The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-12-24
Connecting the Tidewater
With the Mountains
THE CONTRACTS LET
h Railroads VIII Be Great Factors
In Developing the Wonderful
western Lands Of North
Carolina.

Mr.. T. c. McNeely II He~ndersonville
member of the Appalachian Construc-
ton Company, which has the contract
for the construction of the AppalGch-
ian Interurban Railroad Company. OF
HendersOnVille, and she South Allan
tic Transcontinental Railroad Com
pany, Of Waynesville. was 2 visitor 70
Raleigh on official business yesterday.
He came to see the Governor TO COM
plete some documents pertaining to
those roads, so that the bond for
commencement of the work could be
+ secured in accordance with the con-
struction contract. The bond is to pro-
tect the state, for it's convict labor,
when it is convenient for it to be fur
/ nished.
The public subscriptions cover
ing the counties interested, to-wit,
Rutherford, Polk, Henderson. Bum
combe, and Transylvania, were all
carried by special majorities, and the
rights OF way are we'll II hand. It IS
confidently expected that the work Of
construction will be opened as soon as
the present money conditions will
warrant.
The completion Of these properties
is of much moment to the whole
State of North Carolina as it is plan
ned by new construction and salts
factory connections TO secure for the
State a new route across the entire
length of the State, to one of its own
harbors, most probably Southport.
1t viii be seen by inspection Of the
work that present railroad allignments
are North and South, and when East
and West the output goes to the
neighbOr States, North and South,
- losing to Eastern North Carolina
any material benefit growing out of
its long coast line. harbors and geo
graphical position, which it now occu-
pies with reference to the line from
our center of population and business
for the future Canal traffic.
The indications are exceedingly ia
forable now, and while any great and
immediate result cannot be expected
yet the ground work is nearly Ion
and upon such a basis that the con-
tinued s~tringency is bound TO be of
little moment to the success of the
plans other than the necessary delay,
which is incident to all matters of this
kind.
Mr.. McNeely. in speaking Of the in
fuence these new roads will ave up
or the development of the State, and
especially the advancement Of the
trans-mountane sections of the State,
said: 1T means not only a new short
Interstate route but the local de-
velopment of the great number of wa
ter powers, agriculture, the market
sible, new tanic acid factories, pulp
mills, furniture factories, new health
resorts, and a great step toward bring
ing people Of western North Carolina
and eastern North Carolina into such
close connection as will make their
interests at one with each other to a
greater extent than any other one
thing that could possibly happen with
in the borders of the State since the
construction of the first rail line in
the early eighties.
1T is q fact that western North Car
DINA has d climate for the production
of fruit and vegetables second to
none in its season, and that season
does not compete with the eastern
North Carolina season, on account of
its altitude, both coming in consider
ably after the closing of the rue
season in the East. The effect of
these lines in opening markets to
these commodities alone will mean
much for the territory"