Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-05-28
For tho journal
Wilmington and Coast Turnpike

For tho journal
Wilmington and Coast Turnpike
The undersigned, a Committee to
open books of subscription to the CAP
ital stock of the wilmington and
Coast Turnpike Company" appointed
at the meeting of the corporators
named in the Act to incorporate said
Company, forthe Information of the
public submit the following synopsis
of some of the leading provisions of
this Act, with such explanatory state
ments as are deemed pertinent:
The main stem of the proposed
Turnpike is to run from the City of
Wilmington or some point near the
city to point near the head of Lee
Greek, sometimes called Bradley's
Cree k. This is the shortest and most
direct route towards the ocean, and
the main stem is to be SO located for
| the obvious reason that branches can
be run from its Eastern terminus or
from some point or points on its line
to Masonboro or to Greenville or Mid
! die Sound, south of said creek, or to
!
| NewkIrk places north of said Greek.
! accommodating in equal degree as
nearl y as IS practicable the different
| settlements of the coast that are with
Ill moderate drives from Wilmington.
The roadway may be made of rock.
mari, shells or such other durable
material as may be considered proper
for the construction of permanent
turnpike, and it is ascertained that
limestone rock, admirably adapted
for this work, Is found in sufficient
quantities within short distances from
the first three miles of the main stem
In all subscriptions to the stock
OF the company, the particular line of
road, (Whether the main stem or any
particular branch) for the construction
OF which any subscription is intended
shall be designated, and the several
subscriptions are to be applied exclu-
sIvely t. the construction of the lines
50 designated; and all income and
profits derived from each particular
line of road are distributed exclusively
among the stockholders by whom
such line of road was originally con-
structed. To this end the Company is
required to keep separate books or
accounts showing the net income de-
rived from the main stem and from
each particular branch.
The rate of tolls 80 be charged for
the use of any part of the turnpike
is to be regulated by the Board of Di-
rectors; and as a protection against
trespassers the act makes it INSIDE
meanor for any one to use any part of
the road without payment of toll, and
the offender is subject to fine not
less than 81 or more than SIS, and fail
ure to pay such fine as may be impos-
ed by the Justice trying the case, the
Justice is required to imprison the
offender in the workhouse not less
than five days nor more than twenty.
1t is further provided, that any wilful
injury to any part of the road, or to
any bridge or other property of the
company, shall be deemed a misde-
meanor and punished by fine and i'm
prisonment.
soon as the roadway is opened, wheth-
er the same be completed as turnpike
or not.
The shares of stock are $25 each.
The charter is for ninety-nine years,
and is in all respects as full and as lib
eral as could be desired.
The main stem of the turnpike will
be less than five miles, and it is conf
deutly believed that so soon as this is
completed the stock will pay n divi-
deud of between ten and twenty per
cent. When it is borne in mind that
the city of Wilmington is located on a
series of sand hills, and every road
leading from it is as sandy as we'll can
be, having now a population of nearly
twenty thousand and increasing from
year to year, and without even one
reasonably good road by which a ride
into the country either on business Or
for pleasure can be secured, is it not
manifest that the proposed turnpike to
the ocean must of necessity be very
largely used and patronized at all times
aud i'll all seasons of the year, and that
the income from its tolls must neces-
sarily be ,largel? Such has been the
result at all points similarly located,
and IN this connection we beg cave to
give few extracts from a letter re-
Gently received from a gentleman in
Savannah, Of much intelligence and
great practical experience who Is
thoroughly familiar with our city and
its surrounding country.
Referring to the turnpike or shell
road from Savannah to BOnaventure
aud Thunderbolt, he says : "The
length of this road is, including the
route via Bonaventure. about
five miles, of which about three
miles is 25 feet wide and the
other two miles Is feet wide. The
cost of construction was about So, 900
per mile. There are no residences
either at Bonaventure or Thunderbolt,
like those On the sounds near Whining
- khn
ceives very little income from the res
idents at these points, but is support
ed almost exclusively by the pleasure
drives This road has paid regular
dividends of ten per cent, (there may
have been one dividend passed) al
though there IS a railroad running
from the city to the eastern end of the
turnpike, with branches to one or two
other points four or five miles further
from the city. The great merit of the
turnpike is that it costs but little to
keep it in order. and manage it, while
the expense of running, keeping in
order and managing the railroad
(Which is run by steam from the city
lImits) is thought to be more than its
gross receipts, although it transports
large numbers of passengers. Tile
turnpike from Savannah to Thunder
bolt is one of the great attractions of
strangers to the city, and if the peo-
pie of Wilmington would induce Wis
ltors, whether they are pleasure seek
ers or invalids, to tarry in their city,
there is no Investment they could
make that would pay better than a
good turnpike from their city to the
sea. 1t is an improvement in which
every property owner inWilmington is
interested and ought to be promptly
made"
The fact =. as also the recommends
tons embodied in the foregoing ex-
tracts from the letter referred to,
should receive the earnest considera-
ton OF the citizens and property own
ers of Wilmington. Time out of mind
it has been a shame and reproach to
Wilmington, that unlike any other
town in our country of even one
fourth of its population, there has