The news & observer., 1897-02-05
Gov SCALES AND THE n. 9. II. r.
LEASE.

The opinion held by the late Alfred
,to.o.rn Scales. who was Governor or
North Carolina from 1885 to 1889, upon
tho value of the lease of the North Caro-
lima Railroad ought to have weight with
+h.,,,ghtful men. He was careful, con-
servat5ve. and able man, who weighed
matters well, and was tenacious of his
convictions when they were formed.
If that able and trained publcist had
been Governor of the State in 1890, in
stead of 1885, the present lease would
,,n,-ar have been executed. Why do we
say so?
During inns term Of office, there was a
nroposftion to lease the Atlantic and
North Carolina railroad to the Cape
Fear and Yadlxin Valley railroad com
many. Quite delegation of prominent
citizens OF Newbern and other Eastern
towns and cities. headed by Clement Man
ly. ESD. came to Raleigh to induce Gov
ernor Scales to join them in the plan of
leasing to the c. L. and Y. V. r. r.,
and pledgng the credit of the road to
build the connecting link from Goldsboro
to Sanford. The matter was much dis
cussed in the newspapers, h,ll was pre-
pared. and when Governor Scales set his
foot down on the plan, there was much
disappointment ON the part Of those who
believed the connection with the c. f. and
Y. V. r. r., the best thing for the A. and
\. c. r. Il.
In an interview with Governor Scales,
he told this writer that he doubted the
wisdom of the plan proposed, and that
he wanted to make no change in the
status of the A. and n. C. r. r., until
the Tease of the North Carolina road ex-
pired. "WIhen that lease expires" con-
tinued Governor Scales, 'the State ought
to refuse to release it to the Richmond
and Danville (that was before the organl-
cation of the Southern unless it will
also lease the Atlantic and North Caro-
lima railroad The North Carolina rail
road pays them so handsomely that they
can we'll afford to pay the same dividend,
or more, on the whole road from Char
lotte to Morehead" 1t was suggested
that the r. and ID. might not want TO
lease the road from Goldsboro to More
head, when the Governor said: lit makes
no difference. The State can make them
take it all by refusing TO lease from
Charlotte to Goldsboro unless they would
take it to Morehead. The whole State S
interests ought to go together, and the
r. and d. would take it au, and pay the
same or more for it all that they now pay
for part" He elaborated this idea fully,
outlining his idea that if great system
like the Richmond and Danville had the
road they would make it part of their
system, divert business over its line, and
make it pay them, the State and its
fockholders. 1t has been stated THAT
an attempt to require the Southern to
lease the A and n. G. r. r., with the
North Carolina road when the recent
ninety yInime year lease was made, but
that they declined to do so. OF course
they did because they saw they could
get the N. CI r. r. on their own terms
without making any concession. But If
they had been told firmly and positively
you take the road from Charlotte to
Morehead or none," they would have ac-
cepted the proposition that Governor
Scales was anxious to see adopted.
The A. and N. G. r. r. is 90 miles long,
and its capital stock is $1,800,0Oo. Six
per cent on that amount would give the
State and the stockholders rental of
S10S, 900 annually. Though not quite so
good, the Seaboard Air-Line's offer is
nearly as good as the ideal plan advocat-
ed by Governor Scales as the proper policy
for the State ito pursue with reference to
it's railroad investment.