452 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



show my northern readers a contrast to their own condi- 

 tion upon the same day. 



Left this evening at 6'/:> o'clock upon the Petersburg 

 Railroad, which is now in excellent condition, and of much 

 importance to travellers — it would be more pleasant if it 

 connected by cars instead of stages, with the road at 

 Richmond and Petersburg. The length is 22 miles. Fare 

 $1. Passengers take supper at Petersburg, and continue 

 their journey at 9 o'clock to Weldon, 63 miles — five hours. 

 Fare $3. Thence to Wilmington, 160 miles, eleven hours. 

 Fare $5. Having driven over the same route several 

 times, I am able to speak of it in a manner I could not do 

 by a mere night passage. Some twenty miles south, the 

 land is very level, sandy surface with clay subsoil, which 

 holds the water and gives the country an appearance of 

 sterility to which it is not entitled. These lands, if well 

 drained and manured, and set in grass, would give more 

 profitable returns than any corn farm in the state. I 

 understand some New-Jersey farmers are already devel- 

 oping their value. This railroad also oifers great facili- 

 ties to farmers both to improve their land by lime and in 

 transporting produce to market. Travellers who grum- 

 ble at the bad condition of the road would not do so if 

 they knew what difficulties the company have had to en- 

 counter, and how poorly as yet they have been paid. Pas- 

 sengers for Raleigh leave this train about midnight, right 

 in the woods; and those for Wilmington have to change 

 cars at Weldon at 2 or 3 o'clock, in the open air, which, 

 although a serious inconvenience, is far better than the 

 old mode of staging. 



Weldon is an inconsiderable village on the Roanoke, 

 and there is one other upon the road between there and 

 Petersburg; but from Weldon to Wilmington, there is 

 scarcely a place of importance enough to bear that title. 

 Nearly the whole length of this road is now in admirable 

 order ; and when it is considered that it has been built by 

 the persevering industry and energy of the small town of 

 Wilmington, through an almost entire wilderness, I am 



