The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-18
Report nj Major Runk.

Weldon, Y. c., Sept. Specializing
report of Major Runk. chief engineer OF
the Norfolk Wilmington and Charleston
Railroad Company is comprehensive
and convincing document. lie mas spent
two years in studying the territory
through which the road will run, and ex-
haustive examination and surveys nave
been made, the company having three
engineering corps in the field nearly nine
months. The distance from New YORK
to Charleston will be 700 miles, or lO3
miles less than the Atlantic COsst-Line.
The conclusions of Major Runk that the
road needed can be built and operated at
a reasonable cost, and will be remunera-
tive to the investors, are supported 10y a
strong array of facts and hgures. The
region to be traversed by the road IS the
best trucking country in the United
States. and already sends many million
dollars worth of fruit and vegetables to
the North. Cotton rice, corn, potatoes,
peanuts and other staple products are
raised in large quantities and shipped
away largely by boat. The streams
abound in fish, which form an important
article of trade. Millions Of acres OF tine
forests Of all kinds Of timber are tributary
to the road, and capable of supplying I'M
mediate and continuous traffic. The
1000 square miles of country between the
terminal points that this road would
draw from is. as Major Runk puts 1t,
region with which no other similar area
of territory of the United States Is fairly
comparable for variety and extent OF
resources. for fertility and productive ca
pacty, as regards both quality and guam
tity, for its cotton, varieties OF fruit ana
vegetables, and for its healthful and
agreeable climatic conditions. 1t IS
fairly populous section. with many i'm
pOrtant cities and towns. Among those
that are either on the line OF the new road
or within easy reach in this State are:
Nardley, Gainesville, C0leralne, Windsor,
Williamson, Pactolus' GreenvI!Is, W ASH
ington New Berne, JOhhsOn's Mills, DO
yer, Pink Hill. South Washington, Bur
gaw. Wilmington, Point Caswell, and Fir
mimic. There are no grades OF lmpor-
lance in the entire distance, and the
character of the land greatly Ia
vors easy and economical rail
road building. For long distances al
most no grading will be required, aud the
track can be laid with scarcely any cost
beyond that of the rails, ties, ana oallast'
The abundance of timber insures a sup
ply of tho best ties at the least cost, ana
the freight charges upon rails delivered
at numerous points by water will be low.
The right of way has been given free,
and township and borough subscriptions
already made. and others have been prom
ised by individuals and communities anX-
iOus to secure the benefits which rallroad
facilities give. The remarkably Level
character of the land makes 1t practlca
bic to build the road at cost much be-
low the average. The controlling grades
will not exceed thirty-fye feet to the mile,
and curvature not over four degrees. and
the material TO be moved is about 5000
cubic yards per miie. The estimated cost,
completed and equipped, is S4,767, 7O9, or
S13. 40 per mile 1t is calculated that the
probable traffic for one year would make
gross receipts Of 5000 500. less sixty
five per cent. for operating expenses, leaY-
ing net earnings Sl,015.2J9.
Colonel Harry Skinner and +. a. Moye
made speeches 60 about thousand peo-
pie at Bethel yesterday. Mr.. Moye has
formally announced his withdrawal from
the congressional race in the First dlS-
trict. and Mr. Skinner rea liirmed his nj
legiance 70 the Third party. reports to the
contrary, notwithstanding. The next
move is the nomination Of Mr.. Skinner
for Congress in place of Moye.. Ii TINS
is done every effort will be made to IN
duce Poole, the Republican candidate, 10
withdraw. IL this is not done Skinner
will probably abandon the party IN DIS
gust.
At the Third party convention in Jack
son Rev. Walden Ccolored) was asked to
make an address, which he did. He said
he was still a Republican, but the Re,
publican party in the South had outli,yedi
lis usefulness: that the Democrats had
controlled the recent Republican conyen-
ton and dictated its nominations. lie
said he saw much good in the new party;
He advised negroes TO watch 1t, and SAID
it was the only party through which they
could secure all their rights.
J. +. Stevenson, recently nominated Tor
the Legislature by the Prohibtionists OF
Northampton county, has declined the
position.