North Carolina Republican. [volume], March 19, 1880, Image 1

About North Carolina Republican. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1879-1880

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
IOSI'1
illiiillii;
-.... , -(-.-' - -
10
. f, - A.
JAMES II. HARRIS, Editoe.
: Firm dUo. tDao; IFLig-lrt.
Vol: 1. No. .36.
RALEIGH, N. MARCH 191880. .
t two doixars pen AWHurvro nTAircs.
S1KQL.B lrlVUCZZ-J9.'
- i . -
ft ' :.
if"
... , "J, . -' - J.
OFFICE NORTH CAROLINA REUBLI
can oa Fayetteville street, between Davie
and Cabarrus Sts,, at the Arnerican House.
Gov. Jarvis' Message. . " ...
. State of North Carolina,
Executive Department,
; Raleigh, March 1.5, 1880.
Gentlemen o'J the Senate arid House of
Representatives : " 4
- I Lave convened you in extra session
to day, to consider a proposition made
by W. J. Best,1 JV N. Tappan, AV. R.
Grace and J. D. Fish, of , the city of
New York, for the purchase of the
State's interest in the Western North
Carolina Railroad, and ibr' its comple
tion, and to consider any proposition
having the same end in view, and I have
done so, because you are the represec
tatives of the real owners of the prop
erty proposed to be purchased.
To have refused to submit such an
important proposition to you would, in
my opinion, have been in effect a gross
usurpation of a power nowhere in the
Constitution confided to me by the peo
ple of North Carolina. Reading that
Constitution by the light of true De
mocracy, the authority given to the
Governor "on extraordinary occasions,
by and with the advice of Jthe Council of
State, to convene the General Assemby
in extra session," seems in no sense a
restriction upon the light of the people
to consider "and determine their own
affairs, but, on the contrary, a solemn
enactment in furtherance of that right.
Pro vision, was first made in the Consti
tution for the people to be heard at reg
ular, stated periods, through their rep
sentatives in General Assembly, and
then in view of the possibility that emer
gencies at other periods might arise, in
which it would Jbe equally important for
the voice of the people to be heard, ma
chinery for that '"purpose also was pro
vided. .In a word, it was to enable the
: peopleto n ake known their, will an3
not to JlotHe the Governor with a veto
y iitoembly in extra session ; to give the
people voice, and not to silence them in
matters of their own' concern. The
people of North Carolina have steadily
refused, from the organization of the
State government in December, 1776, to
the present time, to confer upon their
Governor a veto power, or any power
in the nature of a veto power. Not pro
posing, therefore, to usurp a preroga
tive that rightfully belongs to you as the
representatives of the people, I have
deemed it my plain duty to call you to
gether and submit the proposition to
you.
,In view of the importance of the sub
ject matter which you are to consider, it
is my duty to put you in possession of
all the information I have concerning
both the proposition and the property
to which it relates.
v ..-t (Condensed.)
On January 10th, W. J. Best submit
ted proposition to buy W. N. C. R. R.,'
and lor speedy completion of the entire:
road, both ' to Ducktown and Paint
Rock correspondence and interviews!
with Best; assurances of personal charac j
ter of himself and his associates,)
(neither drink nor smoke). Sufficient?
"pith in proposition to submit it to the
Legislature, '" j
Directors of Company, and Board of
Internal Improvements consulted. They
didn't see it- cinder in their eye. j
Feb. 3, letter from A. J. DeRosset and
others, of Wilmington, heard of Best's
proposition, would like to know what it
is Reply, can't tell you now wait
Summoned Council of State, asked
them what to dor as I was in a "primi
nary." Council raid convene the Legis
lature. I said, I'll do it. Issued proc
lamation on 21st Feb'y, calling extra
session, on 15th March.
There has been much discussion on
- the merits of the proposition, the lan-i-guage
in which it was "written, and the
propriety of a sale of the property on
; any terms, which I take it, will aid you
in coming to your concluaions."
