Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-12-20

ROAD was projected and constructed
This was followed by the Wilmington, Char
: lotte and Rutherford road now under con-
struction, and which has already reached
, lar into the interior Of the State, on its way
it is hoped, 10 connect with tho great
Southern highway to the Pacific Ali the
projects for The advancement of Whining
! ton nave been based upon the idea of its
! superior position as seaport. and its ul-
! innate eleTation TO a point Of vast COM
meTCial consequence. The repOrt made
! as long ago as 1915 by Joshua Potts, ex-
posed some remarkable facts, among which
was that Wilmington ''afforded in season
and in pTopoitonate quantities, nearly all
: the valious kinds of produce that are to be
found in The growth Of the United States
coliectivGly;" IN other words, a vessel
| Coming to the po!t for cargo, could make
one Of variety and completeness, not tC be
obtained elsewhere i'll the United States
so near the point of original production
What was true at that distant day applies
now with increased force, under the effect
Of enlarged prOduc; ions, and improved ac-
cess to The interior. Another fact called to
public notice by the report Of Mr.. Potts,
was that Wilmington lay South of all the
dangerous Capes on the coast, thus
facilitating its intercourse with the
West Indies "nd South America,
Il ei>ing it superior advantages for
the ilnl. ration Of the valuable products
Of lis; countries. The very serious diff
culties uLdtr which Wilmington has for
many years laborcd with respect to her
port, has cilrtailed m4oy of the advantages
Of her position, which have only been real
lied in partial degree. The great gale of
1851 broke through the banks and formed
a channel al New Inlet, thus lessening the
water on tie main bar nearly One-half,
while the patriotic steps for tie obstruc-
tiOn Of the river between the bar and the
town, were so eflectual as TO have ever
since been a source of veNatiOn and loss.
Congress has taken tardy and halfway
steps to close the channel at New Inlet, and
to remove the obstruclions in the channels
Of the river, and just so much has been
done as to establish the feasibility Of the
plans, while the appropriations are insuf1i-
cient to give them full effect. Our Legis-
lature should call upon our Senators and
Representatives in Congress to urge the
grant Of ample appropriations, and to de-
mand them as right, and not accept them
as dole. The whole country has an III
terest i'll making Wilmington safe har-
Dor, and one Of easy access, and it can be
done at half the expenditure which has
been lavished in many Of The petty inland
halb0rS Of the lakes.
show the relation Of Wilmington TO the
commerce Cf the country, both internal and
exterior. Our purpose in penning this ar
ticle was simply to draw attention TO the
results of the original enterprise, and ex-
hibit the contrast between the Wilmington
of 1885, and the city of 1872. At the for
mer period. the town had a population OF
about 5000, and was entirely isolated
from the rest Of the State, except through
its connection by the Cape Fear River with
Fayetteville, from which it drew nearly all
its articles Of expectation except ice, lum-
Der and naval stores. Its trade was coast
wise, and with the West Indies. Now in 1872
the city has population Of about 5000,
and is connected with every point of the in
terror. Her commerce has quadrupled,
and extends to every port on this side of
the Ocean, as we'll as TO Europe. Her ex-
ports now reach 30, 900 bales cotton, 120,0 900
bbls. spirits turpentine and 100000 bblS
rosin, besides. lumber, slaves, shingles,
yarn, peanuts, aud many other articles of
value. Her merchants retain the charac-
teristic energy and s1gacity Of the place,
and manifest every disposition TO push the
advantages to the utmost limit.
We will return TO this subject, SO pleas
ant to US, and of such paramount interest
TO tie whole State. Want of time fOrbidS
us saying more at present.