594 



FARMERS' REGISTER— PUBLIC WORKS: 



from it and into every productive district between 

 the rivers ; but it is a great encouragement and 

 warrant for the work, (hat a little west of the line 

 of the State, lies this very valuable part of east 

 Tennessee — rich in iron, coal, salt and gypsum, 

 articles in the greatest demand, and the latter want- 

 ing to give fertility to the alluvial lands of the eas- 

 tern counties, as Pennsylvania receives her suj)ply 

 of it i'roni the State of New York. The pine 

 bearing lands of New Hampshire were in this way 

 made tertile, receiving planter by her canals. 



" Our agriculturists cannot now afford to sell 

 cotton, at Charleston, at a^ low prices as the })lant- 

 ers of South Carolina can. There is wanting to 

 both, the cheapness of conveyance incident to rail 

 road and proximity of port, to balance the advan- 

 tages of the fertile West; and it is fortunate that 

 geographical relations will give to North Carolina 

 the ability to open a cheap route to the West, from 

 which the accession of toll from the transit trade 

 may so increase the aggregate of income as to 

 make the home-toll low, and yet enhance the value 

 of the road, as a property, so much, that instead of 

 being an expense, it will be a profit to (he State. 



" If it gives 12 percent, nett increase, the State 

 gains a sum equal to its cost and adilitional to the 

 rise of property consequent on the accommodation. 

 Therefore it is fortunate for North Carolina (hat 

 the Blue Ridge summit is within her boundaries; 

 because it gives to us, as the most interested {wrty, 

 the command of the communication. 



" Rail roads can in no part of our country be 

 made at so little cost per mile as in this state. 

 Most of the materials are on the spot, and labor is 

 cheap ; but the manner of building ought not to be 

 slight. A rail road may be rough in apj)earance, 

 if its stability and accuracy permit of sate speed ; 

 and if the top surface under the iron is made hard, 

 to resist the weight of loads, by means of nails 

 driven evenly for the rails to })ress on, the wood is 

 defended, and about half the iron, as is now com- 

 monly used, may be saved. 



" It appears, from the fact stated, that North 

 Carolina evidently holds, unrivalled, the best 

 ground of communication with much of (be west 

 and all the south west. And it seems clear, that 

 after the place and manner of passing the Blue 

 Ridge is decided on, and an outlet secured to the 

 ocean, the rest is easy. 



"The surveys so early begun in North Caroli- 

 na, have ascertained many essential facts, though 

 they have not extended the entire line here sug- 

 gested. This plan would not interfere with the 

 proposed rail road from Wilmington to Raleigh ; 

 for the crossing of each other, would be, in effect, 

 to give all the interior the choice of both markets, 

 and make the intercourse between the ihur princi- 

 pal cities, though a little circuitous, sliort in point 

 of time." 



If the road so forcibly recommended by Mr. 

 Sullivan be constructed, or any road, commencing 

 at a point accessible to sea vessels, and terminat- 

 ing at the Tennessee line, the next great object (o 

 he accomplished will be the intersection of the 

 State, by rail road communication, from north to 

 south. This should commence at some point on 

 the Roanoke, where it might be connected with 

 the Petersburg and Portsmouth rail roads, and, 

 crossing the navigable rivers of the State above 

 the falls, extend to the South Carolina boundary. 

 ft is apparent that the State must be intersected 



from east to west, and from north to south ; be- 

 cause our rivers do not, in their natural state, 

 afford an inland navigation; nor can the obstruc- 

 tions be easily removed by canals, or other works 

 of art. The Roanoke, Tar, Neuse, Cape Fear, 

 Yadkin and Catawba, are, in truth, magnificent 

 rivers. The bare enumeration of them may well 

 excite an honest throb of State pride. Their 

 volume of waters and their fertile and picturesque 

 banks, may move the admiration of any, and must 

 knit the affectionsof a North Carolinian to his na- 

 tive land. It is, nevertheless, to be confessed, that 

 in their natural state, they have stronger claims to 

 beauty than usefulness. There are very few rivers 

 any where that do not afford better navigation. 

 Not lo mention other obstacles, (of which there 

 are too many,) none of our rivers are navigable 

 over, and some of them not up to the great granite 

 formation, dividing the upper from the alluvial 

 country, and extending across the State from north- 

 east to south-west, about 150 miles from, and pa- 

 rallel to the ocean. The Yadkin and Catawba, 

 passing into South Carolina, are both obstructed 

 by the granite ridge — the latter not until after it 

 has entered that State. This ridge intersects the 

 first four rivers nearly at right angles, and makes 

 rapids and falls, which totally obstruct the passage 

 of boats. Thus is our transportation between the 

 upper and low country cut off. Above the falls, 

 most of the rivers are, in their natural state, sus- 

 ceptible, for some distance, of good navigation. If 

 then, the State is intersected by rail roads, in the 

 manner proposed, these roads will be base lines, 

 and receive the produce which may descend the 

 rivers to the falls, or be transported on lateral 

 roads. To illustrate this idea more clearly, sup- 

 pose the proposed roads completed; a planter who 

 should set out from the Tennessee line, would con- 

 tinue on the road recommended by Mr. Sullivan, 

 to the Cape Fear. He might then stop at Fay- 

 ettcville, descend the river to Wilmington, pursue 

 the road to Beaufort, or taking the northern route 

 from Fayetteville, proceed to the Roanoke, and 

 thence, by rail road or water communication, reach 

 Petersburg or Norfolk. The la((er road would be 

 inipor(ant, not only as facilitating the transporta- 

 tion of produce, but the travelling from aorth to 

 south, and east to west, would afford that species 

 of profit which is ordinarily of great value; and 

 the daily mail would be transported upon it, 

 through the State. It may well be doubted whe- 

 ther any work which claims our attention, would, 

 at an earlier period, repay the mvestmeut necessa- 

 ry for its construction. 



The canal and these two great lines of rail road 

 communication, would, in the opinion of the board, 

 form tlie proper basis for a great system of im- 

 provement; and would of themselves, accommo- 

 date the leading interests of the State. Such 

 lateral roads as might be necessary, would, from 

 time to time, be constructed by individual enter- 

 prise, with or without the aid of the public trea- 

 sury. 



It has already been stated as the opinion of tlie 

 board, that no general system of improvement can 

 be effected in North Carolina, by incorporated 

 companies. In old and wealthy communities, in- 

 dividual capital may be commanded for such ob- 

 jects. The internal condition of England and; 

 Scotland has been improved in this way. No in- 

 telligent writer, however, it is believedj has ex- 



