The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-05-29
RAILROAD MASS MEETING.
Ii is Decided 20 Call an Election to
Vote on the Question Of Issuing
Bonds TO Build II abroad into Nash
C0unfV.

house Monday afternoon to discuss the
matter of building a railroad into Nash
county, and to determine whether OF
not an election should be called to vote
on the question of issuing bonds for the
purpose, &c. NJ. W. S. Parker, Pres
ident of the Chamber of Commerce.
called the meeting to.order and Mayor
Hicks was elected permanent chair
man, with Thad r. Manning and A.
Hatchett secretaries.
By request of the chairman Mr.. Par
ker explained the object for which the
meeting had been called, and spoke
earnestly of the necessity and impor-
lance of railroad from Henderson to
Nashville OF some other eligible point
in Nash county.
Mr.. S. Watkins expressed himself as
enthusiastically in favor of the road
and spoke of the great benefits Hender-
son would derive from it. He
was proud of the vote he cast in voting
a subscription of 100000 in the Dur
ham & Henderson railroad, and he was
confident the Nash county road would
be worth vastly more to us.
Mr.. A. c.. Zollicoffer said it had been
his pleasure to recommend and support
every railroad measure that has been
proposed for the town since he became
a resident Of the place, and cited some
of the mistakes we have made in the
past by not Selling upon and improv-
ing the opportunities that presented
themselves. But if we shall sit still
now and fail to secure this road for
Henderson, it will be the greatest mis-
take of all.
Mr.. D. Y. Cooper was heartily in
favor of the road and did not think we
could afford not to build it. The COM
pletion Of the road from Springhope on
to Raleigh will take away much of our
most valuable trade, and cannot fail to
prove a serious blow to Henderson.
We must build the road if we would
protect our best interests and 60 on in
the way of progress and prosperity our
town is already in.
Mr.. J. A. Harrell spoke warmly in
favor of the road, and said it was not a
question of whether we could afford to
build it, but could we afford not to build
it? He thought not, and Henderson
must do it. We could not hope to get
either of the other corporations to take
hold of it and build it for us.
Capt. E. G. Brodie had not consid-
cred the matter fully but was not very
enthusiastic on the subject of taxation.
He was in favor of donating the towns
stock in the Durham & Henderson
railroad to any corporation OF private
individuals who will build the road.
Mr.. w. r. Henry said he was hear
tily in favor of the railroad, andrealized
the great benefit it would be to the
town. He appreciated also the special
need of this particular one. 1t was a
matter we could not afford to pass
lightly over-an enterprise we could
not afford to let fall through. This is
a period in our history of exceeding i'm
portance, and we should improve our
every opportunity. If Henderson does
not get the road Raleigh will. This
trade once diverted, it will be difficult
to regain it. He was familiar with the
country through which it would pass
and spoke of the ease and cheapness
with which it could be constructed.
Capt. o. R. Smith was earnest and
enthusiastic in his advocacy Of the road,
and related number of instances
where towns had been dwarfed and
crippled by sitting still and allowing
some other place to get ahead of them
when an important enterprise of this
kind was wanted. He knew the coun-
try perfectly and no where could a rail-
road be built with as little outlay of
time and money as this one. Nature
has graded the road almost. 1t is a
rich and fertile section, prolific in natu-
raj resources and only needs railroad
to develop it. 1t is one of Henderson's
most valuable territories from which to
draw trade, and she should reach out
her hand and help the people of that
section to reach our market with their
varied products of the soil, forests and
mines.
Mr.. J. r. Young spoke in advocacy
of the railroad, and alluded to Hender-
sons advantageous situation with re-
gard to the three great railroad systems
of this section of the country. We al
ready have the Seaboard Airline and
Richmond & Danville, and the Nash
county road would give us connection
with the other, the Atlantic Coast-Line.
Only one other place (Raleigh) has
probability of having all three roads.
This would be big thing in our favor
-one of the greatest that could be
in fact, when we had occasion
to speak Of our facilities for shipping
and travel and the advantages Hender-
son enjoyed in this respect over other
points.
Mr.. a. Hatchett said the impression
had got out that the town would be
asked to give this money asa bonus
the town was to own stock in
the road to the extent of its subscription
rs in case of the Durham & Henderson
road. He thought it well enough to