The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1882-09-21
LETTER FROM A SUBSCRIBER.
Railroad Versers Roanoke, Tad Polls
and Bull Frogs.
MEN WHO ARE DAMAGED BY ITS RIGHT
OF WAY-IN A HORN.
For the Commonwealth

Or Tile commonwealth
MR.. EDITOR Man is very prone
to reap where he has not sown, and
to gather where he has not planted.
and, as invariably as he reaps and
as often as he gathers, an excuse all
sufficient to justify the act in his
own eyes is readily found.
1t is a we'll known fact to every
man. woman and child in this sec.
tion that the Railroad from Halifax
to this place was secured by our
citizens agreeing to pay the sum of
$4,000 and to furnish the right.of-
way.
Here we we're, twenty miles from
a Railroad, no river nearer than
seven miles, with no means of com.
munication whatever with the out
side world. It is true, the Roanoke
would sometimes get on spree and
afford the means Of transporting a
bale of cotton or barrel Of pork,
but even this, from Hamilton to
Palmyra, for a considerable season
of the year was the exclusive proper.
ty of bull-frogs, whose favorite di-
version was to leap from bank to
bank, making three revolutions in
the pass age. After these frogs end
ed their sport, and the river always
made special provision for it by get
ting as low as it could. about the
middle of September of each year,
something like canoes would venture
up as high as Hills ferry there, if
fortunately they were not wrecked
by one of those things with tail
and four legs, called "tad poll"
could then carry bale of cotton and
barrel of whiskey. Later still, pro-
vided the rains were bountiful to
mother earth about the source of the
river. something called steamer, so
termed from the way it puffs and
blows and snorts in running up
stream, comes up. Then the mer-
chant, glad of the opportunity, ship
ped his cotton and ordered his goods.
And, if it SO happened that no stray
buck-shad, detained up the river by
low water, overlook the steamer and
capsized it, he would hear from his
cotton the following June. Some
time after the merchant had gone
into bankruptcy and after he and
the lawyers had divided his goods,
the bill of goods ordered would come
to hand, and he would take them for
his legal exemption.
Verify the ills that we suffered and
endured we're sore and grievous. and
there went forth decree that we
must have a Railroad. 1t would
seem to an Indifferent observer, that
every one here and there along the
proposed route would have rejoiced
at a decree so beneficial. and that all
would have contributed according to
bis ability to further so desisable an
object. But l am a little in advance
Of my subject. let me go back. A
meeting of the citizens was called,
the meeters met, and the speakers
spoke. Men can speak when they
can't subscribe. Some, it is said,
cried. | have seen men cry in church
for the poor and then ask them for
change for ten cents to put five in
the hat. The favorite "spokesman"
of our town was called upon for
speech. He made it so plain. that
a deaf man-blind in both eyes
could understand that the Railroad
would benefit ever ybody and that
whatever was given would be pure
donation, free and simple, just as
much so, as when the deacon comes
around with holy hat-I don't mean
pious, l mean full of holes-and ycn
deposit nickle therein.
Well, a great many of our people,
with generosity and public spirit
commendable, put their names to tho
subscription list for handsome
amounts contract was made. and
the road was commenced, and still
some people in this immediate vicini-
ty have not subscribed one cent, and
strange to say. some are deriving
damages because the Railroad runs
in sight Of their houses, although
their property is increased in value
one hundred per cent. They are
damaged by the roads passing over
their land, yet, when the train pass
cs, you can see nothing but eyes and
mouth, and, if less particular man
than That good, clever, cautious en-
gineer, Jimmie Long, had charge of
the engine, l believe that train, pass
engers aud freight would run down
some Of their throats. They are
damaged, but still they ask double
rents for their property.
Some men refuse to pay their sub
scription because they say they
thought they were getting stock.
Others don't pay, and give no reason
for it. Now, friends, turn about is
fair play. The road is finished. We
are all benefited by it. We en-
barked in this enterprise together.
We are $4,000 behind. The money
is due. The bondsmen will have to
pay it, unless it is otherwise raised.
Every man on that bona who will
come forward and pay his share
thereof have already given more than
he ought to have given. So come
forward and pay your subscription
aud help raise that 81 900 to paw