The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-08
VOICE OF THE PRESS ON THE
RAILROAD ROW.
About 'aIf an aif!--Or 'aIf for /;
and Three-Fourths Against.

and Three-Fourths Against.
1t i now nearly a year since the tIr
me- pn3 M.ch1a,c began TO specs a.
mind on the outcome Of the - c.ial
Session sale, or 'give-aw4y,' of the
western y. G. Railroad. Cur post rs
vas that the people had been cheat. !.
and that tie Governor was responsible =.
Or b'ameabie, for not exposing the true
State Of affairs when he first became
cogniz,nt Of them.
By our course, in standing III fo- the
people. we naturally incurred the n!
will Of many cronies Of the Governor.
and ~favorites ofthe Railroads, together
with one abuse from a portion OF he
press. We reco!lect that Gen. Lewis,
Of Edgecombe, stopped his paper on
the ground that we were damaging the
Democratic party and several papers
sueered at Us as "a second 10. Turner
w ell, we knew we were honest. we
believed We had the best interests Of our
people at heart, aud We kept tour course,
seeking neither favor nor enmity.
Time, at length, up rolls the curtain,
aud all the State i, upon tip toe watch
ing the development.
We append a number of extracts,
from the State press. so far "a we
have seen, all Of the paper. along the
line Of the Richmond 4 Danville K X.
favor Capt. Andrews, as against Mr..
W. j. Best. The Eastern and South
Central papers generally lean toward
Gov. Vance and Dir. Best. The Re
publican papers are delighted.
Capt. Tom Evans of he Rcidsville
Times says;-''We dislike to see two
old friends and companions in arms 8.
Andrews and Vance facing each other
with the war wrinkle on their brows.
And all about a railroad. Durn a raj
road. More wagons. More wagons
We want the next party convention
held in an old field a hundred miles
away from a bar of railroad iron, and
the delegates TO attend on horseback =
MIR. Henry 4. London, Of the
Pittsboro Record says: THE Richmond
and Danvllle Railroad company has al
most obtained a monopoly in this
State, and is using it. power in a most
harsh and e1acting manner. 1t is
generally believed that they obtained
their lease of the North Carolina Rail
road by bribery and corruption, ard
their entire course since that time has
been hostile and hurtfulto the interest.
of North Carolina. OF course railroad
companies and individuals will wo. K
for the advancement of their interests
and it is qulte natural that the Rich
mond and Danville Company should
wish to make all the money they can,
but it is equally natural that North
Carolinians should object to becoming
the victims OF their extortions and e X
actions"
Mr.. r. K. Bryan, Of the Fayette-
vile EcamanerS says: The public wei
knows that the Clyde syndicate are be
hind hand with their work on the w.
\. G. Railroad, but they equally know
the great difficulties necessarily Gcoun
tered in the construction Of 4 costly
road through arough mountain country.
They ore prepared TO allow some lati-
tuae in regard to the time when the
work shall be com pleted, provided the
assignees will use due diligence il
pushing the work. But what u people
will consent to determinations against
themselves by railroads which exist on
their own soil by virtue Of charter:
granted by THEN " legislature i
something we are not yet prepared {,
believe. We await an explanation
The Wadesboro Times says: ''Thi,
may, and we hope will, result in til.
qualification of the original contract
with W. j. Best and his assignees, anC
leave the State free to ~recontract Will
Best and his new and more responsible,
hackers. In the fight between Bss'
and the Richmond & Danville, we ar,
decidedly with Best, believing tina
his system Will inure more to the bene
I'll Of North Caroline towns aud sea
ports, while the Richmond & Danvills
on,v desire TO use US as ? ~thoroughfare
Mr.. Best has our best wishes II thi
matter, and if the recent action of Uh'
commissioners will but result in hi.
regaining the Western y. G. Road, hi
good fortune will be a subject Of con
graduation to tie people of the whole
State
Mr.. John B. Hussey, of the Green
boro Putriot says. Between Bests
Boston Bubble and the Richmond {
Danvil!c Syndicate the Charlotte OJ-
serrer prefers the latter. But that i
not the alternative. 1t is whether
reasonable time has been, or shall be
extended to the r.. & ID. Syndicate t
complete the Western North CAROLYN,
railroad, or wheter the contract shal
be arbitrarily %annulled by the Stat
Commissioners and the road again be
come a tax on the people for the benefi
of ambitious politicians. That is tn
alternative. Best is nil.'
The Wilmington .Storsay.: ''Whe
the Richmond & DanviIle Railroad 90
possession OF it we regarded it as IA mis-
fortune. Soon after the election 70
Governor in 1880, the road change tn
Gauge Of the North Carolina road so q
10 make it comport to its own. In othe
words. it made both roads conform 8
as to work in the interest of Richmond
We thought at the time that it wa
well that the people OF this section di
not know that the Richmond 4 Danvill
Railroad hal possession and woul
change the gauge when the Stat
election came on. That fact bein
known in time would have affected ser
ously the vote.
1t reads like a little joke to hear IT,
commissioners saying that the Ricl
mond x Danville is working-is di
eliminating against North Carol:n
towns ard cities. Who ever wa. fatl
Gus enough to suppose to believe thr
it would DO any thing else CcrtainI