My bill,' much battered and torn, and
the Attorney General busy in the Su
preme Court, I called in the services,
aid, advice and counsel of. Hon. George
' Pavis, of Wilmington, and Hon. Thos.
linfiln, of Hillsboro, "whose rare legal
attainments, and whose unsullied pe.- -so
nal integrity, you know full well," and
they, at my request, for love for you to
pave you all trouble, and for love of me,
redrafted the whole, proposition, by
; omitting the objectionable "whereases,"
and inserting a few "q foresaids," acci
. dentally omitted in the first draft I
r think you will find the redrafted bill,
just lovely, and if ; you will be guided
by .me . you. will pass it without a word
said. .-!'. v . : -
The history of .this-road naturally di
vides itself into three periods. Mrst.
i- Its management from the date of its
js cliarter to the date of its sale under exe
cution in 1875. Second. Its .'manage
ment from its purchase by the State at
the sale in 1875, to" its reorganization in
April, 1877. ' Third. Its management
from its reorganization to .the present
time. The charter for this road " from
Salisbury to Ducktown and to Paint
Rock was granted by the General Ass
embly at its session in 1854-55 and
work under it was begun soon there
after. From that day to this, there has
seldom been in, the M State a political
campaign in which this road has not in
some way or other been topic of dis
cussion. Pledges for its speedy and
early completion have been freely made
by all parties that brrehad an existence
in the State. Hopes have been excited,
deferred, destroyed and renewed, "until
the people jhave wrell nigh despaired of
it completion. - - '
: The State issued her bonds for four
millions of dollars for this1 work prior
to 1868. Dining the same period one
million and three hundred thousand dol
lars were paid in money or - labor by
counties and individuals along the line
of the road. The company also issued
its mortgage bonds to the extent of
near a million and a half dollass to aid
in the work. I think that I can safely
say, that not less than seven millions of
dollars in actual cash, from time to time
including that derived from the sale' of
the six millions six hundred and; forty
thousand dollars of the so-called ' special
special tax bonds, went into the hands
of the officers of the two divisions of
this company during the first period,
with which to build and equip this great
work, and yet not' a rail was ' laid be
yond Old Fort, in McDowell county.
From causes not now6 necessary to dis
cuss, the whole property was, in 1875,
put up and sold at public auction to
the highest bidder, and bought: by the
;State.. ;!r.: :
The amount bid for this" property, by
by the State was eight hundred and fifty
thousand dollars which she paid by ex
ecuting a mortgage ' for that amount
upon the property itself, and '.issuing,
through the commissioners appointed
lor that amount to be due in 1890, and
bearing seven1 per cent interest. The
interest on these bonds the. State guar
anteed by making the coupons receiv
able for taxes due the State j but she did
not bind herself to pay the principal.
Three commissioners were then ap
pointed by the State, who took' posses
sion of the property, and managed it
until the organization of the present
company, in April l877. Of this man
agement it is sufficient to Fay, generally,
that it had a small convict force, and
completed the road to Henry, and did
considerable grading on the mountain
section.
In the great campaign of 1876, pledges
for the completion, of this road were
again given by both parties, and in the
General Assembly ot 1876-77, botn par
ties participated in the legislation under
which' the present company1 was organ
ized, and under which the1 present ap
propriations have been made and ex
pended. Under the mana'gementof the
present company, ' the State has ' fur
nished a convict force, averaging! .'about
five hundred, which has been fed, clothed
and quartered at her expense. She has
supplied the rails and material neces
sary to lay the ; track, and has paid for
the same, and the iron laid by the com
missioners, with; money drawn from the
treasury and raised by taxation. V In.' the
Same way she has paid all the" interest
on the eight hundred and fifty thousand
dollars first mortgage bonds, up to tne
present time. The amounts thus paid
out. up to March 1st, 1880, are
For iron, &c,
For interest, .
For support of convicts,
150,173 43
266,175 00
140,031 00
Total, C . ; . $556,379 43
Under this management . tvrenty i six,
miles of track have been laid; a part of
the grading for which had been done
bv prior manasrements , and to-day thei
terminus of the road ; is at Gudger's
Ford, six miles east of Asheville.
