Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-09-22
The Railroad Controversy in
North Carolina.

theory or statement of the nature of the
recent transaotion between tho Richmond
and Dahsille and tho Baltimore and Ohiu
Railroads appears from day to day, and that
from the officers or agents of the companies.
1t WAS FIRST announced as bona fde sale
of the Virginia Midland road; but this
bald statement involved the Incredible pro
position that tho Baltimore and Ohio Com.
pany, after struggling for years aud at enor~
nous expense to open up connection with
the Southwest, had suddenly abandoned
the enterprise on the evo of success in favor
OF its rival. The Baltimoreans were nat
ura!ly alarmed at the bare possibility of
such thing; and to satisfy them the cxa
planotion is given that tho sale was only
partial, that the interests of Baltimore were
carefully looked after, and that tho com.
bined strength Of tho two companies, with
the "Clyde Syndicate" as the responsible
hackers of the Richmond and Danvillo
Company would bring more trade to Bal.
tinore than could have been otherwise se-
cured for that city. This explanation
amounts to an admission that no sale has
taken place, and only partnership has been
eutered into for tho reasons suggested in
this correspondence few days ago, viz, to
save tho Baltimore and Ohio Company. tho
party of tho first part, the necessity of ex-
pending some millions In tho construction
of road through North and South Caro-.
linn at the foot of the Blue Ridge, and to
save the Richmond and Danvillo Company,
the party of the second part, the damaging
competition of parallel road for distance
of two or three hundred miles
This theory fud sustained by Senator
Vance of North Carolina 10 letter dated
September 6, in reply to one from the
President of the Western North Carolina
Road This North Carolina Railroad ex-
tends from Goldsborough to Ashevile. 10
general East and West directions, q distance
of $50 miles, with cross branch line from
Danvile in Virginia to Charlotte, North
Carolina, distance Of l30 miles. About
nine or ten years ago these roads. for the
most part belonging to the State, we're
leased by the President, William A Smith,
to the Richmond and Dauville Company.
The gauge was the ordinary four feel eight
and'a half inches; but in 1875 the lessees
changed it to Eve feet, against tho earnest
protest Of the State authorities aud tho
people. The change was proper enough,
as it regarded the cross branch road from
Danvile to Charlotte; but the effect of
changing the gauge Of the East and West
line was to throw it ou. of harmony with
tho Raleigh and CASTOR, the Wilmington
and Weldon, and tho Atlantic and North
Carolina Roads, tho latter being, 10 fact
and in purpose, an extension of tho North
Carolina Road to the ocean, at Morehead
City. The object and result of this lease
was to give to Virginia aud to Virginia
city tho whole benefit of trade which, it
had been hoped, might build up a city on
tho coast OF North Carolina. Tho State
had built the roads, and the whole people
resented the transfer, which was made by
a Republican President and Directors, and
not without giving rise to charges of COR
ruption. Thcso charges were not removed
when tho President of the road refused to
answer question before the legislative in,
vestigating committee, whether he hud re-
oeived consideration for giving his assent
to the loase.
With these facts 10 view, the interest
which is felt by the people Of North Caro-
lima in the consequences likely to flow from
the recent railroad combination can be un-
derstood. With no love for the Richmond
and Danville Company, and finding them
selves deluded by the promises Of the Bsl
timore and Ohio Company, the people feel
that they have been insulted and their in.
terests trifed with, and nothing is moro
probable than that the crafty oorporators
may DO outwitted and defeated. by the
terms of the lease, it seems, the lessees
wero not to discriminate against the Allan.
ito and North Carolina Railroad, which, as
nj 10 10 ovka oe
North Carolina Road from Goldsborough to
the sea shore; and now tho lessees have
violated this condition by prohibiting
freight rates on the Atlantic Road East Of
Goldsborough, and, in consequence of this
action, tho Governor, Jarvis, has addressed
letter to the Attorney General of the
State, in which he calls on that officer to
"cxamino into tho lease of tho North Caro-.
lina road and the advisnbility of instituting
q suit to yaoato the lease and recover back