The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-03

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Wilmington.=It says;---------------
Take the port of Wilmington, n
G., a port not excelled by any other
city south of Cape Henry on tue
Atlantic coast, with q depth o.
water on the bar of 81 feet at neap
tide. Steamers can enter her harbor
at all times, while the river channel
is uuobstructed from the bar to the
city. affording much better facilities
than Charleston or Savannah, whose
bar and river channels can only tie
worked to advantage on high tides.
The distance from Baltimore to
Sarsnnsh by sca Is GAO mllee, to
Charleston $50 miles; from Baltl-
more to Wilmington 453 miles, or a
difference in favor Of Wilmington Of
100 miles over Charleston, making
Wllmington the nearest ooast"i5e
port south Of Cape Henry. This
advantage would give a line OF
steamers to Wilmington 8 shorter
run less consumption of fuel, and,
from its geographical position and
railroad connections, enable such
line to carry business 20 all points III
North Carolino. South Caroline,
Georgis, and even Alabama and
Florida. There would be no deten-
ton on account Of water on the bar
or river. Steamers could make tie
run between Baltimore and Whining
ton IN 40 to IS hours easily, and
with its quick rail connections coald
forward through shipments ahead of
eli other routes. As 10 It's railroad
facilities, 10 ether city on the Allan
tic coast offers better Inducements
for reaching the interior to all pole 8
South and Southwest. WITH five
railroads centering at Wilmington,
connections can be made which will!
add materially TO the yelue OF bust
ness at Baltimore for points to which
we are now almost completely cut
off. At Wilmington connection can
be made for Columbia, Georgetown
and Charleston, S. c., Charlotte, N t..
c., Augusta, Ga, and points south
and southwest from Augusta. The
five lines Of railroad making center
at Wilmington connect with and tap
various smaller lines of railrosd run
ming through the interior of North
and Soath Carolina, thus atfovdIpg
an outlet fer Baltimore trade which
IS now suffering for want Of proper
facilities. Such line would con-
meet Baltimore with almost every
small and large town and city 10
Nor ia and South Carolina. and it
would he safe to estimate millions Of
dollars worth of trade that could Re
sGGeG 10 the variou. business inter
ests Of Baltimore and develop q ter
7itory that has not been reached by
Baltimore business men to any ex-
tent for years. 1t may be limited
that We once lad line of steamers
to Wilmington, and they did not
sacceed. There were may csuses
existing at that tine to hamper sus b
q line that do rot exist now, yet tie
Old Wilmington line under ali its
disadvantages made money, aud
shout! have been continued. At that
time there were only II feat Of water
on the be-, with 3 difficult ard in
trica:ed channel; consequently
steamers Of small capacity. running
st great expense, were the only kind
that couli be used. These steamers
ran full to their utmost capacity g.,
and, sitter building two new steam
ers, the company earned Clear Over
5000 liz three years. Causes con-
trlhuted to break up the line ALTERS
wards that it is useless 10 discuss
now, The following items will show
what an advantage the line was to
Baltimore, taken from the records
during the last year of their service,
viz, 1875: 10000 barrels naval
st"res, 12.0CO bales cottoa. $780,
600 feet lumber, from Wilmington g.
while during period of three
months Of same year the steamers
Carried from Baltimore 1928 bags
ccfee, 2.0O1 barrels sugar, 2,631
barrels molassef, 1852 barrels
whiskey, 14,477 barrels flour, A.
$40 bags grain, $3.50 packages
oaoon, 49, bags phosphate, $500
packages dry goods, hardware, etc.
THE SOMA} In the Aryan