The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-11-25
(By BION III. BUTLER.)

Raeford, Nov. 22.-On Monday an
Intelligent man from Kansas was in
Raeford, and we fell to talking about
North Carolina. He asked me why
North Carolina had allowed the West
10 get away from her in the progress
of settlement and development, and
after we had talked little / told him
that as we neither of us had time
then to go into the matter at length
| would explain it to him in The
News and Observer Of Sunday. 1
thought while explaining it to him 1
might as well make it clear to others
that North Carolina is not very far
behind anything. and that this State
is going to be ahead OF most of them
shortly.
Here is the story l would have told
the Kansas man if we had time:
When the first census of the Unit
ed States was taken in 1890 North
Carolina was the third in point of
population among the States. Virginia
ranked first and Pennsylvania second.
North Carolina had the first place
in colonization. The Raleigh colony
on Roanoke island antedated the set
tlement at jamestown by several
years. The Roanoke island colonies
did not succeed, but North Carolina
could not have held first place long
had the colonies prospered, for the
better harbor at the Hampton Roads
would in time have made Virginia a
more thrifty maritime province of the
British crown, and coast colonies in
those days we're the ones that thrived.
Pennsylvania outclassed North Car
olina. So did New York, for the sec
ond census showed that New York
place. New York. with those harbors
could not stay in the background.
Pennsylvania, situated like North
Carolina, with not such good port Ia
cilities, could not SO easily hold her
own against New York. 1t was not
however. until 1920 that New York
PASSED Virginia, and from that to this
New York has pushed to the front
leaving the other Eastern States tc
take her dust.
An understanding of why this is the
case will give some light on the pros.
poets OF North Carolina in the fu.
ture.
Virginia would probably have beer
the first State Of the Union except fol
one thing, and that is the big noun
tain range that runs from Northern
Pennsylvania South to Georgia.
North Of New York is the chain O
lakes that offered cheap transpor
tatioR to the West and the West com
menced to open when the Fedora
Union was formed. Virginia tried t.
build canal from Richmond acros
the Kanawha, but New York bull
the Erie canal on an easier grade
and that settled the route to the West
1t went out from the Hudson instea'
of from the James. 1t made the pOr
of New York the great port Of Amer
lea instead OF the port Of Hampton
Roads. 1t made New York the doc
To the United States instead of Nor
folk
Virginia made a close miss, for tn
National road from Baltimore t
Pttsburg almost captured business
Unfortunately the canal made trans
portation cheaper than the nationa
road could, and the Erie canal be
came the leading artery.
A few years later the Baltimore an
Ohio railroad tried to get into tn
front place. but the lines that suose
auently became the New York Ger
trail and Hudson river system, too
advantage again of the low grade, an
the Baltimore and Ohio could neve
climb the mountains and rank in tn
same class as a freight carrier wit
the New York Central
There you have the lakes, the Er
canal. and the low grade railroad
bring trade from the West to the Gro
OF New York for shipment to the Ol
World, and traffic from the old wOrl
coming to New York for distribute
I" the, growing West.
Now it is well to note the ran