Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1899-04-14
SHALL WE HAVE A NEW
FERRY TO ELIZABETH
CITY?

and operate ferry from Camden
to Elizabeth City by the way o.
Goat Island and in competition
with his ferry and desiring tc
cut off all right by the General
Assembly or the County Com
missioners to establish this new
ferry, introduced a bill asking
that his charter rights be extend
ed to the three miles instead oil
the present limit of two miles
But the members of the General
Assembly recognizing the uni
versal democratic principle OF
Justice that no individual has a
right to exercise an exclusive
privilege beyond the bounds of
reason and good Judgement and
to control an unlimited franchise
to the detriment of the interest
convenience and good OF the
public, defeated this bill, and by
their acts said that the counties
have a right to lay out and es-
tablish ferries anywhere within
their discretion, provided that
they are two miles apa.t. At
that same session another bill
was introduced asking that a
charter be granted to establish a
ferry from Camden to Elizabeth
City by the way of what is
known as Goat Island, but
that body realizing that they
could not be sufficiently inform
ed of the situation as it exists,
that the establishment of the said
ferry was in the discretion of the
County Commissioners, that the
said Com missioners were more
able to pass intelligibly
upon this question than they and
that the people had rights which
ought to be heard and respected
concluded to leave the matter of
the new ferry TO their discretion.
In pursuance Of the action of the
General Assembly in refusing
the three mile limit as introduce
ed by the owner of Lambs ferry
and in referring the question of
new ferry over the above nam .
ed route to the Board Of County
Commissioners, a petition was
presented to the Board of Com
missioners of Camden county
asking that the aforesaid road be
tablished. After hearing the
petition the Commissioners wise
ly postposed action on the same
until the first Monday in May in
order that they may obtain the
consensus of opinion of the peo>
pie in Camden county as to
whether they want the new fer
ry. So it is matter now with
the people, and l wish to Gail
attention to few reasons that are
potent to the issue.
1t seems to be the policy Of
the law that whenever the Board
of County Commissioners deem
the establishment of a ferry to
be Unnecessary" for the good and
convenience of the public, they
have a right to lay out aud es>
tablish the same. And much
depends upon an intelligent con
structior of the word "uecessary"
in the exercise of their discre-
ton. 1t certainly cannot be com
strued in its absolute sense,
since if that be the tenn in
which the law-making power
intended to use ii, but few things
could be effected as but few are
absolutely necessary. We submit
that a ferry from Camden coun~
ty to Elizabeth City by the way
of Goat Island is not absolutely
necessary, neither is Lambs
ferry, since it is not an absolute
necessity to have any ferry from
Camden to Elizabeth City. 1t is
not absolutely necessary for any
one to go from Camden to Eliz>
abeth City, but many find it for
their good and convenience. 1t
is not absolutely necessary to
have railroad from Norfolk to |
Elizabeth City, yet no one will
contend that it is not for the
good and convenience Of the
public. 1t is not absolutely nee
essary to have ferry at the ship |
yard or a toll bridge at South
Mills, but are they not for the
good and convenience of the
public? 1t would seem then that
he only question that should adj
lress itself to the minds Of the
people, and the Commissioners
IS the voice of the people, should
De, will the establishment of the
lew ferry be for thh good, tie
convenience and the interest of
he people, and if that be so then
t is a right that the people
hould enjoy. 1t is not a ques-
ion of sympathy tor the owner
It another terry, for the county
loes not presume to be the guar.
ian of one mans interests to the
.etriment of the rights OF the
'ub'ic. but it is a question
whether the public good, the
'ublic convenience and the pub
lc interest will be enhanced.
We submit that the estab> Il