The Hillsborough recorder., 1878-07-10
THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
.'7 I'D 81 '5a' RAIL ROAD. "2.'s'1a.

L. aN
An Excursion to the head of the works on
this road taken during the late Press Con-
vsntios gave MS long desired opportunity
10 inspect the line Of route % vsriousIy
estimated BY pubic opinion-by some re-
garded as chimerical from the sfurendoas
nature Of the obstacles to be snrmounted /;
by others arraigned for the slow progress.
and costly expenditures upon what vas
deemed Of easy accomplishment. The or.
ginators and Instruments Of the work were
found in neither class. They bad right
conception ofthe difficulties 10 be overcome.
but they had faith IN human intelligence.
saergy. and wise liberaliry and 50 the eb-
tsrprise bad long ago been undertaken; and
but for untssard in6deliiy to trusts would
not now be the subject Of criticism for its
tsrdy advancement or querulous complaint
for its continued sxactions. .ssge .anm.*
The work is going on with the eme.ns that
the wisdom Of legislation and the crsmped
pecuniary ability Of the people c,n provide.
Il ass be completed because the sTpendi-
ture is too large nov 10 De lost if the en-
terprise is abandoned. Il must be com.
pleled, if Justice is to be done to the peo-
pie Of tie West; and it 1t,tst be completed.
il that frs,ri-idsl strife between the East
and the West Is ever TO cease, aud which
will only cease whea che extremes are knit.
ted together with ih-se hooks of steel,
these Inks Of iroo, b.. whose tenacious
! grip they will be compelled to feel united
as one people, augls VA purpose, Interest
and affection. ss.ifs 'f
No one who visits the Mountain Section
Of the road will fail to be iDpressed BY ID,
/! grandeur Of The West, aud the supreme i'm.
portsncs Of attaching il irIeyocsbly TO ,h,
Eastern division Of the State nor will b,
less Impressed BY the stupeodOuspess Of th'
barrier nature b.s lif:ed 10 the way IS |
she had ihrosn down = ebslleDge 10 th,
energies Of man TO gain by biz IabOrs th,
Eden that lay behind it. And the sublim,
coursge with which the challenge was ae-
csptsd. and the intslligenes. almost divine
that directed the energies applied to the Ut
dertaking will raise 10 his mind .still highe
conceptions Of fhamsu aspirations and human
capacities. But il is only BY sctsal iaspec
tisa q the locality that right conception
| 10 formed of wh., vas required, and clea
view Obaipei u what has been aeeomplisb
cd.
The Bile Ridge. stretching across tb'
State from North East to Southwest. ou il
Eastern hse pre,epts-s line Of uudulaiinl
peaks siih outlying buitresses. prcjeetinI
at right htsBgles ~itb the main ebsin. fOfm.
I ibg that e.sgsries u mountains which give
toe eastern side is varied. bold, bot beau
,ifuI outline these outlying buitrese. be
tseen them enclosing the narrow valley
through which The Numerous riyulets msk'
their ssy .,eshs plains. IL ghtbavs sug
ge,iea itseIf TO engineers that the most fea
sib!e ssd sconOmic.l way to eros The bar
rier VS. 70 pierce. through is base 10 tb
other side. Bat IL vas found that the Bio
Ridge did not falI assy 90 the weS ss !
1ldid ostbs Hast. bar that H. summit vas
Sia,esa si,h an average level Of tssIs
hundred feet shove the eastern base. ]
sss therefore imperative 70 reach the oths
I sids by gradual spproaehsss and sbs vale.
er Nm I resk vss cbo-so ss TIE psshysy
1 Not altogether. however. fdr iseosrss Is 1
I sortuops. and its yalley " dlno~ that Dol
Der conceptions, ipdspssdsaef any psta.
raj channel, were adopted. Fora mile D
Win Creek, the route j. comparatively