Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-04-28
WEST AsHEvILLE RONDs.
Capt. Atlkins0n's Reply to MIR
Carriers Card.

EDITOR THE CITIzEN:--I have reat
with surprise, and l may add with re
gret, the card of Mr.. E. G. Carrier touch
ing the West Asheville bonds to aid a
street railway. Such arrogance and
selfimportance have never before seer
proclaimed in this county. Listen to hii
words: "You may state that | am op
posed to it. You may safely say that
West Ashevlle will not vote for it.
This may be the imperial way they
stamp" things out where Mr.. Carrier
comes from, but in old North Carolina il
is news" for a man to, thus proclaim
himself a town or to announce that
the people of town belong to him
and will not vote except as he dictates
Heretofore our people have been allowed
to do as they please, but it may be that
"a change has come ever the spirit OF
their dreams" and in West Ashcville Mr.
Carrier must give out the word" be
fore they can act.
A few facts will probably aid the pub
lie to understand how the matter stands
Last winter in the midst of the mud and
difficulties besetting travel, the board OF
aldermen and people it West Ashcville
concluded that something must be done
so that they could 'come and go" like
other folks-and after much consulta
ton it was determined by the authori
ties of the town to amend their charter
80 as to enable them to improve their
streets, and aid in the construction of a
street railway. In accordance with their
wishes, prepared the amendments and
they were forwarded to Raleigh and pass
cd without opposition. At that time
Mr.. Carrier was in Florida, and it is
likely if he had been here he would not
have allowed it to be done, Judging from
his present assumption of authority
The truth is, Mr.. Carrier has a railway
project of his own on the opposite side
of the town he thinks the one con.
templated on the main street will serious
ly interfere with. His present plan i.
to draw everything over in the direction
of his own railway, so as to enable him
to get rid of his second rate property he
fore he sells off his front on the present
Sulphur Springs road, which is his most
| valuable.
The question is, will the people on tht
main road allow Mr.. Carrier to turl
everything over there to his individual
benefit and to their own injury, Tor tn,
present and future as well. More thar
forty of the voters of the town petition
cd the board to submit this proposition
to aid this scheme. as he terms it, an,
it is sure fully double that number woulc
have done likewise had the petition beer
presented to them, and it is certain they
will vote tor it unless it is understood
that Mr.. Carrier will not allow them tc
do so. Mr.. Carriers plan will turn al
the travel, trade and business over or
his railway line unless the people on tn,
main road take care of their own affairs
shall be content for them to decide tn,
matter for themselves, and Mr.. c. will
doubtless have to let things take thi.
course, however much he may be disposed
to adopt the dog in the manger policy. l
he will build the road on our side of th'
town he shall have the preference, but i
he does not, some one else will, and h,
can ely on that. Matt Atkinson