Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-10-07

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I % le9s4 4cksosv sow ssPt 25tb,
+ Editors g he Wilatiastgfoa J5asraat = see
ing paragraphic hints in the Weekly FIR
nser and Sa4r that scented to invite infor-
i knasfoupasofo ehesslatdpF ofHthe Railtoad
eproiscts IN sahieEE Win tod ant Oh slow
4areint tersated aaddtk attfhat yotuN have,
4 through seulr pJear, d aifFGsted a lively
Interest rtE&refa,4 u st6esfg9ees e6at pef haps
i coHImui5i oss dts, abtitio What
II had iSe en- aene by tts s'casaDA ii '0nsi6k in
lfeganI thefetsy ANA exp1sfaiAs wtiat N i9fit
otherwise appear extraordinary I'm tbe
recent action Of s,urs Oh 5Satss65m on.
81 9rsi (tke- nosIst for RAfipp day4idexpiasffn.
d ed I know is .sIiabie fo fiif5eDr4st "a "a aion)
and putting you t5ils spossdasEDn, d. f,sr IA I
could, of my opinion of the views, feelings
and wants ofzaur pepples here concerning
these projects. rnig'htsiota prove 'unaccepta-
ble.7 eeiiagfaaas0 3isH-7aaf5sl Eiisb .ra
Besides, an nH-inportant issue in reIn.
tion t. these reads will shortly be submit,
ted to the people of Ons!ow. The writer
is a voter and, like the majority of the
voters OF Onslow, as he supposes, is not
welded to my particular route he is
ignorant, uuconvicted and unconvertCd
he desires to DC enlightened, to ''kllow
the truth and be converted" I propose.
also, with your leave. 10 put q few direct
questions, soma OF them calculated and in
tended by thsir answer to inform nv
Judgment aud that of The friends of rail
roads here as to certain material and rele-
want facts and figures. The others are
ca c.Iated aud iutented to eli cit from the
friends, both Of the ''Teachoys' road and
the Wilmington direct" route, some pre-
else and definite expression OF what they
are aciUing C,ad able to do towards build
ing their respective lines. My vote, and,
[ do not think it presumptuous to say, the
votes Of large proportion of the people
: of Onslow, will De greatly influenced in
the coming election, not only by the au-
saers given to these latter questions OF
other material ones furnishing the same
information, but by O failure or refusal to
answer. There will be no chance to gain
anything by non-action or evasion. Mega
tive evidence Is sometimes very strong
Silence as regards some of them will be
consider cd tantamOunt to an unfavorable
answer.
, The Wilmington JOURNAL and Carolina
Farmer have, the writer believes, by far
the largest circulation in this county of
any newspapers in tho State. Will the
ed1tols of these papers throw open their
columns to the friends of the evil
mington direct" and the ''Teacheys''
routes to air the merits, feasibility and,
above all, the assurances of an early prac-
tical fruition of their respective projects ?
Such course will be, I believe, in entire
keeping with the hberality heretofore dis
played 10y them in this matter. By so do
ing, am satisfied, they will greatly graft
! fy some of their subscribers and the peo-
3 pie of Onslow generaiiy.
AS you are aware, the Legislature, at its
last session, chartered two railroads, each
r having one of their termini at the ravigable
waters of New River in OnsloW county. (See
chapters 60 and 207, acts of 1869-'70.) The
one having its other terminus at NeWbern
or some point on the Atlantic Road, be-
tween Newbern and Kinston, the other
having it's other terminus at Teacheys, on
the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
"NsVigable waters" mean, in all reasonable
construction of these acts, as we'll as in the
construction Of the sama expression in
other acts, l believe such waters as are ordi-
naIilY navlgable for seagOlng vessels
New River, in this sense, is naYigable from
= its mouth to, I learn, about five or six
miles above Jacksonville. So these ter
mini are anywhere on that river between
those points. These charters conditionally
3 grant alternate sections of the White Oak
D.: Swamp and the Angola Swamp
Now, either before or after the granting
{, of these charters, scheme Was conten-
t plated for building railroad from your
G city direct to Onslow. This latter scheme,
whenever started, was not, I think, actively
d and prominently agitated until some time
~ -
4 of this agitation must, think, Justly attach
. not Only to some of the merchants of Will
! mington and the people of the Sound, along
y which it was proposed to pass, but to a
= large proportion of tho people of Onslow,
" who gave the scheme their counsenance
= and encOu1 agement.
. All of these chartered roads and schemes
3 for roads have friends in Onslow. The
= people of Onslow are not able, or if able
are not willing, to make individual sub
' scriptions to an amount worth speaking
Q of to any of these roads. The only possible
J. way, I think, of obtaining subscriptions
e to any appreciable amount from this
y county or It's people to these, or any othel
9 roads that could be projected, is through
Is it's corporate capacity, as a county, by
,s taxes imposed by a vote of the people,
d We have some opposed on principle tc
J. taxing the county to build any railroad
Y Others are opposed to SO taxing to built
any of these roads, because they canno
- see that they will be Immediately ant
" directly beneficial to themselves Among
- these opponents, in the one or the othe
- of the above classes, are to be found some
=! gentlemen Of means and influence. So
II in any event, the friends of county ap
p preparations must expect to meet SOM
y opposition. In short, I think it may b.
e. safely affirmed that it will be absolutel.
c. necessary, In order to carry the connty, t.
y combine the friends Of the "Pianters" witt
T the friends of the Tea oheys branch" o
ID the Wilmington direct. II the ''Wil
7e mington direct" could be guaranteed t.
" go byiway of Stones Bay to Jacksonville
Ia L think the combination Of snch ront
r with the PLANTERS" would carry the count
# beyond any reasonable doubt. Without
d combination of the friends of the Planter
q, and those of one or the other OF :bes
,. routes. l deem it perfectly Idle and tuiiI