Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1884-05-29
A MISERABLE RECORD.
s<sTRIKE OUT $I4O,OoO AND IN
SERT $1.OO.''
York Opposed to Aiding the People
ing Railroad Facilities.
.Eron, ia .As6saHe Citizen,

Nine counties Of the State of. North
Carolina embracing that fine Western
region which is now, attracting so
much attention were long denied all
railroad facilities. Asheville was in
accessible and the produce raised, BY
farmers across the mountains found
no ready means of transportation to
the markets Of the world. The sp1en-
did timber of that region was beyond
the reach of purchasers. Indeed,
hemmed in by the mountains, those
North Carolinians across the Blue
Ridge were cut off most etfectuauy
from the balance of the State. They
were entitled to railroad facilities and
the liberal, patriotic men Of North
Carolina were anxious that their wish
ss should be gratiied and that their
needs should be supplied.
DIR. York, however, was never
friendly to that road. He always op,
it. He was unwilling to see the road
built. He was unwilling for the peo-
pie across the mountains to have rail
road facilities. Turn to page 259,
Senate journal, 1S76-'77, where "Sen-
ate bill 81, to provide for the speedy
completion of the Western North Car
olina railroad" was taken up on its
second reading. There was propo-
sition offered to appropriate $4,000
for the road, and Or. York moved to
amend as followers: "Strike out one
$4,000 and insert ST." Think of
that! One dollar! That was adding
insult to injury. His amendment was
voted down. There was an amend
ment offered by Senator J. l.. Robin
son, allowing the Governor to pur-
chase such iron rails and materials as
| might be added each year. Failing
in his one dollar proposition, DR.
York moved to amend and limit the
| amount of this expenditure to $4,000
year. Mr.. Troy moved to make the
limit $4,000. DIR. York voted against
Mr.. Troy's amendment, which, how
ever, was adopted, and then he voted
against Mr.. Robbins proposition, as
amended.
On the passage of the bill on the
second reading DR.. York voted in the
negative. He voted against the bill
He was unwilling to help to build the
| Western North Carolina road.
On page 304, of the same Senate
| journal, this bill came up on the third
reading.
DR.. York moved to strike out "sev-
enty thousand" and insert ''fifty thou.
sand'-as the amount that could be
spent to buy iron, &c, each year
His motion was lost. He then offered
proviso to that section, limiting it!
operation to two years.
He knew that the road could bt
built for $4,000. He knew the roae
could not be built in two years, ane
yet he offered proviso which if adop
ted would have stopped the work il
two years. He voted for his provist
which however was voted down. Or
the passage of the bill on its thire
reading DR.. York again voted square
ly against it.
| Other quotations from DIR. y ork'
record in regard to the construction o
this great work of internal improve
ments could be made, but these suffice
They show his animus. These vote
illustrate that he was opposed to tn
construction of this work that he hat
no desire to aid the people across tn
mountains in obtaining railroad facili
ties i; that he did not sympathize wit
their earnest longings to develop
their western section. He favored
very poor policy. If he had had hi
way the work would have stopped a
Old Fort. 1t would never have cross
ed the mountains He would hav
denied to the good people across th
Blue Ridge all hope, Of opening u
the country to the world. Such wa
the height Of his craftsmanship. Ho,
ridiculous But his policy did nc
triumph. The Democratic party wa
not governed by such narrow concept
ions of justice to the west. They az
propriated $4,000 annually and cal
ried the work on slowly until no.
practically and substantially that gres
road is built. And every cent of ths
money, with interest on it, has bee
t paid back into the State, an
: because it has been paid back il
) to the State treasury there are to /
t no taxes this year. So the work COZ
us nothing. NOW, let US see LEe DeI
fits. The counties that have been d
3 rectly benefitsdby this road, are u
: to the present, Buncome, Haywoo
and Madison. The iron has not y,
been laid in other couhties, but wi
be laid before September. ~ Q.
/ We make below comparison
: the valuation of property for taxatio
! in these three counties, "bsfore an
n after"-in 1878, before they had raj
road facilities and in 1883, after the
/ had begun to enjoy the benefits ar
advantages of railroad CONNECTION
ICounties. EHlsTsI 1873. .1ss7 1883. I.
: Buncombe, $2,o26, ,5s4 s4,o14,44
{ HAYWOOD 80. : 71S,018 1888.
. . sea e,co ooo4 zee IA A