Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-06-20
NoRTH.oARoIINA cEsrgaL RAILROAD

NORTH-CARoLINA CENTRAL RAILROAD.
The policy of the State, as adopted some years
since to build a Central Railroad track from her
seaboard to her western boundary, is grind pro-
ect worthy the enlightened talent that suggested it
and lead to its adoption This road, If completed,
will act great artery 10 send out life and enter
prize into every part of her territory, and by feeders
bring into the central channel the rich resources
her yet undeyeloped territory, and convey them to
the coast to be shipped to the different ports of the
world North Carolina possesses resources that, II
developed, would render her commerce of import
ance to the world and place her in that position she
so richly merits Hitherto the State has distributed
her products through Virginia, South Carolina and
Georgia, and swelied the list Of their commercial
Importance while she has had credit for her share
oft The greatest part Of her Railroads have only
acted in thus draining her of her products and rob-
bng her of her commercial hohors. These roads
all well enough il she had central trunk and
port of her own. Indeed, instead of feeding the
commerce Of her sister States, if the Central Road
were completed they would turn tide and bring the
products of other States to be shipped at her ports
To carry out the policy already adopted she ought
| to push forward the Western extension to the ex
IRENE western limits of her territory. This road
would be in a direct line with road from Duck
Town to Cleveland, Tennessee, thence to Chatta-
nooga, and thence to Memphis. Now it requires
only moderate capacity to see the importance 10 the
State of Fastening this work to its completion We
have but little doubt that this route would control
large share of the travel and share of freightng
business. The copper of Duck Town is an item for
| which any road may we'll afford to compete. BY
reference to the freight lists the Georgia State
road it will be seen that copper is only second
the list, cotton being first Now the Central route,
as recently surveyed, leads directly to Duck Town.
But this is not all. The line runs through Chcro-
kee county for distance OF about fifty miles, ard
the hand OF nature has been liberal in distributing
along this line immense mineral resources, capable
| of furnishing vast amount of freight. There are
beds of Hematitic iron of excellent quality lying
Immediately along the line of the road capable of
| producing an immense amount Of iron. There is a
sufficient amount of ore in Cherokee county to en-
ploy twenty-five thirty furnaces for indefinite
time Immediately on the line, so soon as the Nam
| tahala river is reached there is unsurpassed water
| power, which, added to the water power of upper
Valley river will be sufficient to propel any desired
number of FORCES or rolling mills. Add to this the
| fine marble quarries, Agalmatote, roofing slate,
burrstone, &C.. &C. and the line of survey traverses
continuous mineral belt of great capacity, for dis
lance of sixty or more miles, eastward from Duck
| Town. At the mouth of Nantahala the road will re-
ceive the mineral agricultural, and horticultural
products of the Tennessee valley. At the mouth of
SCOTS Greek, the copper ores of jackson will be
shipped Already nine copper mines have been
tested in Jackson, the ores of which are superior
and in ample quantity, to add largely to the freight
lists There are also other veins yet undeveloped
that will open we'll This copper belt traverses
Haywood, and as we have just returned from an in
vestigaton of il, we can most confidently say that
Haywood will add her share to the shipment of cop
per ores.
Are these to remain closed to the State,
seek other ports for the markets of the world?-
| Has not the State here a treasure enbosomed in
| these mountains worthy of her nobleSt efforts to
reach and appropriate? Cannot her Statesman and
nanciers see that to penetrate this rich domain will
enhance the value of stock in the western Railroad
Add to all this the travel from the west and will
not her enterprise and investments be richly reward
ed by large dividends? In these results the east,
the middle and the west are mutually interested
The capital already invested is to the whole
State and it is wisdom to make it as remunerative
| as possible.
There is another view of this subject of great
magnitude to the State. By branch from the mouth
Of SCOTS Greek to the Locust State in the direction
Of Rabun Gap, the Central road may secure the air
line from Atlanta. This line is the most direct one
upon the map leading from Mobile to the North
While the main trunk would bring in travel from
the direction of Memphis, this air line would act as
| q funnel and pour into the heart artery an i'm
| mease stream of travel from Mobile, New Orleans
and Texas. This is no fancy SKETCH 1t but needs
the enterprise and beraty of the State to complete
the work. and then she will realize what we have
said with exclamation that the half has not been
told. We appeal to North Carolnians in behalf Of
this great proect-to their love of their native State
to their honor and sense of justce-to their inan-
cial skill in making their invested capital profitable
And we make this appeal with some degree of con-
idence that engine bearing the inscription ':.Oh
Rip" will ere long break the silence Of these males
tic mountains, and cause our vaes to become vocal
with the din and whistle of machnery.-Franklin
| Observer.