The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-25
Mg souTHpoRTs ADVANTAGES.
1t Needs Railroad Facilities to Give it Its
ses Natural Position.

e3s Natural P0SlLlon.
To the Editor: The valuable report
| of the board of agriculture on the
resources of North Carolina gives
| much useful information regarding
| the nayigable waters OF North caro-
| lima, but this report has not had
wide circulation among the people.
| 1t sets forth in a general way the
value of the harbor at the mouth OF
the Cape Fear river giving IL possible
depth of water of 25 feet Or ,lore On
| the bar. 1t also speaks Of the safety
| and commodiousness Of the harbor
inside occupying space of six or
eight miles in length ond from han
a mile to a mile in width.
In all of which there is depth OF
from 25 to 40 feet of water, but the
report is not exhaustive and it has re-
manned for Mr.. w. f. Worth to state
in plain terms the value of this har-
Dor to the State of North Carolina,
and its possibilities for the future.
as follows:
I'VE have at the mouth of our river
a harbor that will float half the navies
of the world, deep water front in
which thousands of vessels can be
loaded and unloaded annually, and a
land locked harbOr at that, the en-
trance to which can be easily deep
ened to thirty feet at comparatively
small cost. provided the interests de-
handing it are of sufficient import
ance to get the necessary appropria-
ton from Congress.
''Who knows that by the passage of
this bill we may not within the next
ten years, have one hundred steam
ships enter this river, where there is
one now. The passage of this bill may
turn the scale in favor of the estab-
lishment of line of steamers from
this port, perhaps the first of many"
But even Mr.. Worth does not
hint of a connection of this harbor
with the State by means of railroad.
He does not even state that this val
liable harbor is at Southport so that
it may become identified and known
to the world as a harbor of value to
the whole State of North Carolina
which ought to be utilized at once for
the benefit of the citizens of the whole
State thereby building up a city of no
small dimensions capable of doing
the export and import trade of the
State at less cost, at less risk and
with greater ease to commerce than
any other port. Although it is plain
from Mr.. Worth'S remarks that this
port has greater facilities for COM
merce than can be found elsewhere
vet he does not recommend the build
ing of railroads to convey for ship
ment to foreign and domestic ports
the coal, lumber, cotton or the grain
products of the west to Southport,
whence they can be shipped to any
part of the world. There is apparent
~ some anxiety lest this harbor which
is constructed by nature and is per-
manent and safe and requires no aid
of government appropriations may
come in competition with the port
of Wilmington which exists only by
means of artificial work constructed
by the general government and which
is liable to become useless for vessels
of any large size whenever such APP
preparation should cease, and the COM
mercial public are not informed that
when such appropriations cease the
artificial harbor will cease also. These
are considerations which ought to be
shown to the world at large by the
papers of the State so that these adj
vantages may not be forgotten by
merchants or capitalists such as
build up and develop cities. Notwith-
standing the anxiety spent upon the
subject we do not think that any de-
velopment at Southport would injure
Wilmington but rather it would be
a great benefit to that city.
The commerce of Wilmington has
heretofore been in lumber. naval
stores. and cotton. The climax of eX-
portation of these articles was reach
ed many years ago and is now on
rapidly descending scale and must
soon cease to be factors upon which
the city can expect to exist, but North
Carolina is interested in many other
articles of commerce besides the above
named and it is a new commerce in
different productions which it is
sought to establish by utilizing the
resources of Southport and these can
not be conducted to any extent in an
inland city where vessels have to go
at all at much risk and expense.
Southport does not seek to antagon-
ize the city of Wilmington in any re-
spect 1t seeks first to establish
large coaling station not only for coal
ing all coast wise vessels coming from
the southwark, but to establish an eX-
port trade to all the Southern ports
of the Western continent II 1t
should become apparent that lumber
and grain can be exported from
thence at less cost than elsewhere
then she also seeks to establish that
trade also. She seeks the import trade
and the productions Of the West In
dies and South America for distribu-
ton through North Carolina, and the
West by means of railroad lines short
er than from any other port.
She offers for this trade port easy
of access and not subject to the in
creased charges of pilotage-towage
delay. risk. and increased insurance
to which vessels must be subject If
they have to go a distance of % or
80 miles up a shallow river with
narrow channel.
She also offers by her natural facil-
tiles to relieve the people of the Uni
ted States of the appropriations of
public money necessary to keep open
an artificial harbor.
She wishes to build up a city
where people can live the year around
and does not offer as an inducement
tn 1.-Two fbora onv toronoyoy racOrfC