Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-11-15
From the Fayetteville News.
: u.rtension Of the Western Railroad.

From the Fayetteville News.
Extension of the Western Railroad.
MEssRs. EDrroRs There seems to be a
strong desire to complete the Fayetteville
and Western Railroad, and the people, in
various places, are moving in this matter.
This is right; and let US all be assured that
better times, under God, will depend on
our own wise and energetic efforts to make
them. It is supreme folly to sit down and
wait for more prosperous era before we
devote ourselves to the development of our
material and moral resources-for this very
development with the blessing OF Heaven,
is what procures prosperity.
But taking it for granted that your read
ers understand these elementary truths, my
purpose now is not to stimulate exerhons,
but to offer some suggestions as to the dl-
rection of our enterprise.
Before you can commence, In earnest, IN
the work of completing the important road
which starts at your city, the question as
to its Western terminus should be settled.
Locate the roal-then we can all go to work
to build it.
Three places arespoken ofas claimants for
the Western end, to-wit; Salisbury. High
Point and Greensboro. Allow me to oifer
reasons in favor of the last named.
1st It will be the shortest and much
the cheapest route From Mathews Cross
Roads to Greensboro there is a dry ridge
road, and the expense of bridging would
be very inconsiderable. If you go North
or South of this you fall upon very bro
ken country, with immense hollows or
throughs, where the grading would be very
expensive and this is especially true OF
the Southern route which would pass over
one of the most rough and rocky regions
of the State.
I'd. The Salisbury route is liable to an
objection often made to other roads IN the
State, to-wit, of being too near to paral-
lei line. The upper end of this road would
be but 40 miles from the Wilmington,
Charlotte and Rutherfordton road, and
nothing wonld be gained by it, for when
the road referred to is completed it will
drain the country as far South of it as Sal
isbury ; at least it will get all the produce,
that is likely to go to Wilmington, by either
road. But if the Fayetteville road termi-
mates at Salisbury, it will get little of the
produce that comes to the n. @. Road be-
tween Salisbury and Greensboro'-and this
is very important consideration.
| High Point is one of the most important
depots on the n. G. Road, and it is obvious
that road from Fayetteville to Green's
boro' will intercept the freight that comes
from above, and would be almost certain of
that which is poured in at High Point, and
now goes to Richmond.
From Greensboro to Fayetteville the dis
lance is fully third less than to Richmond,
and heavy freights would be sent over this
route to Wilmington at a less expense than
to Richmond Ella Danville.
Bird. The Danville road comes to Green's
boro, and would greatly benefit that from
Fayetteville. All the travel from the re-
gion of the latter would take this route
| North-but would not if the Fayetteville
road went to Salisbury. This connection
would also, insure heavy business to Fay
etteville and Wilmington in tobacco-and
would open up a wider market for Deep
River coal, for the coal on Deep River will
not sooner be opened.
4th. If the road is ever to be continued
further, it can be run from Greensboro via
Salem and Mt. Airy, to the Virginia and
Tennessee road, and will be a straight ine
on one OF the oldest and most important
thoroughfares in the United States, from
the lime, plaster, salt and stock region OF
Virginia to the coast of North Carolina
and passing over region of our own State,
of great resources, near the famous Pilot
Mountain and nearly midway between other
routes to the mountains.
9th. Greensboro is perhaps, the best To-
cation in the State for manufactures, and
the building of the Coal Fields road to this
place will probably open up heavy trade
in the coal and iron of Deep River.
9th. The inward freights on this route
would be greater than any other for in
addition to the counties which the road
would supply with goods from the North,
were it to pursue any of the routes named,
the termination at Greensborough, would
insure the carrying trade (inward) for For
sythc, Stokes, SuTy, Guilford and Stan
ley.
Finally This route would interfere less
with the business of the n. G. Road than
any other, and this is consideration not
to be overlooked. The Fayetteville road
expects fayOrs from the State-and the
State owns Il large interest in the N. G..
road. A connection at Greensborough will
not divert pound of freight from the n.
c.. road, for it would intercept what takes
the Danville route.
The State cannot be expected to iniule a
larger for the sake of smaller interest,
and when we go before the Legislature for
aid, let us be able to point to our enterprise
whose claims conflict with those of no other,
and which is both important in itself, and
likely to be useful to investments already
made
May [ not ask your readers to ponder
these views GUnFORD.
From the Fayetteville News.