J Jt gives me pleasure to say that I be
lieve the affairs of the company have
been well conducted by the present
management, and that a great deal of
work of a difficult character has been
done under it with but small means. ;
Any .proposition to sell the State's
interest in the road must to a very great
extent be a business matter, and should
be considered, upon business principles.
If an offer were made to one of vou for
the purchase of your own property, you
would, after hearing the terms ot the
offer, be influenced in its acceptance or
rejection," by the conditions and value of
the property, and your supposed advan-:
tage in Keeping or seuing it. rresum;
ing you wouia act, in mis way wnu me
peoples property, in the, exercise -of
your responsible duties, I requested the
President of the company of the West-
em JNortn Carolina riauroaa to prepare
a report to be submitted to you, show-
J ing the condition and value of the pro-j
perty. mis report a nerewun transmit
SMOKE BLACKWELL'S
an d comniendjo you r careful att en tion .
From' it you will see the completed part
of the road is by nd meads, hi, good con
ditiori." The f bacKed--antT" ah! important
and ,'costly bridge neet rypairsthe iron
is worn, aiid'niuch'pf it 'needs replacing
with new ; the rolling-stock is insufficient
and much of it.old and needing repairs.
He - estimatess:yoli Iwill v see from his
report, that the suin of 220,000; will be
needed, in the.nett J-wOiyers, to put the
road from Salisbury ta heyille in fair
condition, Fpm j; Asheville to, ;Paint
RocjL.ffpny-fiye iiesand the sum of
$65 00 00, accord in g , to h i s, esti mate, will ,
be needed .to'vbnil'.ahreip.'this ' part1
pfthe road. .f9'm)i.eville 'tp'.Duck-f
to jtL jj '.6&0&6nfSj:rt h u n d red .an d
hrty-h ve mjle a
this line the svhf of ! $533fV000 rwill be
required.; 1 ThoHinreH required; to build
and equip theHw'5 lines? under exist
ing laws,' he estimates to be thirty years,
and this estimatesuppoSes' that every,
dollar of, theiaiiniial appropriation be
paid by the Stslte and U8ed.focthatpur:
pose. The gross ? earnings of ' the com
pany were last j year $82j$2,3 7, and the?
net earnings $2215 7,60Gwhich were
used to aid in the construction'and more
speedy compeiition. of the road to' Ashe
ville. -Had the riearnin
for the purpose of ' keeping up :the ol(3
part of the road, they would ha vabeen
wholly insufficient for that purpose! In
fact, they would have! been ihsufflcient
to have paid off the floating debt of the
company, which has been permitted to
remain unpaid; in the Ahxiesy of the dir-r
ectors, officers and employes of the com
pany to reach lAsbeville'as early as pos
sible. The gross earnings for the next
two years, if Jappjied .wholly ip. that
purpose, would ii" bs jafacient to repair
and equip that f st thid ralready
built, unless .til" ' " " VcVtfv; in
perty, if the St
will ha;tp
means' actual"4
road in prbpf .. -"
.ITNV,,'
kt?Ttit;cM5i jiurpiyixriiviirTiUrtCfuay o inis, ttiese people
the funds there are the property of the
State equally with the road. With this
view, I have called upon the State lreas
urer for ; a report which 1 I herewith
transmit, and likewise commend to your
consideration. From this report you
will see there Js not a dollar in the
Treasury, that can be used for any such
purpose, and will not be next year, unr
less you increase the rate of taxation.
