The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-13
tBION IL. BUTLER.)


Fayetteville. April 1O.-The first
darn and lock on the Cape Fear is
soon 10 show what it is good for in
The way OF increasing the commerce
Of he valley. BY this time it is prob
ably about completed, and ready to
raise the water level in the stream so
that even as far up as Fayetteville
some influence will be felt at low
water stages. The second dam is
progressing, and work can be cOncen-
rated more fully on it. We are soon
10 know whether there is to be any
river commerce or whether the river
navigation theory of the United States
is a pie counter dream. Fayetteville
is building great hopes on the river.
II Fayetteville wins in its ambitions
the old days before the war and be-
fore the railroads will in a degree be
ceinreincarnated. and commerce will
again liven up the ancient routes Of
trade although not in the same old
ways.
Do YOU know how the rivers Of this
country serve the people of their
neghborhood? The Ohio river and it's
tributaries handle in years time
something like thirty to forty million
tons of freight. That is the great
river transportation system of the
world. That river makes possible the
Pittsburg mans claim who was one
day arguing about his town with a
man from New York. The Pittsburg
man said, Yes, in New York you
burg we turn out stuff by the ton"
The Delaware river handles ten to
fifteen million tons of freight year,
and the Hudson as much more. The
North Carolina rivers do not go in SO
extensively but the Cape Fear car
rles over million tons year.
The One Need-TOnnage.
The Ohio river has not yet reached
al all the year round stage Of water
as deep as that which will be pro
Slded at Fayetteville when the other
1am Is finished, so when the Cape
Fear work Is completed the Cape Fear
Will have better facilities for traffic
thaE the river which does the great
est freight traffic Of all the stream.
oi this continent, and probably The
greatest of any two rivers of thu
world. The Cape Fear with the othe1
dam that is soon to be finished will
nave the depth of water to handle al
unlimited tonnage. The one question
IS the tonnage. That gets us back t,
cue question that is constantly con
fronting North Carolina at every turn
from Fayetteville to Southport ar
hundreds Of thousands of acres o
tand that are capable Of raising crop
mat could make tonnage for the river
On strip OF land five miles wild
from Fayetteville to Wilmington is a
ieaSt six or seven hundred thOusan'
acres OF land that could make GRO
oI corn or cotton that would yield
soh s or more Of freight to the acre
Inc country within fifteen miles O
.ne river could create freight to tn
ssStent Of two or three million tons
Yearly all Of it is acreage yet In tn
"iiuerness, undeveloped and of pos
sipiiities far beyond what we ca.
fealize.
fayetteville is ambitious, and hope
auI mat the opening Of the river WI
S.art things. Fayetteville has not e1
s.y inquired 1t out yet, but the some
.lihs has really started. Wilmingto
l"S already awakened, and that tow
- getting it's head above water. On
me significant developments is tn
5atabllshmsflt by the Clyde Line OF
1lreet route to New York for bot
p1SSenger and freight traffic. 1T hs
,oheh Wilmington a long time to e
Up TO New York in a strictly perms
tnent and modern business style b,
ne act has apparently been accom-
"iShed, and from now on the WoT
VII be to enlarge the facilities. tn;
VIII be done. Wilmington has brougi
me cope Fear into the traffic zone
the Atlantic coast. These thins
never go backwards In doing tn
-hefe is no Wilmington. and no F'a.
GtteFille. There is nothing but
lape Fear river system. The riv'
oSStem embraces all the towns on II
aNef where deep water will perm
liter navigation. 1t embraces all II
so"hs elsewhere that can be reache
i'om river points. Ii includes all