Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-06-19
1--WE Look Before and After
and Sigh For What
Is Not"
An Old GOldsboro Citizen Of Other
Days Writes of GOldsbOrO's Lost
Opportunities and Present
Possibilities.


we find a letter from our good friend
and former fellow citizen, whom
everybody in Goldsboro who knew
then still holds in cordial esteem, Mr..
J.. H. VIM. Bonitz, now of Whining
ton.
While not written for publication,
we are constrained, nevertheless, to
publish it because it is SO emphatic in
lessons tina the Goldsboro public
should con, and so forceful in its re-
view of opportunities that Goldsboro
people failed to appreciate and i'm
prove when pending, which The Argus,
as all our older readers will renlem-
Der, was not derelict in pointing out
and advocating at the time with the
| same zeal for the achievement of
Greater Goldsboro hat has ever
characterized the efforts of this pa
per for the uplift and prosperity of it's
home town and people.
Mr.. Bonitz writes as follows:
wilmington, N. c., June IA, 1903.
Dear Joe Argus: I am just in re-
ceipt of Saturdays issue of The Argus
and your article on Greater Colds
boro" is so forcible and SO strong l
do not believe that there is a citizen
so short-sighted and selfish in Colds
bore who could go to the polls in to-
days election in that good town and
vote against the bond issue, and l
feel like you, that the election will be
g. L. I~-I --l
Goldsboro; and I do hope Goidsboro
will not make another fatal mistake
by defeating the bond issue.
you refer to Charlotte in your ar
ticle; but Goldsboro would today be
larger than Charlotte if it's citizens
had been more united in the past, for
if they had been united they would
not nave made those fatal mistakes
that have been the cause of the towns
not being today that Greater Colds
boro that The Argus seems satisfied
is now assured in the near future.
Let me recall a few facts in Colds
poro's past history.
First, in 1876, there was strong
talk of running a railroad from Colds
boro to Norfolk via Snow Hill, Green
Vile, Williamson and Windsor. Such
a road would shorten the distance
about fifty miles from Goldsborn tn
Norfolk. Suppose that r3ad had beer
built at that t;me-as it could have
been if Goldsboro had laid hold
of the proposition? What would
Goldsboro be today?
Secondly, G%oldsboro cauld have had
the railroad shops now at Rocky
Mount and the "short cut" to Flor
ence, S. c., if the people of Goldsboro
had been awake and alive to their best
interests and the building up of their
town. What would the short cut and
those shops nave lone for building up
a Greater Goldsboro?
Thirdly, l have a copy Of The
Argus of 1888, in which you have g
strong editorial advocating a railroad
from Goldsboro to Seven Springs, Out
laws Bridge, Albertson's and Rich
lands to Jacksonville That was be
fore the Coast Line built from Will
mington to Jacksonville and on tc
New Bern.
think what Goldsboro would BIZ
today if all those roads had radiateG
from her gates! Will not her citizen:
of today take these lessons of the pas
to heart and from them learn wisdom
and be wise and progressive in tn
present?
"You cannot build up a city with
out spending money.
Il am not now a citizen OF Colds
boro, but, my lear friend, my love 70
the old town is just the same as eve
and my desire strong to- see a Great
er Goldsboro.
cit is just fifty years ago that
landed in Goldsboro-1859, and wha
a change in that time; but it is jus
as The Argus says, We go forward.
with my best wishes for the sue
cess of the bonds and for Create
Goldsboro, / am,
yours truly,
CT Fl VIM RONTTZ -