The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-14
The Lateral Air Line.


Twelve years ago. as editor OF tht
Asheville Citizen, we advocated the
Railroad from Wilmington to A>hevilie
via Rutherfordton as the best possible
route for opening up commerce Det"eet
our mountains and the sea- The line
would run due east and west: over Z
splenIid road bed. and through a mag
nifcent region. The advantage in time.
aud freight. would be very decided over
all other routes. particularly for heavy
freights. The disadvantage of the
Western y. &. Railroad. ever since The
Greensboro and Danville connection
wa~ made. is that ali freights OF getting
a far east as Greensboro might better
20 on to deep water at Richmond thar
70 come on east to Beaufort. Wherea:
the sAmc freight could save considerably
by going direct to deep water at Vii
minston. If there were a direct route.
The Carolina Central. or old Whining
ton. Charlotte, anl Rutherford X. K.
is graded to within sight of rutherford
ton, and needs only 80 miles of rails 4
connect with the Western \. {. at Olo
Fort, or f|Ienrys. Apropos the subject
We give the following from u gentlemal
OF that region -
Your paper is the onlH
one | take. and decidedly the news
lest oue | yer saw. You struck the
right idea in the great Railroad tram
actions of last year, and now that the
North alolina Railroad system" has
collapsed from the effects of the various
courses of treatment it has been subject
ed to, it is to be hoped that some one
will direct attention to what Will, with
IL twenty years, be tie grandest
thoroughtare on this continent. | refer
to a route to which | called attention IL
an article to the Shelby paper last De
cember. lt is, to my mind, unaccount-
able that there are SO few men IN North
Carolina who recognize that a railroad
from Wilmington through Hickory Nut
and Reedy Patch gaps, through the
upper valley of the French Broad,
thence through Northern Georgia, Ala
bama, and Mississippi to connect with
roads of North Texas, will beyond
doubt carry more freight than any other
in America within a few years from It's
completion. 1t will most assuredly be
built at some period not far in the flu
ture, and it is naturally the first move
towards establishing a line Of steam
ships from a Southern port to European
markets. 1t will traverse a vast area OF
country, which you well know is with
out a rival on earth for its great natural
resources, healthful climate and the
grandure Of its scenery. | met recently
a gentleman from Dalonega, Ga, who
says the road can be constructed the
entire distance without a tunnel. |
hope the history Of that mythical con
Germ, the Western n. G. Railroad will
yet eliminate in the good Of our State,
as the States interest in Railroads dies
with it. Then. perhaps our authorities
can be made to see where our real in
centres.
Is it not astonishing hat the business
of Wilmington canine be made to
appreciate more highly the inestimab!e
advantages they would acquire by the
building of the road? All the produce
OF the Great South West, now being
sent down the Mississippi river, and
thence through the Gulf to reach
and European markets, would
be discharged daily at its wharves; anu
Charlotte, which now acknowledges it
self to be somewhat blue in regard to
railroad prospects, would have the vast
agricultural and other sources of wealth
the great Southwest, placed within
her reach! | hope | have not tired
you. | am anxious to see you become
interested In this, what | conceive to be,
great project. | am so thoroughly con
Ilnced that it is the most magniticenten IN
terprise in which the State can engage,
that | am now willing to be taxed ten
per cent on all [ possess to see the
work put in process Of construction. |
have travelled over the route to near
the Georgia line, have sought informa-
ton from all available sources, and were
| with you a few hours [ believe you
could be enlisted as one of its most use
full advocates. Please give the subject
a little thought, and let your readers
have your views. Your foresight in
the Best farce was really remarkable.
Several persons here thought your
stand in the matter was hard to account
for; all can appreciate it now"
Geo. L. Holly & Co., wholesale and
retail dealers in crockery, china aud
glass ware, Academy of Music Buildin