The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-01-31

-Flowtow, the gtcIt Garmsn 20 hp
ser, is dead.
Papers all over the State are prais-
ing in very high terms the late Rev. DIR.
W 7. Brooks who died at Wake Forest
College. Jan 10th. Chatham has the
honor of producing the four most noted
Baptist preachers Of that denomination
in North Carolina. to wit. Basil Manly.
VIM. T. Brantley, w. I. Brooks. and
Col. Paul b. Means was In the city
last week, as a candidate for railroad com
missioner, it is said. He is at present one
of the r. & T.. ''local lawyers" at Con
cord; bat would resign if appointed com
missioner by Gov. Jarvis. -The name-
of Col. Vim. Johnson, President An
drcws' father in-law, Col. l. Fremont,
formerly of the Coast Line, and F. ii.
Winston, Jr., of Winston, we notice are
mentioned for commissioners. The
Railroads, il is sad. do not oppose q
commission. We wondered why some
men favored It.
From Senator ). b. Alexander, OF
Mecklenburg, chairman of the Finance
Committee, we have a copy Of Senate
Bill 23G. cntitled--An Act for levyiHg,
equalizing. anil collecting taXes,'-a
pamphlet of 63 printed pages. 1t aim
to correct many abuses in the existing
system by adjusting and equalizing tax
alton. and securing the collection there
of. Some such improvement is vitality
necessary. There is daily exhibition of
the unequal and unjust working OF the
present system. About II half the
people pay no tax and many pay very
much more than a proper percentage
according to value of property.
We were yesterday called upon by
Sheriff NOVEL; for 500 as our annual
State and county tax. on $500 north Of
personal property! At this rate, those
who are worth $4,000. 100000, or
$500, 900 must pay a cart-load of dol
lars. Do they payit: Not much!
Those who argued that the II. & ID.
syn6icators had no interest in the late
campaign, will now see that it was a
mistake. The much whispered about
bill for Relief" made its appearance
last week. 1t is amusing to US to note
that last fall, without any information,
or mint from any one, We happened to
hit by guess, the aims of the campaign
then progressing. We stated that the
syndicate would doubtless consent to
build the road a. far as the mouth of the
Nantibala, near Charleston; but thence
could follow the Tennessee to Marysville,
Tenn, and leave the ''Ducktowners"
Whose locus is a shifting flyspeck on the
map to suck their fingers a1d mourn
over the long-lost "Nolth Carolina sys-
tenn
The Relief Bill introduced by Mr..
Springfield, of Haywood provides tina,
when the road Is land TO the mouth OF
Nantihala, ten miles beyond Charleston,
it shall be accepted" as virtually com
pleted. Then the owners are to be al
lowed to take up the States interest
$500, 900 in bonds, with coupons for
the cash sum of 5000, 600, or that
amount of the new four per cent bolds
issued under the compromise act OF
1880, which, by the by, was last week
extended for the term of two years.
(Stick a pin heIeD
Then the owners are granted permis-
sion to build two branches one to run
along the river to Marysville. Ten
nessee, (whence they already Own a II
mile road connecting with the Knoxville
System); and the other branch to run
through Franklin Ghe home OF Jas. l..
Robinson. Cope Elias. and Mr.. Ge' w.
Swepson's land agents. to meet the
Georgia branch, known as the "Rabun
Gap Line" This is an excellent ar
for Macon county, anyhow.
Moreover that after the S520,0 600 bonds
have been lifted out of Treasury, the
road may be sold. mortgaged, leased.
etc. That the Road shall have 500 con-
victs until Jan. l, 1885. The up-shot
OF the bill is this let Us lit the bonds
are a bar to L operations III Wall
we will then mortgage the road
to get money to build it to Nantihala /;
where we shall stop until the coI:try |
fills up. But meanwhile we will carry
the "Rabun-gap Route" across the in
terval from M~arysville to Clayton. and
supply Georgia with coal. Haze
Heck .fa6ula docet: pour quot; Heath
ell Chinee: Selah!
Ducktown. venerable Ducktown. an
Gent staple of ~demagogic oratory,-
Desolate Ducktowu., adieu.