The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-04
IRON ARM THROWN
OUT FROM TARBORO
Continued from First Page.)

forest. One would hardly expect tt
find splendid crops of corn, cotton and
tobacco growing alongside SO new 8
road, but it is so. A gentleman on the
cars Thursday remarked: Thirty years
ago these lands could have been pur-
chased at 81 per acre. Their owners then
lived from hand to mouth and were
happiest when in the forest with. dog,
gun and bottle Of corn liquor. Now,
they are prosperous farmers
all living at home and having to
spare"
THE ROAD AND ITS BUILDER.
The East Carolina is an innovation des-
tined to be success. Of it's building and
builder in conclusion, / would speak:
Some hold to the opinion that the At
lantic Coast Line are behind the enter
prise. This is a mistake. True, they
are responsible in measure for it's
inception, as the reader will see, but
Henry Clark Bridgers, of this city, is
the life of the whole thing, and to his
indomitable will and untiring energy
the East Carolina owes it's existence.
At the age of II years he purchased a
tract of timber land and falling to
make satisfactory freight rates with
the Coast Line he purchased a wooden
rail tram road to the forests his loco
motive power being long cared mule.
Pretty soon the mule was supplanted by
a light locomotive. Every time a trip
was made key of nails had to be
carried to fasten the wooden rails. Rail-
reading being fad with Mr.. Bridgers,
hn +y.pI fn1 hn
undertaking now realization. All
along the way from it's inception the
young man. whose efforts and success
dispels the idea that man must have
home and loved ones, home, with it's
hallowed associations, loved ones, with
hearts breaking, in order to accomplish
anything in life and bids him make OPP
portunities If none present themselves
for grasping. His was a most disheart-
ening task, but he went on the principle
ciple that a faint heart never won.
Though graduate of the University Of
the South at 10, and likewise of the
University of North Carolina at the
age Of 20, five months later obtaining
license to practice law, asSOciating him.
self at once with the law firm of John
l.. Bridgers e. Son, firm established in
1S47 himself the fourth son admitted
at home among friends and kindred,
yet to secure the requisite twenty five
subscribers to secure the charter he
was forced to go among his school
mates and college companions, his youth
turning him down even at home. At
first, in 1897, a road from Tarboro to
Wilson was contemplated, but the
thought of being frozen out by the
Coast Line or the Southern prompted
an entrance into Greene county. He
visited Greene county and Snow Hill
but met with no encouragement. Fail
ure greeted his every effort, so he went
to the principal cities of the North and
West comforting with bankers, cafi-
talists, trying to enlist their aid in
the building of the road so prOmiS-
ing, because of the 720 square miles of
territory undisturbed by any railroad
in the very Goshen of the State, with
forests heavily timbered lands, fields as
fertile as any bordering the Nile. He
was listened to, he was laughed at, he
ran up with sharpers, promoters and
skin fiintS and the three months spent
were ones of disappointment; little en-
enlargement did he receive till by ac-
cident he came across retired mer-
chant in Maiden, Mass, who, taking a
fancy to him, said go ahead, Bridgers,
I'll furnish the backing" Returning
home the effort, laborious one, was
begun. At first it was proposed to
build to Macclesfield, and later on to
Farmville, the present terminus. Mr..
BridgerS acted as his own engineer,
taking the lead. At four of mornings,
having attended office work at night,
this young man of pluck and push
would leave home and enter upon the
duties of survey and of road building,
frequently on arrival at camp he would
find every mothers son fast asleep, but
the work of fills and the work of cuts
was on, and all up. he took the lead
Thus by perseverance, step by step, the
work progressed till the great feat was
accomplished, the road being COM
pleted August LIST, just four years fol-
lowing the thought of construction.
Mr.. Bridgers is a most remarkable
young man. He is just 25 years of age,
is the son of Mr.. John L. Brdgers, the
grandson of COL John l.. Bridgers and
Gov. H. L. Clark and the great nephew
of the late r. r. Bridgers, for years
a noted railroad man in North Carolina.
IIc 10 nOIOuSlly Will cNCIy
detail of railroad work, filling the posi-
tion Of president, general manager, au
ditor, roadmaster, and when an engi-
neer is sick he becomes engineer and
the business of the road goes on. In all
this he is assisted only by his sister.
Miss Irwin Bridgers, who looks after
the clerical work. The road as COM
pleted represents an expenditure of
$215,oC0, and there is no mortgage on the
property. The rolling stock consists of
two locomotives twenty cars and two
coaches.
"A REMARKABLE YOUNG MAN.
To illustrate the idea, so character
istic of the man, thinking and acting
for self at the age of 10 years, MI.
Bridgers took out four insurance policies
or his life of $4,000 value each, five
year payment. These have a cash sur
render value, extended insurance and
loan value. Six years have elapsed
and the policies are all paid up. While
given almots entirely to work, yet he
takes time for recreation and is the best
shot in the South. In Newport, June,
1900, he won the great American handi-
cap over 1877 entries, receiving $500 and
a silver trophy. In April last he went
to Ne WORK to take part in the world
handicap of 80 entries, being called