacific, distance OF
5000 miles, is the Virginia and Tennessee road'
which will connect Norfolk with Memphis, but in
this competition the North-Carolina road has the
advantage Of distance. From Memphis to Chatta-
nooga, 500; from Chattanooga to Norfolk 649;
from Chattanooga to Beaufort, 6l9; making dill
ference of 80 miles.
As the project of connecting our seaports with
steamboat navigation in the valley OF the MISSISSIPPI
is destined TO become one Of much Importance to
the State, great State work, the author OF the
project and its subsequent advocates deserve pass
ing notice from the committee. In order that we
may "render unto Caesar the things which are
Caesars" shortly after the invention of railroads IN
England, which was in the year 1920, Joseph Cald
well, former president Of the University Of North
Carolina. visited England, and VIII lie there, upon
seeing railroad in operation in its then imperfect
FORM had the sagaCity to see the Importance Of the
invention, and to foresee its future developments and
advantages, but it is quite probable that he aid not
then anticipate that in the short space of little
upwards of thirty years, enough railroads would be
constructed to encompass the globe
In the year 1927, Professor Caldwell wrote his
Carlton letter, in which he minutely described the
then imperfect mode of constructing railroads. and
suggested the importance of constructing railroad
from Beaufort harbor Raleigh thence west to the
French Broad valley, thence through that valley
steamboat navigation, which was the only route then
known to the valley of the Mississippi. The country
west of Asheville, in the direction of Chattanooga,
at that time mostly settled by Cherokee Indians,
and the present direct route through the Red Mar
BILE gap was unknown to the public. The Carlton
letter, written by Professor CALDWELL had the effect
to direct public attention to the importance Of con-
Meeting the seaports Of North-CaroEa with the
steamboat navigation on the waters of the M>sissp
pi river. The board Of internal improvements en-
tered warmly into the support Of the project early
as the year 1880, and subsequently at different
points, as their reports show.
The pro ect has also received the recommendation
of the following Governors of North Carolina, as
may be found in their messages to the General As
sembly: Hon. David L. SWAIN at present the pres
dent Of the University OF the State in his message
which bears date December 4, 1888. And again
the connection Of the ports of North. Carolina by
railroad with steamboat navigation the Tonnes
See in the valley of Mississippi recommended by
the Hon. D. L. Swain, to both Houses of the General
Assembly, in his message which bears date Novem-
oei lOoo. III Ills message, maze
known the fact to the Legislature that North Caro-
lima, through the French Broad valley held the key
10 the valley of the Mississippi. This recommends
ton was followed by the recommendation Of His
Excellency, Edward B. Dudley, who in his message,
dated November 81 1885, recommended the con-
nectlOn OF steamboat navigation on the Cape Fear
with the steamboat navi CATION the Tennessee and
Mississippi river by railroad the State and banks to
aid by the subscription of stock, to effect this great
enterprise. Again, Governor Dudley, in his mes.
sage to the General Assembly, which bears date
November 16, 1910, recommended the extension of
a railroad west.
The project of extending a railroad west was
again recommended by His Excellcncy, John NJ.
Morehead, in his message to the General Assembly,
which bears date November 10Th, 1874 This re-
commentator was followed by one from the Hon.
W. A. Graham in his message to both Houses of
the General Assembly, which bears date November
81, 1s4s His Excellency, Charles Manly, in his
message to the General Assembly, which bears date
November ID, 1850, follows up this recommendation,
in which he says: "The extension of the North
Carolina railroad east and west, connecting on the
one hand with the commerce of the Atlantic ocean,
and on the other with that great current and stream
Of intercommunicaton, in high degree forming the
ligaments and arteries of the national union, must
occupy prominent position in any scheme promising
to enrich and improve the State"
This recommendation was followed by recon-
mendation Of his Exceency, Thomas Bragg, which
bears date January LIST, 1856, in which he says:
While therefore, the business and monetary con.
Germs of the country counsel US to the exercise of
proper prudence and caution it should not, in nv
opinion, prevent the prosecution of liberal system
OF improvement, and especially the completion of
great central work. and its further extension east
and west as rapidly as may be consistent with the
MEANS the ability, and the credit of the State"
The committee, therefore, believing it to be in &C.
cordance with the best interests of the State recon-
mend leaving it to separate companies, extend two
branches FROM at or near Ashvle, down the
French Broad, to connect with the East Tennessee