The news & observer., 1897-02-27

II was nOon-day IN halelgn- 1ne sum
liSht shot even through the hearts of
men. There was just the initial trill of
ne song of spring. 1t was February
26th, 1897.
In Burlington, at midnight, We're gath
cred the directors of the North Carolina
Railroad.
In Raleigh, at noon-day, were gathered
4he representatives of the people of North
Carolina.
In Burlington, through the dismal
wight glimmered a light with that peculiar
glimmer that rebounds upon midnight
from the glow of sumptuous interiors and
from hard-woods brilliant with polish.
From the private palace car of Samuel
Spencer, President of the Southern Rah-
way-it glimmered.
That was the one ray of hope IN the
midst of drizzling despair.
Ii glimmered, oh my brothers,
glimmered-for you and for me-lt gllm-
nered for the weary and ill-cad knee
io;mts of your Tar-heel man in the corn
rows. for your Tar-Heel bairn tucked IN
under the homemade COTTON quilt for
your Tar-heel woman with her baby ON
her knee: it glimmered through fogs pen
aant between Tar-heel mountains; Vt blaz-
ed the way of hope along the pauh uhat
leads down by the spring house, across
the branch, through the snatch of woods
ever the hill to the free school.
IT was one of the few glimmers Of Joy
4hen abroad in this land, and North Car
elina got that glimmer full in the neck.
Apart from his wheel-palace, (for
epencer hal '.lit') near by, We're Presi-
Dent Spencer and Vice President Andrews
OF the Southern Railway.
Apart from them was a meeting OF
4he Directors of the North Carolina rail-
way.
From that directory there went out
into the night committee composed OF
Meesrs. Maxwell and Spruill. They
started out. They carried with them an
ultimatum that the directors would not
lease the road for longer time than ou
years A moment or so later, Iapt. ,.
B. Alexander, president OF the Noruh
carolina railroad and chairman OF Ohe
meeting was added TO the committee.
He followed.
The 80 year ultimatum was delivered
Av tho committee, when according to the
testimony of Mr.. Sprull IN haielgh
few nights ago, Capt. Alexander sug-
.vestad for the purpose of beng consistent
with an opinion that he had individually
expressed before, that he thought the
term of 80 years would be better. But,
continued Sprtl.ll, Capt. Alexander at the
same time said that the ultimatum was oO
wears and it must stand. In fact he
stated in his own testimony that he was
willing TO go on the committee only on
condition that the so year ultimatum
should be adhered to.
Mr.. SpruiH thought before Capt. All
exander spoke that Mr.. Spencer seemed
8isposed to consider fav0rably the %
wear ultinaatum: but Gel. Andrews stood
out for 90, in fact Mr.. Spruill thought he
would not have consented to the 0O year
proposal.
Thus III stood. Then in the growing
storm, the glimmer seemed fainter: for
s4accents terrible rent the air" The
lightning of threats went like so many
X. Y. Us. before the eyes of the direc-
tors. telegram seemed to suddenly
lean from the wires all the way from
New York sunmoning Mr. Spencer back
at once: no time to watt 90 years or
nothing must be starting; yes, he must go,
but North Carolina would have to wait,
and her sovereignty should have waited
for hsm to return or not as he would;
should have let him board his land yacht
and be gone. But no, there was more
ITO come; we will have rails shipped here
by telegraph and have the Link between
Mocksvile and Mooresville completed by
wire, and in the morning complete
vestibule train would be running solid
between Charlotte via Mocksvdlle and
Danyille TO Norfolk. Along the North
Carolina railroad the new rails would be
melted up in wrath and Bur
Tngton would dwindle TO mere chicken
booth.
The Directors returned to the meeting
bearing a banner with the strange
device"
'Ninety-nine years or nothmg!
That was the ultimatum OF Col. An
arews at Burlington to the directors.
Yesterday, the ultimatum of Col. An
arews to the PEOPLE was this: Il
should be thankful to you, sovereign peo-
pie to let us have tho road at least for
80 years."
There is a difference between the mid
nigbt demand and the monday petition.
On that dark night when "The Earth"
Ia very proper name for Spencer's carr
sped out of Burlington and buried its
lights in distance and darkness, there
was yet another effulgence. The face
Of Col. Andrews sIhone ''as lamp through
. whitish vase" The lf-hidden smiles
Hrickled
trickled along the crafty channel-ways
Of his face like the chance sun-glints
along ripple wrinkIed half. covert brooks
And the ColonePs smile grew.
And he entered the gates of North Car
olina's capital city with the crown of
Goriolanus upon his forehead, and OF
course, also-a harp within his hand
all whose strings Iis master-hand had
swept.
But the laurels Of Coriolanus had hard
~ wilted before at the very gates of
Rome, he was beckoned to 10y tie Tri-
bunes of the people, who had said: Come
this way, Cory, we have business Of inn
port with thee Come, Coriolanus, and
LOT MS hic 1s to the Senate y0ndcr Tbarar