The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-02-11

Statesville to M~ocksville, they would
have a road of their own. Then where
would the North Carolina abroad be3
I will answer: In a hole with the pol
| iticians. and the tax payers would
have an empty bag to hold" S9eG
How was it with the Western North
! Carolina r ailroad2 1 answer that the
tax payers refused to spend any more
money to complete it. 1t was sold and
the Richmond & Danville bought it.,
because they had the money then to
pay for it, Just as the Southern would
buy the North Carolina Railroad If the
present Lease was annulled. The tax
! payers would new consent to put it
in the condition it is in now to get a
little local freight to carry and that is
all they would get; consequently they
would again have substance, and we
would have the shadow. Under the
lease, to use a homely expression, we
are 'heeled," and need not give our-
selves any nee about it-just sit
back and draw our dividends semi
annually.
Now, in conclusion, 1 desire to ask
the people of North Carolina, who are
some of the leading officers of this
monster, as the willy politician would
dub theme | am not acquainted with
all of them, but l do know the pro,
gressive business man Col. A. B. An
dreWs to stand next to the top round
Of the ladder, being 1st vice president
thereOf-a noble son of North Carolina,
the man who pushed the the Western
North Carolina Railroad through the
mountains to it's completion, the ter
minus now being Murphy, Cherokee
county, bordering on the Tennessee
line. Has the completion of that road
helped the tax payer any9 Yes, the
taxable value has q~uadrupled, as the
Auditors repors will show. Wander
bilt alone has expended in Buucombe
county 81, OOO, 900. Are the tax pay ers
of North Carolina going to d-n
Andrews and Vanderbilt for that2
Ny answer is, M! He has brought
that portion of North Carolina lying
on the Western slope of the Blue Ridge
in touch with the east. Is that all
a. B. Andrews has dOne2 No! He
has made Norfolk, Va the deep water
terminus of the North Carolina r Ill
roads, instead Of West Point, Va
thereby greatly benefitting the North
Carolina RAilrOad, the property owners
and all the tax payers. The North
Carolina Railroad ia, thereby, made a
State institution under the new lease.
Under the old lease the traffic was
switched off at Greensboro and passed
out of the State at Danville. Now it
goes by way of Raleigh, Selma and on
to Norfolk, Va 359 miles through the
centre of the State, the State line be
ing about twenty miles from Norfolk.
Col. A. B Andrews has done this and
more. He q given his time and tai
ent to building up the business inter
ests of North Carolina. If you agree
with ma, say go. l am acquainted
with Capt. W. II. Green, the General
Manager o. the Southern Railroad
Company. He is a North Carolinian.
He worked his way up from a wood.
chopper on the North Carolina Rail
road to that of manager Of a great rail
road system, and he is a good one, l
dare you deny it. I am proud of him,
on6 7 boIiouo Won owo foo will 49,
ask the question. 1 could mention a
host of other North Ca~roIinians that
are operatives, both white and black,
in the employ of the Southern Rail
Company, and they do not have to
wait long for their pay either.
Now, in the name of high Heaven,
let us straighten up our faces and take
Oh a smile and exclaim, well done,
good and faithful servants" and all
take a hand in nurturing and building
up this great business enterprise in a
good humored, business like way, AID
stop all this talk about annuIling the
lease.
Independence Ball passed here yester.
day and l tell you it kindled anew the
fire of patriotism IN me. l was won
what affect it would have on
Judge Schenck when it arrived at
Greensboro and was carried out to the
Guilford Battle Grounds, the sacred
spot that he has done 80 much for, to
commemorate the name and fame of
our continental soldiers, and I think
everybody will join me in honorlng
him for his praiseworthy undertaking.
I was thinking be would get in a good