Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-02
LocKvILLE, n. c., June q, 1869.

| De[u journal II write you from tlt
little embryo town Of Rockville, situated
in Chatham county, at the head Of Deer
River Navigation and on the line Of the
Chatham Railroad, which last has not, a!
yet, been completed to this point
There are large number Of your read
ers who will recollect, and very much to
their sorrow, the great efforts which were
made u number OF years since to connect
! by means of Cape Fear and Deep Rive,
Navigation. The enterprise failed, but moi
through any want of energy or exertion OF
the part of the Company or of the mer.
chants of your city, but because the
work of construction was improperly
done, and the resources of the company
thus filtered away. For a, short time it
did prove eminently successful, and several
trips through were made by the two steam
ers employed in the business, the said
steamers running through from Lockville
to Wilmington and carrying with them
rich cargoes OF flour, cotton, tobacco and
| mineral ores. The result of it oil is well
known. The locks, being imperfectly con-
structed, were in several instances broken
by the force of heavy freshets, and the
stockholders having become personally re-
sponsible for the Indebtedness of the COM
pany, were forced to sacrifice their own
private property to foot the bill.
The citizens OF Wilmington are but little
aware how greatly they have lost by the
failure of this enterprise, nor how easily
they have let slip from them the
rich country from the heart OF which
L am now writing to you. The merchants
of Norfolk have, III their turn, stepped in
and by means OF the Chatham railroad,
will soon be tapping up its virgin richness.
For virgin it is, the above railroad being
the first to penetrate it in vital part, with
line of road from its centre to the sea-
Could our own merchants be made fully
aware of the vast amount of mineral and
agricultural wealth which now lies hidden
here, they surely would not allow a Viz
glnla city to penetrate almost to their very
doors and to carry off to their own ports
the wealth of the country. Aud it is liter
ally almost at your own doors that they
are throwing out their iron rails for the
Deep and Haw rivers are tributaries of
Your own Cape Tear. ,... ..
had an opportunity, yesterday, OF COM,
mentlng on one Of the stupid acts of the
late stupid legislative session. You are
aware that a site near this place was ten
dered the penltcutiary committee for the
erection Of that building and for its enclo-
snre, and that this was afterwards aban-
doned and Raleigh chosen instead. But
you are not. perhaps, aware that one of
the best locations to be found anywhere
within the entire State was thus given up,
and that, too, after preparationsfore erecting
the stOckade had actually commenced.
Some $4,000 worth of heavy timbe1s had
been cut, part OF which were also hauled
to the spot, before it was decided to change
the location. All of this SIS, 900 is dead
loss to the State, as the huge timbers will
soon rot, exposed, as they are, to the ele-
ments. Yet this amount is not all that
the Commonwealth must lose, as it is
farcical in the extreme to compare
the advantages of a location at Raleigh
with those to be derived at the abandoned
site at Lockville. Here we have the best
water power in the State, quarries OF ex-
ceilent stone within few hours transpor-
tation by water, the river running at the
very foot of the hill upon which the build
ing was to have been erected, a near vicin-
age OF rich mineral deposits, and railroad
which, in a few months, would have
brushed its very walls. Such will give
you faint idea OF few of the advantages
which have been abandoned for those
which are as yet to be made manifest. But
even now it does not appear certain but
that the late action of the Legislature will
be overruled and that the old site will yet
be chosen. It is said that the old com
mittee did have the power to select site
and that at the next session of the Legis- !
lature the matter will be again brought
forward and an effort made to re-establish
the location here at Lockyille. 1t is fur
ther said that an injunction will be taken
out as soon as the building is commenced
at Raleigh, although have since heard
that the stockade there has been already
begun. Your readers can Judge for them |
selves give these floating reports as
hear them. o.. lea ...,
Chatham county is glad and happy -
gladder and happier than she has been at
any time since the war. for the largest |
wheat crop of the past four years is now
being harvested. The oat crop is also ex-
cellent corn, although young, is very
bright and promising, and cotton is back
ward, but now growing rapidly. The sea-
sons, thus far, have been excellent.
AS for fruit, we will have no peaches here
this season, but apples will be in good sup
ply. Berries of all kinds are abundant.
Yours, SOMETIMES. !