Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-10-25
FOR the journal.
Hrox.- mad W,,,UorS.aa4 Railroad,

Carolina. South Car0Il1a ana Virginia.,
three railroad companies, and to them has
heen granted powers of consolidation
The parties interested have agreed sub
stantially on the terms and conditions of
merging and consolidating as was orioi-
nally intended, and they propose to build
what practically may be regarded a Sea-
board railroad, on the narrow gauge plan,
from Norfolk, Va, to Charleston, >. c.,
via Wilmington, y. &. The line will pass
through the eastern counties of North Car
olina, and the counties of Horny, George
town, and Charleston, iii South Carolina
The movement IS of great local value and
Importance to the sections through which
the line will pass Eastern North Carolina
is now and has always been exceedingly
isolated, with meagre means Of ingress and
egress. The country is rich and product
i've, the resources large and important; it
is thickly settled, and the population, as a
whole, is advancing and productive, espe-
cially through The representative elements
of it. They have heretofore, however, had
very insufficient means of communications
have been TO great extent cut off
from the most expeditions lines of inter
course, and been deprived Of quick access
10 the leading business ccnters and mar
K Is, and SO far as we can judge greatly
nee Il some rapid, reliable, frequent and
cheap means of communication with, SO to
speak, the outside world. The same con-
lrtiOn Of affairs exists to greater or less
extent i'll the counties in South Carolina
through which the proposed, what We may
termed, Sea Coast Railroad will pass, only if
possible they are more isolated than in
North Carolina. Hence we take it the
people in these sections will be interested
in learning it is proposed to open up an
outlet through their counties, furnishing
far hoy-n,d hot
tie throwing open Of their valuable lands
for use, culture and profit, the aflorling to
them of all modern advantages in the trans
portatiOn Of freights and passengers, the
benefits of Geographic communication and
the very many other benefits and profits
which usually result from putting a COM
paratively isolated country, which is in
lrnsically of great natural wealth, resources
and consequence, i'll quick, active business
contact with the important markets Of the
country. The advantages also to the
terminal and Intermediate cities and towns
will be very weighty and important. Hence
we ailude to the subject, as We now do,
somewhat at length.
The proposed railroad is Of Importance
also as a through route, shortening, as it
will very materially, distances between
salient points and leading cities, and eX-
pedlting and cheapening Us 1t may the rates
on trelghtS and passengers. We learn it is
the purpose Of those interested to extend
their line from Norfolk north by rail, cross
ing the Chesapeake Bay at on near Sewclls
Point by steam ferry boat Of suitable di-
mansions for the service, carrying the en-
tire train over, as was formerly done at
lIavra de Grace, between Baltimore and
Philadelphia, at the Susquehanna River.
AS a through route this would shorten the
time between Wilmington and New York
over the present rail schedule time OF some
ten to twelve hours, say the half OF a bust
ness day; and from Charleston to New
! Ork of some sixteen to eighteen hours,
practically probably the whole Of a bust
ness day. AS between Norfolk and New
orll as now run by water on the Bay and
iail from Baltimore, of some ten to twelve
hours. In this case Us now run the saving
would he about an entire business day.
These results come from savings in dis
tances, the substitution of rail for water
travel, and other advantages. 1t is further
expected TO extend the ronte from Charles
ton south.
This new railroad project is further liz
teItsting and important in two other re-
speCts and give i. a national and general
value. The first Of these points is, ii will
demonstrate the fact that land transpOrta-
ton under the narrow gauge system OF rail!
rOad3 can be conducted in more than sue
cpSsfnl competition with ocean coast navi-
CATION, especially when insurance and time
are also considered. This fact will be one
Of universal interest, rs having further
general bearing on land and water trans
pGrtatiOn-tWo very important subjects in
tbs extensive country. The second point
is the enterprise, when eventually and
finally completed, will connect all the
lrading sAaports Of the Atlantic within its
route, by the shortest rail rOute. In case
OF foreign invasion or this country (and
such contingency is by no means I'M
probable) this line OF railroad would as
slime 4 national Importance Us an element
OF national protection, by atiOrding facili-
lies for the rapid and shortest movement
OF troops and supplies to threatened points,
rather than as now by the CircuitOuS and
long routes now running, with their elbows
and crooks. 1t is further known there is
now even no rail communication Of any
kind with many vulnerable points on the
coast. The Importance of this point was
clearly shown i'll the case of the State of
South Carolina, by the Savannah and
Charleston Railroad, in the late war.
We learn that the Surveys and location
Of the read from Norfolk to Charleston
will be commenced early. From what we
can gather, the parties interested are active
and mean work. They have already spent
a considerable amount of money on the
undertaking, which IS one OF the best evil
dences they are in earnest. The company
is composed of Southern gentlemen Of
character and strength, along the line, and
of Northern gentlemen Of capital and rail
road experience. The organization, we
learn, is complete, and there is full corps
Of officers with an Executive committee
with full power to act. 1t is their purpose
to move as eXpeditiOusly and as carly as
possible, and there is reasOnpb bic assurance,
We hear, the work, when commenced, will
he prosecute vigorously. We understand
further, the parties interested propose
ROW shortly to canvass the section through
which the road will run, to ascertain If the
right Of way be had free, whether they can
obtain any land grants from persons who
might be benefited by the construction Of
the road, and further, to learn what aid
and subscriptions they might lcly ON and
obtain from individuals, counties and cities
along the route.
1t IS proposed to buId, as above rclnaIk-
ed, narrow gauge road (threc feet Gauge.)
The public are under the impression that
The narrow gauge system Of railroads IS
only suitable for branch lines, or Sparsely
settled sections: that they are only useful
as feeders. This is a great error. The
narrow gauge railroad g feet SauSe) Is
fllly competent and suitable in each and
oil respects to q trunk or through line. 1t
Can maintain speeds of forty miles per
hour with perfect safety. This is the
highest practical working speed adopted in
This or any other country as matter OF
regular business. The usual speed Oh the
wider or feet 81 inches, or feet gauges,
these are known as the ordinary wide
gauge roads in this country, is from 20 to
% miles per hour. In freight capacity
they are equal, if not superior, to the pres