The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-10-20

dltlons OF affairs IN this c0nnec-
toni
In other words is Henderson
vile still on the job or are we to
be side tracked2
These three questions were hurl
q at a Daily Herald reporter this
morning BY a well known business
man of the town., who after reco-
vering his breath, continued as
follows
TO a conservative business
man. doubtless some of the above
questions will seem flippant and
hardly worthy of the serious con
sideration of a thoughtful person.
as a matter, however, of serious,
sober fact, how many Of the peo4
pie of this town realize that two
railroads are now being built, Ii
Western North Carolina?
"How many of cur people
could off hand tell any of the cir
cumstances and facts in connec-
ton with their building2
Indeed, more than this, how
many of our people even know
the names of these projected rail-
roads? According to the present
plans of these companies it
wouldn't make much difference
whether we ever awake from our
present deep slumber or not, for
neither of them include this town
in their plans Of building opera
tions.
1T is a fact which any interest
ed person can investigate for him
self, that right at the present mo-
ment two railroads are about to
be built, both of them missing
Hendersonville; the one, an cleo
trio line from G~astonia, NC, to
Rutherfordton, Chimney Rock,
direct to Asheville; the other a
steam road from the present ter
minus Of the Greenvilfe & Knox
vile R. r. at Jennings Mill, on to
Breyard, thence to ASheville.
Substantial men Of great
wealth are known to be back of
both these big deals. As said
above, these statements will bear
investigation.
"Suppose we briefly survey
some of the facts relating to both
these importan t undertakings.
Consider first the Greenvilre and
Knoxville Railroad. They have
built and are now operating
about % miles of railroad ia this
direction from Greenville, to
Drake s, from which point they
r at once to build up the middle
Saluda river, crossing Jones Gap
back of Caesars Head, where they
are to take advantage of an
old railroad grade along Little
River. They then plan to go di-
rect to Brevard and thence to
Asheville via the French Broad
Valley.
"Plans are on foot for a great
artificial lake at brakes, and
other improvements are to be
made at this place along high class
lines. Pennsylvania county re-
Gently voted one hundred thou
sand dollars in bonds in aid OF this
same Greenville and Knoxville
railroad while Henderson county
and Hendersonville have been
and are still doing nothing.
"As to the situation to the.
North Of Hendersonville? the
Herald man ventured to ask.
"Well, let us calmly take up,
one by one, the recent develop
ments and see if it isn't really
time for us to put a shoulder to
this railroad wheel. Probably a
few of us have heard of a com
pany styled the Isothermal Trac-
ton Company. Well, there is
now more than good reason to be-
Iieve that it is a tolerably strong
corporation. It's president is a
C1inchfeld railroad man, Colonel
X. S. Finch, of Charlotte. On the
directorate Of this company r
such men as Mr.. Tanner, of the
Caroleen and Henrietta Mills, well
known to many people here. Then
there is Mr.. Mooney a prominent
banker OF. Cherryville, Mr.. j. G..
Mills of R6therfordton, a banker
and the financial agent of the
Coke estate. Mr.. Love, a very
wealthy mill operator of Caste
MIA, with large water power inter
ests is on the board, as is Mr.. J. G.
Mckay, who is the active man in
the road, and who represents mon
led interests In the north.
Thousands of dollars have re-
oopffu boon nxnn0dad IN curUnv-