National Republican., 1886-12-25

Correspondence ortho NATIoNAL RErUBLicANl
CHARLESTON, s. c., Dec. 10.--"If you
wish to know what the south is doing 60
there and use your own eyes" Such the
emphatic advice l received three months
ago from an old friend to whom applied
for information. The point was well taken.
L started south, and after week In
Richmond and Norfolk, went into
North Carolina, visited all Its chief centers
ofpopulatlon and industry, and then crossed
over into South Carolina, where have been
putting in my timo most pleasantly, and
appreciating more and more daily the wis.,
com Of my old friends counsel.
North Carolina is q great state, both in
area and national resources. The push aud
energy everywhere encountered surprised
me. us 1t possible that this Is the North
Carolina that has for years been sneeringly
called slowSn | asked myself continually.
Certainly the new school and church build
ings, the large factories and mills, with
pretty villages growing up around them,
the banks, warehouses, and stores one secs,
are evidences, not OF old fogyism, but OF that
healthy conservatism embodied In Crock
etts motto, "Be sure you're right, then go
ahead.n That is what the people Of North
Carolina nre doing. Within ten years they
have discovered the enormous value Of their
forests, their mines, and their fisheries, and
like the sensible people they are--they are
turning them to good account.
IL must he said, however, that the active
development Of this day In all industrial
lines could not have been, but for the rail
roads, the Wilmington and Weden, the
Seabosrd Air Line, the Richmond aud Dan
Vile, and the Western North Carolina,
reaching over into the mountains These
and the many small roads that act as feed
.ers to them have opened up, within few
years, regions rich In natural resources that
but for them would have continued TO bo
unimproYed solltudes. While this pro-
gress has been made in many parts OF the
Piedmont and mountain divisions, there Is
In Whitehlll, a mountain county on the
Tennessee border, vast body OF rich mag
netic ore OF more Importance TO the
industries of the United States than
has yet been discovered In any
other area Of equal extent on this contl-
nent. The product Of this ore bears the
trade.Damo OF Cranberry iron. SO val
liable is this iron for steel making aud for
other purposes, that a narrow gauge rail.
road thirty.flve miles long was built TO one
OF the mines, from which 1t carries $50 tons
daily.
The actual demand at this time for that
ore would consume daily output OF 5000
tons.
In Virginia, but seventy miles north OF
this ore-bed, the marvellous coal measures
commence that extend to the Ohio river.
When railroad connecting these coal aud
ore deposits shall traverse North Carolina,
manufacturing will increase in that state
with unexampled rapidity. Mayor John
son, Of Charlotte, and several lead
ing manufacturers there, told
me that the present business was but O
small fraction Of what 1t would be when the
Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago railroad
had finished its line from Ashland, KY, to
Marion, on the Western North Carolina
road, or to some more southerly connection.
In Wilmington the merchants are rejoic-
ing because the c., O. and @. will lay down
coal at their wharves at price that will
make their city coaling station for Euro
pean and coasting steamers. They expect
also that by bringing poplar, white oak,
cherry, walnut, and hickory logs and lum.
Der IN great quantities II Will double their
already extensive business. Equally great
expectations are entertained by business
, men In Raleigh, Asheville, and other interior
cities, who watch the progress OF the c., @.
and G. road with profound interest.
Probably no enterprise Of like magnitude
was ever prosecuted with so little flourish
OF trumpets or so little public talk. When
operations were begun In North and South
Carolina much curiosity was awakened, but
the management was reticent. Surveys
were made between Rutherfordton, In the
former, and Blacks, station on the A.
and @ air line, In this state. Grading wes
done and track laying begun before the
general public learned that the road-bed
Just completed was the first link Of sys-
TEN that would connect Charleston harbor
with the head Of low water navigation on
the Ohio river at Ashland, Ky. When they
nalf Il hat 10 20 Ne.h tba
banks and coal measures, already named,
they became enthusiastic, for this road
would furnish what they much needed, but
had never been able TO get, cheap coal aud
iron. Forty-flve miles Of this road will
be completed by the 1st OF January. |
examined the section from Shelby south
wsrd, over which trains are running. l
doubt whether any road was ever
built at the south equal to this.
Steel rails of co! pounds are used, and will
be on the entire line. The road.bed is
excellently surfaced and, except for the
freshness OF the ties and spikes, works as
though 1t had been built for years. An.
other section will be completed by the LIST
OF April, 1887, which will make total of
105 miles equipped and In operation.
The Massachusetts, and Southern Con-
struction Company, which is building this
road, has pursued financial policy un-
paralleled In the history of such undertake
ings, for 1t has carried on its work without
calling upon the public for assistance.
Every dollar 1t has expended has been furn-
ished by inside parties. This unusual policy
has attracted the attention of capitalists.
Agents of several foreign syndicates have
been obi aiming information about the re-
sources Of the country the road is TO
traverse, preliminary TO negotiations for Sc.
curing the whole issue of the company's
bonds.
have no knowledge of the intentions OF
the Massachusetts and Southern Construc'
tion Company, but am certain that no en-
terprlse was ever pushed forward more
energetically or independently or with so
little newspaper flourish. The knowledge
OF the railroad they are building has gone
abroad and is attracting investors to the
country. l have met numbers OF northern
capitalists, and have heard OF others who
have hurried to the coal aud iron counties
TO secure mineral properties before prices
go up because OF the progress OF the grad
ers. The Massachusetts, aud Southern Con-
struction Company has recently purchased.
for something more than a million OF dol
lars, the Chatteryi railroad. This road was
built several years ago from Ashland, KY,
southwark through the Big Sandy valley
into the coal fields. By this purchase
the construction company has secured
q fine terminal site, has reduced by at least
year the time for the completion of its
enterprise, and has come into possession of
property that is already making handsome
earnings, and that will, when ten mile
extension is completed, receive enormous
additions to its business.
The Charleston, Cincinnati aud Chicago
Railroad has a business awaiting its COM
pletlon that vii amount to more than any
southern railroad has ever enjoyed, and as
each section is finished its earnings from
the local freight viii cover its proportion
OF all expenses and charges Of every kind,
besides adding largely TO the business and
earnings Of the remainder OF the limo. 1t
will traverse country rich In coal,
iron ores, marble, kaolin, soapstone, mica,
asbestos and.other minerals and crowned