The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-08
The Western North Carolina Railroad.

| charge OF the ROAD, llCCle ulOTe CildH year
ago, under very embarrassing circumstances.
Its operations the year before, under Mr.. T.
R. Caldwell's management, fell considerably
short in its expenses over the receipts,
though in justice to all, it may be
said under the best of circumstances its re-
ceipts must then have been small.
| We are glad to be authorized to say, that,
under the management of Mr.. Tate the past
year, the road shows decided improve
ment. In a note to Gov. Worth, it is Off
cially stated: our fiscal year is just closed,
and the accounts are all made up. We owe
not one dollar on account of this years op-
erations and show clear net balance of
$s,737 81 after paying for all repairs" &C.,
&c.-SentineI.
The above from the Sentinel shows the
spirit of fairness characteristic of pious Mr..
Pell, and the love of truth which pervades
every thing he sets his hand to. 6 short
time ago we fully endorsed" &c. Now did
not you endorse, long time ago, just as soon
as your ex- Confederate Colonel was selected
by your ex-Union, ex-Conservative Governor
WORTH as the proper man to succeed Mr..
If you did this a long time ago, why pretend
that you did it only short time ago.
Mr. Tate "took charge of the road under
very embarrassing circumstances" Do tell
what they were and who produced them, and
let the public judge as to the embarrassment
and upon whom the responsibility should
rest. If the circumstances were very embar
RAISING nearly two years after the rebellion
had ended, and when the ex Confederate Col
onel took hold of them, will the pious Mr..
Pell please tell how much less embarrassing
they were Immediately after the rebellion
was crushed and when Mr.. Caldwell took the
concern in hand? The road and all its pros
poets had been ruined and the company bur-
dened with heavy debt by Mr.. Caldwelrs
predecessors, and what little was left was
much injured by Gen. Stoneman's command
The road did fall short of paving expenses
during Mr.. Caldwells administration, but
what was the cause of it? The fair-minded
and pious Mr. Pell we'll knew the cause, but
readers of his paper lest he should do po-
litical opponent justice. 1t better suits his
purpose to make false insinuations even
though he does strain point and admit,
that, " in justice to all it may be said under
the best of circumstances its receipts must
have been small" Wecan and we will sup
ply the information which the pious Mr.
Pell withholds. 1t is this. The expen-
ses which overran the profits during Mr. Cs
administration were extraordinary, and alb
solutely necessary to preserve the vitality of
the road. When he assumed control the
whole concern was in a dilapidated condi-
ton. The shops destroyed, material con-
sumed depots burned, bridges out of repair,
cars broken up, road bed torn to pieces pro-
visions exhausted, wages high, money scarce,
debts hanging over the company, credit
gone and darkness and gloom overhang-
ing the whole face of the country. To
remedy this and surmount these " embarrass-
ing circumstances" Mr.. Caldwell devoted all
the profits of the road and whatever other
funds he could raise, to put the road, rolling
stock, &C., &C., in repair and get it again in
working order. This he did beyond his ex-
pectatlons and those of the most sanguine
friends of the road, at time, too, when
there was but small travel over the road,
when all the business interests of the country
were paralyzed; when there was little or no.
produce in the country to transport; when
there was no commerce between the East
and the West, the North or the South and
when every thing in the future looked dark
and gloomy to the most hopeful mind I'm
der such " embarrassing circumstances" as
these, and in the face of predictions made,
and hopes cherished by pious Mr.. Pell and
his party friends, that the road would, of ne
cessity, be compelled to suspend operations,
Mr.. Caldwell and his board of directors
managed to keep the machine in motion;
repaired the track, putting it in better order
than it had been in for years before; rebuilt
depots, repaired cars, reftted engines, bought
and built new rolling stock and materials,
laid in good supply of stores and a large
quantity of wood, and so improved the affairs
of the company and frightened its prospects,
that more of the road was put under con-
tract, and after months of inaction the Wes-
tern North Carolina Road was once more
started with new life and vigor on its Wes-
tern mission of grandeur and usefulness
Well, then, it may be, that Col. Tate, having
every facility furnished to his hand by his
predecessor and having no heavy OUTLAWS to
make, has been able to pay expenses and
earn over and above, the enormous and pro-
digious sum of eight thousand seoers hundred
and Mirty-seven dollars and sirty-one cents J.!
Mr.. Caldwell must shoulder all the odium
for debts contracted and money spent in
placing the road in working order, but to
Col. Tate must be awarded the credit of run
ming it when it was fixed ready to his hand.
When there were no merchants west of Sails
bury, save one or two, to transport freights
over the road; no mining or manufacturing
companies no companies of United States
soldiers to whom supplies were constantly
being sent; no heavy freights by the gov
eminent, and but little travel, Mr.. Caldwell
| and his subOrdinates without OstentatiOn or