Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-08-13
The Fayetteville Observer.

day. the present generation or the present cen
fury. It travels back to former age-to 1888, and
rakes over the ashes of Timothy Bloodworh in the hope
Of finding some emberS, which it may yet fan into
fame. If Mr. Boodworth did vote against Fayetteville,
ii was seventy years ago. The Wilmington of to-day is
not responsible for it. There is but one voter now in Will
mington who could have been voter then. But even
then as the Observer itself admits in another article,
Mr. Bloodworth did not represent the wishes of his con-
stituents who preferred Fayetteville We really think
the pteuness of the ObsrrerS ausion to this matter
amounts to the very blindness Of venomous feeling.
But leaving such old fogyi8m, let us come down toI
things with which the present age and living men have
some concern. The Observer asserts that Wilmington
has always turned cold shoulder TO her. Let us look
at this Were there not three roads chartered about
the time in this State and did not the Legislature by
general law give them the same amount of State aid
namely two Gfths These roads were, we think,
the Wilmington & Raleigh, the North Carolina
Central Or that now spoken Of as the Me-
tropolitan Route and the Fayetteville and Yves
term running from Fayetteville to Salisbury
we have not now the acts before us, but we know
that the facts are So Well the Wilmington Company,
after unparalleled strainDg enabled to avail itself OF
the conditions of the general law Was it the fault of
Wilmington that other communities Fayetteville In
cuded did not Did not a subsequent Legislature in
crease the proportion of assistance to the Fayetteville
and Western Road TO three-ffths, and did not 81
committee from Wilmington, headed by Mr. Hill,
then probably the most prominent citizen OF VIII
mington visit Fayetteville, and offer to subscribe
literally and yet the weather. citizens OF tayeteVlel
lid not themselves come up to the work subsequently
did not responsible company organized here offer to
take all the unsubsCrbed stock and build the road and
how were they treatedreered to OF straw, etc.
although their ability has since been abundantly
tested? Was this turning the cold shoulder And
This too while the effort required for her own Immediate
work had taxed the energies Of Wilmington other
community ever was taxed. Wilmington got no aid
from other towns, and when the start WAS
made Fayetteville was second to no town the State ii
resources if she had only put forth her energies. Had
Fayetteville then put forth her energies Wilmington
did there would nor be ne cause for complaint. Both
our communities would have been in prosperous
condition. and the State at large would have been bet
tered too Nay had Fayetteville responded to Will
mington then in frank and liberal spirit all subsequent
difficulty would have been obviated for the route va
Fayetteville to the West is in or opinion the natural
and proper route
So much for the first Western Road The second
Western Road is some forty three miles. This project
was started after the subscriptions of Wilmington to
the Wilmington and Weldon Road. the Manchester
Road and the Deep River had been made, or the people
committed to them. That Wilmington should endeavor
TO benefit herself is hardly TO be wondered at It's sure
v natural enough il is certainly less surprising than
Fayetteville unburdencd Of any previous subscriptions
should take offence because town which has strain
ed hcrseto build Or force to completion over three humid
red and fifty miles Of road should not have money 10 build
the short road of ortythrce miles, which Fayette
vile has already become exhausted especially at time
when Wilmington has not a cent to devote to anything
for this is unfortunately condition, as the triDg
amount of private subscription TO the Wilmington,
Charlotte and Rutherford Road will abundanty show.
The Observer sneers at Wilmington for attempting ri
vashp with New Orleans, but really, it must think the
resources Of Wilmington ineXhaustbe than those
of New Orleans if it supposeS it able TO do any,
thing more.
But it is not doing Wilmington justice say that she
evinced no interest in the Coal Fields Road When,
some time ago delegation representing the Coal Fields
Road visited Wilmington our Citizens freely told them
their situation and how they were placed They had
money but such they had they were willing to give.
pretty large subscription in Stocks was Immediately
made many lnueCd tne LQOSlj paying ulNldcndS LnlS
subscription the F. & w. r. f. Co., felt it their duty
to decline but cannot forget the spirit manifested.
The Observer need not affect any great sqeuamishnes
about obtrudng its feelings upon the public at least
far as Wilmington is concerned If it has changed in
its feelings we should like know when Itsanimosity to
this place no new thing and the cannot be found
who recoects the time when the Observer evinCed any
other feelings. Once upon time, and that time not
recently the Observer characterized company of Will
mingtonans who offered to take the contract and bal
ancc of stock on the first Western Road, as men OF
straw-subsequently, Colby & Smith, Silas Seymour &
Co, were marvellous proper mel" by whom Whining
ton was to be crushed fiat as pancake, and road built
TO Beaufort, while committee from a Wilmington
Railroad Company could hardly get civil, much less
respectful hearing
But New Hanover Senator voted against naket
charter Perhaps so but not naked charter for thu
Coal Fields Road. The bill against which he votet
was horse Of another color and the Obserrer ought
know it.
The community Of Wilmington cannot now be stirred
up to any sudden food of mutiny" They arc tiret
of ordinations and determinations, and we think Fay
pttevie would be by this time The past IS past-th
future belongs to us il we live to see it. 1t may b.
made friendly and prosperous future to both, or
may be mared by the animoSties which the Observe
Cherishes and seeks TO perpetuae 1t is for Fayetteyl
to decide. Wilmington has already decided that sh
will permit no such feeling to exist, so far as she
concerned