The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-17
MEANS GREAT DEVELOPMENTS.

large investment of outside capital in
railroad building. timber and trucking
in every section of the fertile Eastern
section. The rich lands of that sec
ton have not been fully brought into
cultivation because there has been no
adequate transportation facilities. OF
late years the building of railroads has
given better transportation facilities
and a large area of land, much of
which had not hitherto been profit
able, has been planted in truck. and
wherever it could be gotten to market
promptly the returns per acre have
been larger than upon any land in any
other section of the State. Two and
three crops can be profitably grown,
and that fact is sure to attract settlers
when the result of trucking is widely
known. But the first thing of all for
assured, the other progress and de-
velopment are sure to come.
Nobody in North Carolina yet I'M
derstands the significance of the
changes in railroads in Eastern and
North Eastern North Carolina, and
who is behind the movements that
look to new railroad construction and
to the purchase of large areas of TIM
Der and trucking lands along the line
of projected railroads. The only two
railroads in Northeastern North Caro-
lima have recently changed hands, the
road from Norfolk to Elizabeth City,
Edenton, Belhaven and Washington,
and the railroad that runs from Suf-
folk to Elizab beth City Whether the
same party has bought these two roads
or not is unknown, but in all proba-
bility the same interests control both
and will run them along the same
line. If it means no more than joint
ownership, the change is not the best
for that section which needed Compel
ing line But if, as is generally be-
lieved the men who bought thest
roads have also bought the Raleigh
and Pamlico road and will build 1t to
Washington, then extend the BelhaVen
road to Beaufort. Carteret county, and
through the rich section of the south
ern portion OF the county to Washing
ton-if that and ether projected lines
are built then the new ownership Will
do great things to develop one of the
richest portions of Eastern North Car
DINA and of the whole country. And
if-(as many people believe)-the
same interests that leased the Atlantic
and North Carolina railroad have pur-
chased all those other lines the nat
ural inquiry is: What great interest
is behind what will be a powerful
system running through from Norfolk
via Elizabeth City, Washington,
Greenville and Wilson to Raleigh, and
also from Wilson to Snow Hill, thence
to La Grange and on to Beaufort over
the old Atlantic and North Carolina
railroad But that is not all: On Sat-
urday a new railroad company
was organized in Beaufort called
the Beaufort and Western Com
pany, of which Mr. Fred L.
Merritt is president, which will
Morehead to Beaufort and perhaps
other extensions" The road from
Morehead to Beaufort is to be con-
structed in the most substantial man
ner at a cost many times greater than
the probable freight business Beau
fort can give in fifty years will justify.
Why? For what purpose is so costly
a road, with expensive viaduct, to be
built from Morehead to Beaufort?
Certainly not for local trade The men
in charge only say there will be per
haps further extensions" Where? In
the absence of information, the prob
able further extension of the route is
left to conjecture. 1t is twelve miles
from Point Lookout. An eXamina-
ton will show that there is. on one
side, a land-locked harbor where
the largest vessels could be sheltered
from a storm, and where, by the build
ing of a sea wall ships could be pro
tected fully from winds and storms
from every direction. 1t is the ideal
place for two things: L. A coaling sta
z.
The expenditure of a moderate sum
of money would make Point Lookout
an ideal coaling station, and instead Of
freight being hauled to Raleigh from
Norfolk and Richmond, they would
come by water to Cape Lookout and
then by rail to all the interior towns
and cities in Eastern and Central
North Carolina. Heretofore all the
railroads have run North and South in
North Carolina, hauling things
through the State. Morehead and the
other great men of his day, were true
seers, and if the State had been so
unwise as to give away the Western
North Carolina railroad, and lease for
a song the North Carolina and the At
lantic and North Carolina railroad, the
dream of Morehead would have been
fulfilled, and instead of building up
Virginia cities, North Carolina folks
would have built up a great city or
cities on it's own coast. 1t begins to
look like the dream is to be realized