The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-08-26
RAILROAD \.
Attention Business Men
.! W!.stes-Sa!an.
AN IMPENDING CRISIS!
If We Value our C1ty's Growth
we Must be Up and Doing.
Another Opportunity for the TWin-City.
Will we Let it Slip Through
Our FINGERS ?

The South Atlantic and Northwestern
Railroad Company is the name of an organ
ganization which proposes to build a trunk
line. designed to connect the great North
west with the Atlantic seaboard at Smith
field, thirty miles below Wilmington. The
link necessary to be built is from Smith
vile to Bristol, Tenn. Beginning at Smith
Vile the projected line is aimed to touch at
Conwayboro, Marion and Bennettsville, In
northern South Carolina, thence the road
will extend to Rockingham, in this State.
At this point the syndicate having the
road in contemplation, pause to consider
two different routes to- Bristol. One Is
to leave Rockingham, go to Albemarle,
in Stanly county, thence to Salisbury,
Mocksville, Wilkesboro, and through
Cookies Gap into Tennessee. The other
route, which is shorter, through bet
ter country, easier and less expensive to
work, and touching at points having larger
freights, extends from Rockingham to
Troy, in Montgomery county, thence to Lex
ington, on the North Carolina Road, to
Winston and thence to Yadkinville, Wilkes
boro and on to Bristol.
Col. Davi! Risley, representing the South
Atlantic and Northwestern railroad, visited
Salisbury last week as we learn from the
Waterman, and held consultation with
leading business men of that place. Col.
Rislev states that the objects of this road
are to make another shorter and better sea-
board connection for the Northwest, and
make to money out of the freight traffic lncf-
dent to country containing fine coal beds
deposits of superior iron ore, and producing
as great crops of grain and tobacco as does
this section of North Carolina. He thinks
these are sufficient reasons for an adequate
and continued freight traffic,,to the coast, and
that the distribution of the local freights
will give business to the westbound trains.
He claims that the proposed route will be
100 miles shorter to the sea-coast than any
the other line, and it is expected to become
one of the most important and remunerative
roads in the country.
Col Risley has been over the whole of
the road and reports that the people are
very enthusiastic. The counties of Bruins
sioners have already ordered elections for
the purpose of voting 100000 each to the
scheme. The situation is relieved of any
risk whatever, by the syndicate assuring the
people that not a cent of the county sub
scriptions will be asked for until the road is
built and trains are actually running. This
ought to be matter of encouragement for
the people, doubly so, when Col. Risely
AYERS that the road will surely be built.
The contractor of the road, Mr. Bilheimer,
now has corps of engineers engaged in
making the survey from the Smithvillo end
Of the line, and they are expected to reach
Salisbury within few weeks.
If Salisbury bestirs herself she may doubt
less win the route, but the Waterman init
mates as follows: "The seeming immediate
prospect of active work on the Yadkin Riv-
er Railroad, and the papers already signed
by the directors of the road with Dr. EN-
mems of London, acts as check on very
rapid movement of our leading people here
in regard to the new trunk line scheme rep
resented by Mr. Risley"
On the other hand, if Winston-Salem go
Immediately and earnestly to work this
road can be attracted this way. Whatever
is to be done in this matter must be done
quickly. Our business men will have to
act with emphasis and decision, or this
road, like several others will elude our grasp
and give us the go-by in not so literal
manner as many of us would like best
Our crisis has arrived! Shall Winston
Salem seize this opportunity and place her
self on a grand trunk line that will make
teeming city of her, in very truth /, Or
shall we sit idly back and let our streets
grow up in weeds, our real estate sink to
the bottom, our store houses, placarded
For Rent" our dwellings vacant and our
population gradually decreasing
No town grew to be a city OF any
extra dimensions with only % miles of
Railroad, and Winston-Salem can not be
long an exception torthis rule We must
have additional Railroad facilities, IL is
our citol need. To have them we must not
only consent to voting at least 100000 to
the project, but our leading men must first
see that the road is brought this way. We
mus; ,cork, WORK, WORK, with vipor. en-
ergy and perseverance To gain this great in
dnstrial point, or else we must reap the bit
ter reward
THE SENTINEL. hofes the Chamber of
Commerce viii take hold of this project and
put its best efforts to play toward a reaiiza-
ton Of the benefits to be derived from. 80
important Railroad connection.