The gold leaf., 1909-10-21
Correspondence Norfolk Landmark.

By the wonderful development of
the country and the rapid increasing
demand for the products OF the farm,
forest, factory and fishery, we are
forced to realize the urgent necessity
for cheaper transportation facilities.
Every section, and community, is
aroused to this fact. In many sec
tions the most promising enterprises
cannot be undertaken until their peO-
pie secure more certain and direct
ways of transportation. The trans
portation question has become the
most serious problem OF the day and
the wise man fully understands that
we cannot make quicker progress un-
less it is solved.
For these reasons Eastern North
Carolina islOoking, with strong and
peculiar hope, to the meeting, soon
to be held in Norfolk, in the interest
of free inland water routes.
Very naturally our greatest inter
est is centered on the route from Nor
folk to Albemarle Sound and. cOnse-
quently, any movement, in that di-
rectiOn should arouse us to enthuSi-
astic effort, but alas! for more than
fifty years this question has been be-
fore us and we have been promised
this free water route by every man we
have sent to Congress since 1853.
But our hopes are not entirely crush
ed and we intend to come to the Nor
folk meeting and show or apprecia-
ton of this new movement by doing
all we can to promote every sincere
move made in its behalf.
We are not concernd about which
route may be selected or purchased,
and opened as a free canal, but we
are greatly concerned in the quick
opening of this link in the proposed
free inland water way from Massa-
chusetts to Florida. We are aware OF
the existence of the two canals that
now connect the waters of Carolina
and Virginia and, for years, have
known that a conflict of interests has
resulted in delaying the necessary ap-
preparations required to give us this
free route, but we insist that these
obstacles can, and should be, quickly
removed that this movement may be
carried through.
Every consideration calculated to
inspire and enthuse a patriot, is pre-
sented in the claims favoring this
greatly needed Improvement and the
public man who permits selfish, OF
sordid, reasons to influence him in re-
tarding it's consuminatiOn, should be
consigned to political oblivion.
We have been told that the Govern
ment has no right to construct a new
canal from Elizabeth river to Albe
marie Sound unless it first purchases
the two existing canals. This claim
though groundless and absurd, has
been, and could be, used again to fur
ther delay this work and we hOp'
those who hold these views will b.
Smoked out into the open, that th'
people may learn who are the real Ell
emies OF this project.
To repeat, we do not want an.
) more delays to interfere with tn
opening of this route and we sugges
; it would be both wise and proper fo
the representatives of Eastern NOrtl
; Carolina and Virginia to hold spe
cial meeting, when they get to Norfol
; in November, and decide for them
selves what they deem would be bes
. for their sections and, having decided
they should request the earnest &C
operation of the "Atlanctic Deepe
Waterways Association in askin
Congress to grant our prayers. W
,,,I~o +b;c c,,rcactiop hooo ,,Sa Ua a r
firmly convinced that il our route
to be delayed until the entire conten
plated inland waterway from Buzzar
Bay to the Gulf of Mexico or Florids
is provided for, our present geners
tiOns will never see free canal frOI
: : Albemarle Sound to Norfolk. W
! cannot forget our recent fifty yeaI
: OF experience.
1t would be impossible to estimat
e the wonderful benefits that would a.
crue to our Atlantic and domest
= shipping and to our business OF ever
\ character, if this route was immed
r ately opened and made free.
g The people OF Eastern North Car.
lima, with their 1900 miles OF watt
front, would be blessed beyond the e.
G preston of words. and so anxious an
eager are they for this opportunit
to become free and independent, in
transportation sense, that the
would accept any kind of free cana
They would contract not to look I'll
r. gift horse in the mouth, though
:. was only nine feet deep and forty fe'
wide.
/ We have heard that the Albemar
and Chesapeake canal can be pu
l chased for $500,0O0. II this be tru
| the opportune moment has arrive
] for the Government certainly can
| vest that sum to benefit the enti
Atlantic coast shipping. The Ches
| peake Bay and its tributaries-No
| folk with its large and growing col
! merce-and Eastern North Carolil
with it's great sounds and their 2,6'
miles of tributaries as easily as
could expend that sum on the Pal
leo and Beaufort canal ITO impro
Beaufort Harbor." Only insan;
could prevent a man from seeing al
realizing the wisdom of this sta