The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-20
North Carolina.

NCTLn StSIOliAck. z
North Carolina has the misfortune to have
8 coast that Is much disturbed by The shifting
sands. Her mountain section,is 20 far from
the tide.water that In the intervening
country there Is. a physical condition
not sufficiently favorable to the location OF
large cities to enable her to establish COM
petitor with the more northern cities IN Inc
various branches Of commerce. NeVerthe.
less she has ports that are we'll adapted 70
cosstwise trade, and amply suited to the ou.
siness Of shipping produce and receiving NJ
the freishts needed for her own consunpIon
and for large portion Of the popula'son
contiguous to her territory. ~.
:; Take Wilmington for instanee-a port OF
considerable importance as place Tor snip
ment of the produce Of a flourish!ng part Of
the State. The coastwise traffic can be car
RED on with entire success at that point, SO
far ~ navigation for sea.going craft is con-
cerned. 1t is place of activity and thrift,
with population Of some $4,000. Then
take Beaufort or Morehead harbor, that has
a much poorer show of population and no
trade to speak Of; yet as an harbor and out
let to sea 1t is one OF the finest on the coast
TO that port the eyes of one OF the most able
and practical men Of the State were turned
and to that port, through his great influence,
q railroad line was built from the western
part of the State, where lateral lines were
so arranged as to drain the whole OF the
piedmont region.
From the wh,rves at which the railroad
terminates at Morehcad there Is channel OF
minimum depth Of thirty feet to the ocean
bar, where it is eighteen feet deep. Inc
distinguished North Carolinian, Governor
MooRHEAp, who projected this scheme, con"
tended that North Carolina should handle as
much of her own commerce as possible, 10
order TO keep as much of the gains from IL at
home as was practicable. He not only hao
the fine port OF Beaufort bay in view, but ne
tyyo.cd a line that crosses the State directly
frcm Charlotte to Wilmington. BY these
line, it was anticipated that the commodities
OF the east and the west of North Carolina
would be exchanged with facility, and That
TIE ports of the State could take part
Of the commerce the States adjacent to her
territory.
This was wise view Of North Carolina
craftsmanship. But the error WAS commit
led of building the roads in North Carol'na
of gauge different from that adopted ny
the southern States, with when commerce
--..,, ..x-,..,,od nv North Carolina,
Orr readers know that the gauge thus
adopted g,as also different from That o!
the Dauyi.le road, and they also know the
history of the great struggle that was enden
nv the change Of the gau-e OF The Norm
Cayolina railroad to five feet, so that it now
corresponds with the gauge of tne Danvliie
read and of the Sonth Curona roads;
and we have an unbroken gauge from R!ch-
mond TO New Orleans.
Clearly this advantage should be enjoyed
BY the ports of North Carolina. II the hope
OF increasing their commerce be commenda-
bic the failure to give them connection Wild
ahe South by uniform railroad gauge Is cen-
surable Us calculated to disappoint that hope.
Practical minds must see that au unintcr.
rupted railway gauge from the South to the
North Carolina ports is absolutely necessary
to give them fair chance IN the competition
for commerce. The more especially is this
so because those ports are placed to diSad-
vantsge by lack of means and trade.
Thus we see what North Carolina now
esrtciu!ly wants. She has Uniform gauge
frsm the Gulf to Goldsboro' ola Rlleigh'
She has but to change the gauge of the At
lant;c road from Goldsboro' to Newbern
and Morehead City to afford entire facility
to ireighls from the South to those shipping
ports.
II North Carolina has not abandoned all
hope o! increasing her commerce, ana mace
ALI assignment of her enterprise as well as
her means to outsiders, she will have this
uaiform gauge from the Gulf to her ports.
Manies,ly North Carolina is prospecting in
her manufacturing, aud by strengthening her
commercial enterprise she Will be strength
enrg her means and stimulating the ener-
Gle, of her people, and thus increasing her
own resources and making the public works,
q blch have cost so much money, OF greatly
more value to her. She has very great na'u-
raj resources. She has the natural advan.
sar.s for manufacturing and also Tor COM
mc,ca. and in duty to herself she should
make them in the best way available.
We have no expectation that North Care.
lima will make great cities competing with
those of the North /; but she can make very
respectable towns, that will bring her mar.
kets for the products Of agriculture rear
home, enabling the farmer to increase the
variety of his crops and to convert the product'
Of his industry into money promptly. nm
is grand point; but more than ever shoult
North Carolina as we'll as Virginia seek t
increase the variety OF pursuits for her Gill
GEMS, and thus promote her independence
and restrain to q good degree the out6owiIl
of money that goes to remunerate the indus
try of people whose policy has diminish.
her means aud ours. This increase Q
meaus OF occupation-the modes of employ
ing educated labor, and new ways for geniu
to be exerted-helps TO keep the rising gene
ration OF white people at home and great
strengthens the State.
To these points both North Carolina az
Virgins must direct their attention with
concentration Of policy and purpose tha
nothing should be allowed to in.errup,
Looking at both States and the railroad us