In fact, you will see that not a dollar or
the annual appropriation for iron can be
paid. So that unless other means are
devised or taxation shall be increased,
the further construction of the, road
must practically -be stopped It is a
rule with the lreasurer, in the adminis
tration of the affairs of his office, to first
pay the expenses of the State govern
merit proper, including the RUpport of
the. charitable and penal institutions, and
then the appropriations ot money ror
specific purposes according to their pri
ority. 'Acting upon : this rule, he . has
riot yet been able to pay off the hens on
the Cape fear; and Yadkin ValleV Rail
road, and still acting upon this rule, he
will be unable this year to pay anything
to the Western North Carolina Itail-
road. v.; : J'.- ir -
What to do, then, with this property
becomes a very grave question for you
to determine. Ought the State to keep
the road, or ought the State to sell the
road ? If you decide to keep it, how do
you propose tp complete it? There are,
so far as I can see, but three ways m
whi6h' this may be attempted : To issue
more State bonds, which to me seems
periectly inadmissible ; I do not desire
ever to see another State bond issued
to build this or any other road ; to still
further mortgage the property, which,
in my opinion, will inevitably, lead to
another foreclosure and sale, and to its
purchase by parties who ; will build and
use the road, when and how as to them
may seem best, or who, it may be, will
never build it at all ; lastly, by money
derived - from increased taxation. To
increase the taxes already laid upon the
-people, without an, absolute necessity
therefor, I am persuaded you will not
do. Governments are5 nececsary, and
their machinery is necessarily costly;
but the moment a goVernnient exacts a
dollar from the people more than the
'requirerhents ! of its existence may de
mand, that moment it becorn es an op
pressor: As I said to you in my inau
gural address : "Government has its
blessings and; its burdens. Good laws
properly administered, , constitute its
blessings ; the taxation necessary for its
suppdrvits burdens.- How to make its
blessings as great, and. its bui dens as
small as possible, should be the earnest,
constant study of all to whom the peo
ple have committed their interests, either
as makers or ministers of the laws."
What I said then, I repeat n 0 w. Nor
iam I to be deterred from pointing but to
mv fellowcitizeris howthevmavlierhtett4
their burden of taxation, by the fear of
having it said1 that such a course is an
DURHAM TOBBAOCO, BECAUSE IT
I ftnnfi.il ' to the sordid nassiohs of ihe nttn.
pie, and having its - characterized as tha
act af a demagogue. Such an ; oppor
KT LT r r , r
tunity now presents itself, and I do not
for a , moment hesitate to pursue the
course ' that 1 patriotism and ' duty so
plainly marks out tor ine: In my opin
ion, further taxation for the . completion
of the Western North Carolina Railroad
is entirely unnecessary, even at' existing
rates,' for the simple reason ' that by a
sale of the road upon the terms offered.
it can be completed as originally de
o'gcu wituuut one, uoiiar aaaitionai
cost to the State; and not another dol
lar ought to be so spents i The State, in
its expenditures for .works of internal
improvements, has never sought divi-
uenus, or any proncs maeea, otnertnan
that inseparable from the greater conve
yiences of the people, and the necessary
increase in values sure to be caused by
such works. Bat whether she 'sought
such dividends from such expenditures
or not, her - sad, experience , in invest
raents in other pubhe works forbids the
hope of any return to the State Treas
ury 6f any money expended - on the
Western North Carolina Railroad so
long as she may, own and pperate it (
. But there is a still ' hiffher ' considera
tion involved in the? acceptance of 're-.
jection of -the proposition now before
ypu. North iUarolina should do equal
and exact justice to" each 'and every, por
tion of , her people 'and territory,' arid
only by so doing can she do the greatest
good to the whole State; and only by so
doing can she make" her citizens every
where proud so be called North Caro
linians ;. Daily, and hourly ; may- be wit
nessed in various sections the .increased
means of travel, trade and inter course
which have so greatly added to the gen
eral wenUh of ; tfi?p f State.f. There crc.
however, afT cations of the Hti'ts je::1J
i is' td diy,T . U , ii j a
have , responded with their lives and
their scant means to every call of the
State. In the proposition how before
you, I believe the State has an oppbrtu-
nity, witnout laying sturther, burdens
upon the other sections, of speedily giv
in to those people what they have so
long hoped for, and so patiently waited
for. I do not hesitate to avow my con
fidence in the honesty, integrity and
ability of the gentlemen proposing this
purchase, and my firm belief that if they
make thepurchase, they will carry out
in good faitK and in good time any con
tract they may enter into with you.'
The sale of the road is the only secu
rity qt the people against taxation , Sim
ply to. repeal the legislation of ISlQ-fXl,
will riot give relief. The only additional
taxation placed upon the people' by that
legislation, was for the purchase of iron
which, in 1877, amounted to $34,000, in
1878 to $48,000, and in 1879 to $69,000,
and can in no one year exceed $70,000.
