The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-12-02
tBy BION HI. BUTLER.)


Paeford. Nov. 29.-If I should in
innate TO you that have a story Of a
most powerful agent for the State of
North Carolina which is serving the
State in a most exemplary way, yet
going at the whole thing in a left
handed manner, and in considerable
degree defeating the purpose which
IL should serve, you would ask for the
answer. wouldn't you?
And If I tell you it is the railroads
you would be disposed to turn away
disgusted. concluding that it is the
same old argument about freight
rates and discrimination, wOuld't you?
But it is another story.
You might as we'll glance at it, for
II will not hurt anything, if it should
not even interest you.
reckon it is safe to say that no
other factor has done more to devei-
op the United States and with it the
State Of North Carolina than the rail-
roads Probably no other agency un-
der the sun has been more vigorously
damned than the railroads, not only
Of this State, but Of all States, and
likely enough with ample justifica-
tion. Probably no other instrument
has been so conspicuous for good and
VIGOROUSLY INSCRIPTIONS in its
methods as the railroads.
But we let that pass.
Four Big Railroads in N. C.
North Carolina has four Of the big
Southern railroad systems, the Sea-
board, the Coast Line. the Southern
and the Norfolk and Western. With
out these roads the State would be
ho Mt nf vi a
sides these four main systems are
the more local lines, the Norfolk
Southern being the leading one, and
the smaller roads following.
The little roads are as highly essen
tlal as the big ones. for the small road:
assemble much of the business thai
the big ones carry. At any rate the
small roads are as big in their com
munities as the big roads are in tht
bigger communities.
NJ. v. Richards.
Possibly no one man in this cOun
Try ~ doing more for the South tOda,
than NJ. V. Richards, the immigra
ton agent Of the Southern 1 hav'
met that mans work in every con
ceivable spot His big red apples o
ne North Carolina mountains ar
positively the finest fruit I have eve
seen, and / know the apple cOuntr.
oil this United States from one en-
10 the other. He has shown his ap
PIE collections all over the Unite
States. and probably over a cOnsid
exhibits, mineral exhibits, exhibit
OF every character that will max
north Carolina favorably known ar
among the most generally snow
products of any spot in the UnloI
oar aone. California and the Pac1h
coast have attempted to exploit tn
protucts Of the far West, but Rich
ards has been showing stuff froI
oouthern Railway territory for year
ana years and l never missed his CO
,ecton any place that it should c
north or South.
Putting South Right.
Sure. Purely business propos
uoh on the part Of the Southern Ral
way, but none the less it is helpln
10 put the South right before tr
~orid, and l don't care how muC
the road profits if it is helping tf
country generally. 1 should hate
see II do anything else than profit |
such work. for the work deserves
reward.
80 the Seaboard and the~ Goa
Line are doing, but not like II
Southern
-, Also these roads are expandln
ne problem of financing the expal
Son, and Of keeping the roads pr
hressive enough to handle the i
Feaslng business is one of the
i"ns of the country. You may
ne aware of it, but the railroads
me South are expanding faster tn;
ne country is. From 1900 to ~
ne railroads of the South increas
nelr mileage and facilities for doll
usiness 81 per cent The improv
rms in their territory increased
lie same time only eight per eel
acreage. The railroads are kee
"s ahead Of the procession, and tn