The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-26


Dughi.
Tuesday night, while the veterinary
bill was being discussed, Mr. Curtis, Of
Buncombe, had the cat up on his desk,
stroking and fondling it, until it began
to NEW, when that gentleman promptly
dropped it.
Yesterday afternoon the House Com
mittee on Railroads beard argument and
evidence on the bill to prevent the Caro-
lima and Northwestern Railway from ex-
tending their line northward unless its
track goes through the town OF Lemon
The northern terminus of that road is
Lenoir. Its owners contemplate extend
ing the line beyond Lenoir through Wa
tauga and Mitchell counties with the uI-
innate intention of penetrating the coal
regions of Tennessee and West Virginia.
Their plan is to run the line about one and
three quarter miles outside of the town
CT Lcnoir, constructing a spur track to
the town. Upon this route the undertake
ing was financed, so say the officers of
the road, and the money promised BY
Northern capitalists. The people of Le-
noir object to the town being placed upon
spur track, claiming that it will injure
the town. The railroad, on the other
hand, contends that the road cannot be
constructed through Lenoir without a
total abandonment Of the whole line as
located at present. They say it would
cost too much to construct through Lee
noir, as the grade is very heavy and the
route generally impracticable. They say
that all trains would go on the, spur
track through Lenoir except through
freight trains and that they would give
Lenoir good train service in connection
with all trains.
The railroad people further stated that
if the bill passed there was grave dan
ger that the capitalists interested in the
enterprise would abandon it entirely, as
it would necessitate new route which
has not been hitherto contemplated.
The people OF Lenoir contended that
another route through the town is
equally as cheap and practicable as the
one already located by the road, and
they were earnest in support of the New
land bill saying it would ruin Lenoir to
put it on a spur track. In support
of their position they presented a petit
ton from a number of citizens of Lenoir
and other parts of Caldwell county, The
railroad people also presented petitions
from a number of citizens Of Caldwell
county asking that the bill be defeated.
Mr. Morton, of New Hanover, as
substitute for the bill, made a motion
that a sub committed be appointed to
draft a bill requiring all trains to enter
Lenoir until the road should operate two
mail and two freight trains per day,
and that after that time they would be
required to give Lenoir train service and
connections equal to those of any other
point on the line. That was lost by
vote Of to 3, and the bill was then
reported favorably by vote of 6 to 2.
Appearing for the railroad We're john
H. Marion, Of Chester S. c., general
counsel; Thomas NJ. Hufham, Esq, OF
Hickory; L. T. Nichols, general mana
ger of the road, and Capt E. f. Lovill,
of Boone the latter appearing as a citi-
zen of Watauga in the interest Of the
extension Of the road.
On behalf of the bill: Messrs. w. G.
Newland. member Of the House, author
Of the bill; Mr.. ]. Lee Nelson, ex-Rep-
resentative; NJ NJ Courtney, and others.
Tonight there will be a joint caucus OF
the Democrats of the General Assembly
to select three Code Commissioners.
shortly to be elected if the bill passes
the Senate.
Yesterday afternoon the Joint Com
mittee on education considered the bill
introduced by Representative Blount,
of Washington with reference to the Roa-
noke Island memorial. and after some
slight amendments, unanimously ordered
the favorable report. The discussion
was opened by Mr.. Blount himself who
without complaining of what the state
had done for other sections stated that
it was time now for us to be looking east,
for that great section OF the State has
received practically nothing. It's posi-
bilities were equal to any. This was no
proposition to take money out of the
State, but one to bring five dollars into
the State for every one we put down and
bring it into a section which most need
ed it and which had had less than any
other. both from the State and from the
general government.
The discussion was also taken part in
by Representative Lucas, Of Hyde; era
ham, of Granville, and others. MT. W. }.
Peele, who represented the committee OF
the State Literary and Historical Asso-
citation of Raleigh. also appeared before
the committee and advocated the pass
age of the bill.
Upon the question of whether the plan
YVES practicable or not the idea was de-
velcped that it was practicable IN otfer
States. Missouri had already gotten an
appropriation of five million from the
general government upon an idea that
was worth not so much to humanity as
that for which Sir Walter Raleigh stood
Thomas Jefferson purchased from Napoi-
con land enough to make dozen states
but Sir Walter Raleigh in his efforts 10
Colonize America on Roanoke Island was
the means by which a continent was res
cued from the Spaniards.
The millennium will be at mana "l'h
people instead Of asking what man
is worth, can find out by looking at ms
tax receipts.