Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-07-10
THE RAILROAD MEETING.
GOOD Discussions LAST NIGHT
AT THE COURT HOUSE.

Appropriation Made by Captain
Carter, Col. Long and Others
The Resolution Adopted.
That was a splendid meeting held in
the court house last night to discuss the
5000, 900 appropriation to the Atlanta
Asheville and Baltimore railroad.
Col. T. B. Long was called to the chair
and made short speech in which he
made the statement that this was the
only bill he had ever known to pass the
legislature by which great improve.
ment would be secured, and at the same
time the taxes be decreased instead of in.
creased. The people would get this rail
road without paying one cent of money
and the road itself would be taxed.
Capt. M. E. Carter was called upon -
explain the plan under which the $780,,
600 is to be voted.
The people are only asked to loan the
stockholders their credit in order that
they may build this road, said Capt.
Carter. The townships will he fully pro-
tected against all loss. The board OF
county commissioners cannot issue a
dollars worth of bonds until the road is
graded, tied, ironed and the rolling stock
upon it, and then the townships are to
have first mortgage upon the road to
secure the principal. The private stock.
holders pledge themselves to pay the in.
tercst on the bonds as it falls due. and
thus the people are made absolutely
secure from the payment of either princi.
pal or interest.
Capt. Carter said that even il this sub,
scription was to be direct one-one
that would have to be paid-it would be
grand investment. and he would be
willing personally to pay his share of it
even il it were $400, 900 instead of 5000.
600.
Capt. Matt Atkinson was the next
speaker. He said that he knew perhaps
more than any other one man about this
whole matter He had been familiar
with every move since the scheme was
first thought Of four years ago. He heart.
lily agreed with all that Capt. Carter had
said, and was ready to risk every dollar
he had on the carrying out of this pln,
in good faith. This scheme means al
that Capt. Carter has mentioned, said
Capt. Atkinson, and it means much
more. The great meaning it has iol
Ashcvillc and this section is, that it i,
but the beginning Of road which ir
less than eighteen months will connect
Ashcville with New York by line en-
tirely independent of the Richmond and
Danville system. Capt Atkinson had
no words of abuse for the Richmond and
Danyille road. 1t had done great
work for Asheyille and Western Nortl
Carolina, but another road ant
competition was necessary in order t.
give Asheville all the benefits to be de
rived from railroads. have recently
beeBatps histC ',nT TrestIes DuiIt and the
ties along the route towards Asheville
The people there had assured him that
if our people would construct the twenty
miles proposed at this end, they woulo
meet us. Capt. Atkinson saw the dawt
of brighter day for Asheville in thu
scheme. The stars were fading betor'
the brighter light of the rising sun o
prosperity which this competing lin
would insure. :,
Rev. X. p. Rumlcy, colored, vas calle'
upon, and expressed himself as hearth.
in favor of the proposition, and pledge
his vote and best efforts at the polls o.
July 20. | have always been an I'M
provement man. said the speaker, and
pray that you may succeed in this grea
undertaking.
Harrison Brown, colored, also tavore
the scheme, and urged the necessity
going to work at once organizing
order that a iull vote be gotten ou
1t would not do to sit still simpl
because there was no oppositio
to the measure. A majority of the vote
must be polled for it. and to get the'
would require work.
Col. W. d Justice was also in favor
the measure. He thought this was Il
way to overcome our bad roads in Il
country. If this road was built, the t
bacco and other products would
brought to Asheville by rail instead
by wagons, and the question OF bt
roads would be largely overcome.
favored the measure specially because
proposed to give Asheville competiti'
in railroad freight rates. Competiti'
, was the life of trade in everything.
At the conclusion of Col. Jusice's
marks, the following resolution w
Offered and unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That this meeting heart
endorses the proposition of building
railroad from Asheville to the Madis
county line, and that in order to secur'
majority of the votes in Asheville TOW
ship in favor of the measure, the cha
man of this meeting is requested to
point committee of forty from et
ward in this city, twenty whites a
twenty colored, and ten for each OF
~ four outlying precincts in this townsf
whose duty it shall be to see that a
vote is polled on the day OF election, }
90"
4 These committees will be appointed
morrow. g,
On motion of Capt. Atkinson the Ct
appointed an executive committee
sY three, who shall have the whole mat
in charge. The following compose
- committee: Matt Atkinson, W. w.
w. Inns, p. Kerr.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
The court house was well filled and
solute unanimity prevailed, and the p
poets for CARRYING the appropriation
Ashcvillc township are most promis