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

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county q sholt tims ago passed usn order
appropiiating $50. 600 to fthei s:;;Bianterst
road and $50 600 to the Teach eys road,
and submitting these app rop4f atoms TO the
EeyoHers of the bounty at an -e1eEt son 40 be
hslds OF, ihursday,. the 24lhF. OF November
/ next. .fcr their adoption or rejection.
y Tro fire above order there is the follow
ing prosiso ':PFoviiied kbat tie Board OF
Commissioners, through their Qhairmau,
hall pot4suhcribe either of said so ms pre-,
posed, if approved by the vote as ascer-
tanned on such elections, until he is satis-
fed that there hasbees1 solvent subscrip-
tons ia addition o-said sums, sufficient
TO CONSTRUCT a RAILROAD from the Atlantic
Road and the WILMINGTON and Weldon
Road, res peetiVely, 10 the Jones and OnsJs
low county line and the,Duplin and 'Ons-.
low county line" a.. go 80, g.
:, You see that There is no appropriation
TO the "Wiimington direct route submit
ted to- the voters OF the county. J But YOU
must not understand this omission as any
evidence of the unfriendliness OF the
Commissioners personally. or of the peo-
pie of the county, to that route. On the
contrary Justice 10 truth compels me to say
that believe both the Commissioners
personally and the people of the county
prefer the "WilmIngton direct to the
''Ieacheys" route.
What, then, is the natural enquiry,
could have Induced them to exclude that
route from chance for the appropriation?
Ia the first place the "Teacheys' road is
chartered; it has loyal existence; it can
take and hold properly. The Wilmington
direct" route is a scheme; 1t has no legal ex-
istence. 1t is doubtful whether a subscrip.
ton, if now made to it, would be legally
binding though it should be hereafter
chartered. The Commissioners summed
mp the case in this phrase: ''It is best not
to give up certainty for an uncertainty"
In sound logic, 1t Is true, railroad charter
ell Is no5 necessarily certainty" nor an
unchartered one necessarily an uncertain
ty." Indeed, case might well be con-
celvod where one unchartered would IA ore
nearly approximate E'certainty" than an
other though chartered. The Certainty"
of railroad, of course, does not so much
consist IN its being chartered as in the
willingness and ability Of it's friends to
build it. Still faiIacy that turks in O
phase of that short has had its effect be-
fore this. The sentiment is sound
one. The only question is as to when
it shall be applied. The Commissioners,
doubtless, had better reasons for their ac-
ton in the premises. The above "phrase"
would serve q useful purpose to fill up
with, and perhaps be convenient cloak
for their real reasons, which delicacy may
have forbidden their openly declaring.-
There, too, had been considerable unavoid-
able delay in the submission Of the gues-
ton, and the Commissioners felt that they
were called upon to do something in the
matter, lest the whole affair should be
damped by an apparent apathy and indif-
ference. There was a suspicion, too (which
doubtless had powerful influence in de-
termining their action), to the effect that
the Wilmingtonians pretended an interest
in the Wilmington Direct - route, for
the time, i'll order to wean off the people
here from the planters and 'Teacheys"
routes until the railroad fever had spentit-
self. That they would amuse and tanta-
lize us with the bubble scheme of q direct
route. That they were making a diversion
in order to divide and conquer. When the
tide of excitement, upon which we expect
ed safely to get to sea ebbed, it would
leave us high and dry with all our rich
hopes a wreck. Then, the suspicion went,
these Wilmiugtonians will fold their arms
in peace, knowing in all human probabili-
ty that, with Onslow without a railroad,
she would enjoy without rival, as she had
been accustomed, by far the larger share
of it's trade. Leaving us in the meantime,
with our fingers IN our mouths, to build
our railroads by ourselves as best we could.
It is very ugly to be suspicious. I be
Iieve this one is unjust and ungenerous.-
The merchants of Wilmington are famous
for their liberality and public spirit. But
s' self is mighty near" Interest is q very
ordinary principle of action among men
and societies.
"Och mankind are unco weak
And little TO be trusted /:
II self the Waverlng balance shake,
It's rarely right adjusted"
People will be suspicious, however, at
the risk of being ugly. Onslow wants a
railroad, and she fears she is not going to
get it. We think the game is fairly start
ed, and we don't want the pack called off
If, then, In this conflict of passions, be-
tween hope and fear, resolution and des-
pair, she happens to think or say some
foolish, ungenerous and giddy things. the
Wilmington merchants must really over
look it. It is q lovers quarrel which, if
prudently treated by thorough re-estab-
lishment of confidence, may lead, like
lovers quarrels are said sometimes to do, to
a most delightful connection.
If the apparent apathy and Indifference
of Craven, Newbern and Jones in regard
TO the "Planters road should tempt Will
mington to think that we are merely hold
| ing up that project as a bugbear to fright
en- it into building railroad for uR, let
the notion be at once dismissed As L said
| before, the "Planters'' road must
go hand in hand with any railroad
project to this county. 1t is not
possible TO obtain any appreciabie sub
scription IN this county for any road ex-
cept by taxation. It is necessary to com
bine that scheme with every other in or
der to carry the vote Of this county for
taxation for any. If these facts and in
ferences are true and just, ard L challenge
their contradiction or refutation, it seems
to me they knock the bag-bear theory ia
| the head at once.
But this is not all : heard d shrewd
business man. one "who is up 10 snuff
who is not at all given 10 any exaggera
ton Of statement, who is not a citizen oi
Onslow, say that the Planters Road would
be built. The surveys say there 85 50(
acres of land IN White Oak Swamp. Pro
fessor Emmons highly extols their fertIii
ty. ellis endorsement OF them will g.
abroad among capitalists Tor more thar
that OF any and every mali IN North Carr
lima" is the expression Of u u1g scuti no IL
that [ have heard. The eyes # capitalist
are already upon these iauda. This gen