FARMERS' REGISTER-PUBLIC WORKS FOR NORTH CAROLINA. 



469 



tinguishcd friends of " internal improvements," 

 was supplied with lime from the same distant 

 source. I do not know whether this state of things 

 remains unaltered. I hope not. 

 Hook Stores. 

 There is one " internal improvement," as evi- 

 dent in Raleigh, as it was unlooked-lbr in a mere 

 inland village, which owes its importance, and 

 even its existence, to the site being selected for the 

 seat of government, and not to any commercial ad- 

 vantages of situation. I mean the book stores, 

 Avhich, in number, extent, and general appearance, 

 are not only remarkable for such a place as Ra- 

 leigh, but surpass any that are to be found in the 

 towns of Virginia. Tiie store of Messrs. Turner 

 and Hughes especially attracted my attention. 

 It not only offers a very large collection of books, 

 but is fitted up so handsomely, and willa so ma- 

 ny inducements to attract the curious, that it is 

 crowded at every hour of the day with those who 

 come to pass an hour in the plcasantest lounge that 

 can be imagined. Every newly published work, 

 a great variety of literary periodicals, the daily pa- 

 pers, port-folios of prints, are offered freely for 

 the amusement of every visiter, and every one is 

 made welcome. The extent of the bookselling 

 business in North Carolina, proves the existence 

 of more literary taste than I had given the people 

 credit for — and a general fondness for reading, 

 among any people, whether for mere amusement, 

 or more solid gratification, cannot fail to produce a 

 knowledge of their true interests, and correspond- 

 ing exertions to promote them. 



Schemes for Public IVorks in North Carolina. 



JVov. 28th. — The report of the general commit- 

 tee was presented, and sustained by a clear, con- 

 cise and forcible speech from the chairman. Judge 

 Cameron. The plan embraces several distinct 

 public works, designed to benefit every different 

 section or interest of the state, by which the com- 

 mittee, no doubt, hoped to allay the jealousy of the 

 different sections, the conflicts of which form the 

 great obstacle to all such improvements in North 

 Carolina. The different schemes proposed to be 

 executed are these : 1. A canal from Edenton to 

 the Dismal Swamp Canal, or a railway from the 

 neighborhood of that town, to connect with the 

 Portsmouth and Roanoke Railway — the intention 

 of either being to facilitate the transportation of the 

 products of the counties noith of the lower Roan- 

 oke to Norfolk, their best market under any cir- 

 cumstances. 2. A ship canal to be cut through 

 the nine mil(^ of low marsh which separate tTie 

 lower part of Neuse River from the harbor ol 

 Beaufort, the only good and deep harbor on the 

 coast of North Carolina — but which at present has 

 neither a town or commercial capital to invite 

 trade, nor an accessible back countiy to supply 

 such a demand, if it existed. 3. A rail-road from 

 north to south, extending through the state from 

 Virginia to South Carolina. The precise location 

 of the route is not named ; but it may be supposed 

 that the most eligible is through the flat alluvial 

 region, and connecting with one or both the rail- 

 roads of Virginia. 4. A central rail-road from 

 Beaufort harbor, running by Fayetteville, to Ten- 

 nessee, which is designed to draw the western trade 

 to the sea coast, and is sustained by the estimates 

 of an engineer of New- York, subajiiled by Gov- 

 ernor Swain to the convention. My description | 



of these great works is perhaps built as much upon 

 private information and general conversation, as 

 upon the words of the report, which I had no bet- 

 ter opportunity of understanding than from hearing 

 it read to the meeting. The committee did not 

 report in favor of continuing the canal for sea ves- 

 sels, (as recommended by Governor Swain, in his 

 address,) from Neuse River, through the low 

 marshy land of Hyde and Tyrrel counties, and 

 which, if dug, would only make a somewhat short- 

 er route than what is now offered by Pamptico 

 Sound, and its connection with Albemarle Sound. 



It seemed to me not a little remarkable that the 

 most extensive, and by far the most costly of these 

 schemes, should have occupied the least space in 

 the report, and was scarcely made more prominent 

 in the debate of that day, which was all that I could 

 remain to hear, but during which, there was a very 

 full expression of opinion in the many speeches de- 

 livered. I allude to the rail-road from Beaufort to 

 Tennessee — a scheme which, if its usefulness in 

 operation should be as great as the magnificence of 

 the design, and the probable cost of construction, 

 will surpass in value all the rail-roads now in ex- 

 istence. But it appears to me, perhaps owing to 

 my want of information, that the probable advan- 

 tages to be gained, will bear a very small propor- 

 tion to the magnitude of the labor, and amount of 

 necessary expenditure. Asa sincere well-wisher 

 to the internal improvement of the state of North 

 Carolina, and as a firm believer in her peculiar fit- 

 ness to be benefitted by works for this purpose, I 

 hope that this great plan will be maturely consid- 

 ered before it is commenced. It would be out of 

 place here to discuss its merits — or otherwise I 

 think it might be shown that even if it was com- 

 pleted through its 400 miles of length, that the 

 products of the west whicli it would bring, would 

 not reach Beaufort, but would be either directed 

 through Fayetteville to Wilmington, and tlience 

 to New- York, or by a still shorter route, through 

 Columbia to Cliaileston. 



The natural features of North Carolina are re- 

 markable and peculiar : and Avhile they serve to 

 render improvements in transportation and the 

 formation of good markets for lier products most 

 desirable, they also serve to offer so many different 

 objects, as to impede all, by th.eir opposite and con- 

 flicting claims. With more than three hundred 

 miles of sea coast. North Carolina has not one good 

 commercial port — and only one in use (Wilming- 

 ton) to which vessels of as much as twelve feet 

 draught can be brought. Her two Sounds, which 

 in superficial extent might be called inland seas, 

 are abiiosl closed to navigation, by impassable and 

 shifting sand bars, and islands, which separate them 

 fiom the ocean, and Die obstructions in the rivers 

 which are emptied into them. The Roanoke is 

 bordered witii a more extensive body of fertile 

 lands than any other river of the United States which 

 runs into the Atlantic, and yet has not been able, 

 and perhaps never will, to transport their rich pro- 

 ducts on its o\\ n waters to market. The eastern 

 part of the state contains millions of acres of rich 

 swamps, which might produce more value than 

 half the state now does, but which remain worse 

 than useless, for want of draining : and the west- 

 ern counties, fertile, and much more valuable for 

 their agricultural products than some are for their 

 gold mines, are so distant from market, that Ihe 

 cost of carriage is as great as their nett profits. 



