The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-09-11
TwO OF THE STATES PROBLEMS.
.respOndenee of The Progressive Farmer.

Now that the campaign is over.
and, as per the solemn pledges of the
leaders of the dominant party, 'sthe
niger question is settled" let us
have peace. Let us look about our
business some and see if it is paying.
If not, why not?
There is such a thing as proftless
investment. Farmers are not always
successful, merchants make failures,
and lawyers and doctors sometimes
fall short.
The State of North Carolina nov
has two elephants on her hands.
Everybody knows that the peniten-
tiary is not a paying investment.
The State gave the management of
that institution $11O, 900 worth of
products to begin the year 1899 with
and then added $55, 414.1 in appro-
priations on top of that, and in
the month of August called for
and received from the State Treas
ury SIS, 900 more. The Superintendent
has had no bills to pay out of this
except what he has made since he re-
ceived it. Bonds were sold to raise
funds to liquidate all old accounts.
So it appears that the States prison
is no more a success than the State
penitentiary vas From appearances
it is less so.
Then again there has been some
intimation that the A. & N. C. Rail
road is another improbable enter
prise. Since the war it has not paid
an equivalent of one per cent. divi-
dends per annum on it's stock. It is
true that for the years '92-3-46-7
and '99 it has paid 2 per cent.
dividends on the stock and in SO 1
per cent, while in 1900 it has paid
nothing SO far.
Does not this prove the A. & n. G..
Railroad to be an Improbable enter
prise also? It certainly looks that
way. The question then arises, How
can the States prison and the A. & N.
G. Railroad be made profitable to the
State?
will ask you to look at your map
of North Carolina. You will see that
the R. & G. Railroad runs almost
due west from the town of
Weldon to R~idgeway, about 60
miles, then makes a sharp turn al
most due south to Raleigh, about so
miles. You will see the w. & w.
Railway runs almost south from
Weldon to Goldsboro, "a miles, and
the N. c., Railroad from G%oldsboro
to Raleigh, about 48 miles. These
railroads form a parallelogram,
Goldsboro the terminus of the A. &
N. G. Railroad at the southeast cor
ner and Ridgeway. the terminus or
junction of the new road north from
that point, stands at the northwest
corner. DiagonaIly across the paral-
telegram from GOldsboro to Ridge
way, the distance. is perhaps IS
and straight line between
these two points would cross some
valuable undeveloped territory and
open up some of the best land in the
State. Besides, the A. & N. G. Rail
road extended from Goldsboro to
would add to the value of
that road, bringing it in direct touch
the great S.. A. L. system and
it connections which would
add materially to it's usefulness and
It's value as an investment.
Now since the State is largely In
terested in the A. & N. G.. Railroad,
and she has the convicts to support
any way, why would it not pay the
State to build and extend the A. 81
N. G.. Railroad to .Ridgeway?. Use
the convicts in building and keeping
up the road. Hold it, operate it, and
allow all other roads trackage privi-
for a toll, or trackage fees,
could be used in support of the
5%onvicts? What III your ideas on
this proposition? s~e~
There are those who believe the
combination of these two interests,
worked as suggested, would add
to the wealth of the State
and make a success out of two fail
1res. A glance at the map will show
that there is not another piece of
territory Of equal size in the State
east Of the Blue Ridge which is not
crossed and checked and pierced by
spurs of railroads, And the proba-
Oility is that valuable assistance
be rendered the State if the
extension ShOu7d he underta ken All