Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-01
OF TIE JoUAEAL.j
Nt;lni1giOtR and the 1HsnI.

EDITORS JoCttNA IO ollli,- Il ran
road through thjs country will cost
less than the average Of mountain
roads; the route SCENE to be up Que
valley and down another, with very
little tunnelling or heavy grading. or
embankment. If you viii examine the
cost of crossing the All,,ehany Noun
tains, You will fad the greatest ex-
pense is the approach firm the east
and getting through the Ridge once
through the Ridg' there are valleys,
giving easy and cheap lines to the
Mi~-ls>ippi basin.
Tne greater part of the work of the
OId F.'rt line, east of the Ridge, has
been done and mrch Cf the grading
and masonry on this side of the Ridge
is a,sO flushed There is also much
grading and masoury from Ashville
done. on the Duck Town line, which
will cost much less than is usually es-
tImated.
The penitentisry convict labor has
been made available for grading rail
roads in other States, developing tie
country and saving expense to the
State. 1t can be used advsntageously
in grading these Western railroads.
When the grading is once done, the
means of the State combined with the
interests of the railroads on either side
of the mountains, will secure the iron
aud rolling stock. Each new railroad
acts as a feeder to those already in
operation.
1t is sometimes said that these roads
will never pay. Limos of roads in
other States connecting ths tiGe-water
country with the Valley of the Mis-
sissippi River, pay; why should these
not make proper return for the cost
CT construction One thing is con-
si1ered certain with well-informed
railroad men-the Western North Caro-
lima Railroad will never pay, until it is
fnished d through to connect with the
Western roads.
The line extended from Old Fort
makes the short line West for North
and South Carolina one hundred
miles shorter than any other. 1t
would become one of the great high
ways for Western produce to the
coast cities of those States.
Think of the immense quantity of
meat, gr ain, -four, and other Western
mel chandise, that come by rail to
Northern cities, thence by sea to the
Scot ,ern cities. By this short line
they would be as near to Wilmington,
or Charleston, as to the Northern cities
that send forward these articles of
merchandise.
The stock trade of itself from the
West would give large profit. Much
of it is taken by rail to Wolf Greek,
thence driven across the country to
either Old Fort or some point on the
Air Line, where it takes rail again to
its destination. The stock taken from
this locality would surprise you.
If only one-halI the Western trade
that would belong to this short line,
geographically, were to pass over it,
ombined with the local trade, it would
Justify building it. Being the short
line to Wilmington and Charleston, in
de- d to nearly ali the towns in North
| and South Carolina, there is no reason
why it should not do all the trade in
stead Of only half of it.
Wilmington never had a direct rail
| connection West, until the Wilmington,
Columbia & Augusta Railroad was
extended to Columbia. Afterwards
the Chespeake L Ohio was completed
to the Ohio river, making a second
connection. This direct line through
Western North Carolina will be much
shorter than either of those lines. 1t
will also be much shorter to Charleston
from the HoSL tuaH Lu0 Iluo tIO Az
| lant8.
The immense product of the Duck
town copper mines would pass over
the road Ella Waynesville. There are
| other c pper mines of great value
which would soon be developed with
suitable railroad facilities. As stu
ated, the cost of wagon transportation
to any existing railroad would eat up
the profits.
Tie mica trade is developing into
| great Importance. It sells for from 81
to S5 per pound. There are many
veins of great value that would soon
be opened. There is much mica of
Inferior quality now thrown away that
would pay good profit with railroad
transportation.
Western North Carolins has Besse-
mer steel ores, that will compare favor
ably with the best qualities known
either in the United States or in
Europe. While iron ores are found In
great abundance in every State, the
steel ores are comparatively scarce.
A railroad has been built for transpor-
tation Of irol ore of no greater value
than some of these beds that are suited
to steel rails. Similar ores are trans
ported by rail, /, 200 to ]. 800 miles into
Pittsburg. ~
Ores. no better than these or some
of these west of the Ridge. are shipped