The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-20
For the Farmer ana Mechanic
Railroad Routes.
On THE ROAD. Sept 9. 1852.

On THE ROAD, Sept 9, 1882.
So many rumoTs are afoat about North
Carolina railroads and projected lines,
that | am inclined TO believe some of
them are worth printing, and. as best
can, | shall place a lew at your disposal
Sometime back II Vas GENERALLY believed
that the Elizabeth City aud Norfolk X
L would be extende through Washing
ton 70 Newbern, and thence to some
point on the South Atlantic coast. This
project has been abandoned. and that
line may be considered, at least for the
present, completed The hnc from Suf
! folk 10 Goldsboro continues to show oc
casional signs of life, aud its friends insist
that MIR. Clyde viii certainly construct it
in the near future. Ii constructed IL will
cross the Chowan b3low Winton, aud the
Roanoke near Williamston, probably be
low it about seven or eight miles where
ii is SAID satisfactory crossing has been
found. The Seaboard and Raleigh K
r. is fast completing its line between
WILLIAMSON aud Tarboro, and the work
being done is pronounced excellent by
ju iges who have had the pleasure of
riding over it. This line is exciting
more than usual interest, because sundry
rumors are ahoat about it. Some say it
is certainly going to be pushed through
to Raleigh. while others believe it will
pass into the hands OF the " ilmlngton 4
| Weldon R. K. as soon a. it is fni> he'd to
Tarboro Others, however, state that
the w. Il w. will sell lis Tarboro branch
to this line and use the proceeds of sale
to construct line fiom Tarboro to Scot
land Neck to connect with its new branch
to that place, and thereby serve both
rarbor6 and Scotland Meek with one
branch. This rumor has SO much prac-
tical sense in it that the writer is inclined
to believe it has a very sound foundation
BY this trade the Seaboard and Raleigh
would only have to construct Iafter reach
ing Tarborol about forty miles to get to
Raleigh from the point it would cross the
w. & w. and the W. & W. would pre-
vent or Illustrate the building of paral~
lei line, or line tapping Wilson, which
is one of its most important points. 1t is
said one Of the leading spirits of the Sea
board & Raleigh scheme has an old
! grudge against the Robinson system" to
settle up, and that he is determined to
get even by tapping Raleigh. This
i srndg ge was Inherited by Robinson from
i Hawkins, and was caused by some trsns-
for the Chatham Railroad. By this
transaction Baltzer, it is said, lost a large
4 sum of money, but how the writer knows
not. 1t would be we'll for North Caro-
lima if others who have grudges against
railroad people would use their means to
get even by cons ructlng new lines 4
road to different sections OF the State
that are now suffering from oppressive
rates and poor, very poor. accommoda
tions. Another rumor says the Virginia
and Carolina Railroad from Richmond,
Va, to some point on the Raleigh q
Castor near Rdgeway will certainly be
built, aud that when built will form a
part of new line from New York via
Washington City. Richmond, Raleigh
and Hamlet, to Columbia, 8. g., and
Augusta, Ga. This line W )uld be about
the shortest practical line between the
points named that could be constructed
for any reasonable sum. This move
would be grand for the Robinson Sys-
tem," Lecause it would secure it valu-
able Southern connection, a thing it has
not, and must have to make it the sue
cess it eminently deserves, for under
great disadvantages it maintains itself
nobly. Another rumor is that the w. q
W has offered to build branch from
| Wilson to Greenville. Pitt county if the
people along the line will subscribe
satisfactory sum, say about fifty thousand
dollars. The effect of this move would
be to bury Wilson and its surrounding
country by placing it permanently under
the heel Of the W. 4 W. Greenville,
too, would soop find that it had scattered
its money to the winds, so far as pro-
gressive good was concerned for with
out Wilson and its tributary country as
an ally.it cannot hope or expec. to gain
much from railroad
i A railroad Independent of the w. q
W. is the only kind that will bring pros
perity, and its:attendant blessings to that
portion or any portion of Eastern North
Carolina now tributary TO It, This re
mark applies TO all iInes that oppress
those who cannot help themselves, and is
considerate only of those that have other
means of transportation.
The writer hopes some OF these rumors
will become actual facts. for the more
railroads that are constructed IN North
{ arolina the sooner will come the day
when emigrants will avail themselves OF
her wonderful advantages, and the legls-
lature. est a biish commission to so con
troll matters that justice will compel q
proper consideration tor the rights Of the
; !; shippers of the State.
If hear anything more on these sub
jects during my travels, | will seEd then
I to you, provided you don't let your devi
misprint or misspell my writings.