The reason the amount paid for iron in
1879, so greatly exceeded that paid ,for
it in the preceding year, was because I
bought in the fall of . that year, antici
pating a rise in the price of iron. 650
tons at $42 per ton, nearly enough to
iron the . road to Asheville,. and which
could not be bought for j $80 , per ton.
This appropriation for iron is the only
part of the burden which can be lopped
off. You cannot if you would, and would
not if you could, repeal the act which
binds the State to pay the interest on
the $850,000 first mortgage bonds of
the road. The State has pledged her
faith to this, by making the coupons of
these bonds receivable for taxes, and
her faith must be kept inviolate. The
amount of interest thus to be paid is
SDy.dUU per annum, ana must so con
tinue for ten years, when these bonds
mature. It costs the State $50,000 per
annum, to take care .of 500 convicts.
She cannot and will not refuse provide
for these. It is true she may work them
elsewhere, but that will not get clear of
or lessen the cost of maintenance. There
is no place to put these convicts at work
at the cost cf private parties. The 0x4
ford and Henderson, and the Chapel
Hill road are the only' enterprises that
have made offers to the Penitentiary
authorities to hire convicts, and both of
these roads have been supplied. ; So
that there is $110,000 of the burden that
must still remain in any event if you
lefuse to sell this property, j And just
here I beg to call your attention to ans
other fact in the report of Treasurer
Worth, to which I have not yet alluded.
He states that there will be a deficiency
in the Treasury under existing law's, T at
the meeting of the next General Assem
blvVof 8216,675.28. If theVapprbpria
tion of $70,000 for irOd be omitted and
that, as I have shown, is the only item
that can be repealed then there will be
a deficiency of $ 140,675.28 n you re
fuse to sell the road and the State meets
I her obligations. .There ;is but ono way
to supply this deficiency and. that is" by
IT IS THE BEST.
increase of taxation, and theflsereasa
necessary for that purpocatrCl bd ten
cents on each hundred dcllrs irorth of
property. y;, '";- : ' :
' The State ' should never as I Yh(ve
said, issue another bond to aid ; in any
public work in any section. T She can,
though; do much u th(8 wayof , aid for "
al sections that choose to avail themsel
ves of it with her " convict" laborr' Our
experience-' has shown itUo.be ahe. best
labor: evBT-employedrin thisr 3tate- on
votmpmfietitmft&m foi
nundred' arid twenty -five . cohvlctsiias
nearly graded, since; last r; Octoberihe r
most of the line from! Oxrd WHehdir f
8on,: for wich , tlState ' receives com- .
pensation in cash sufficient to cover all
expenses. ; Another force of now nearly t
one hundred is at work on the. road run- .
pitig-to the State ' tTnlversityf -arid ?H is
. expected will complete1 the grading by
the first of the fall.. Tljjs force, is TikV :l
wise paia tor ,m casn. .The force, on
the Cape Fear and Yadkin. Valley road u
will complete the grading of that road A
to Greensboro by the last: of the sum- '
mer; and then can bet placed ''west of
Greensboro, - and, well organized as it .
is will, if kept at work, push quite rapid-.
ly up the nprtbwestem scupn ( oif, the K
State through and into! a ' seconVnch. iri
in mineral arid agricultafar resouro, Vi w
and much in need of reilrrcd facUiibs.' &. .
This force is paid for in tho- rlret. raort- . &'
gae bonds oP the-' ' company xrlzza;1 u
the same sort bt ectrity that '.t!?cs3wlib
pay for .tho iron arid 1 superstroctura" are '
to take for. rtheir mbnef1 !Tht4,Jiauch fr.
the State can V; jdi . and i sV
other sections, and jt can better bddphe 2
thorics ttoa b7 Z: zlz'vo e-ctata h .
that tie criminals, who are now an exTj"
pense tortne counties, De tasen out oi q .
jairaridputto'work on these i roads." If g:
men will eotomit cntne, t: believe in
making them work -for the public to g
pay.fbr it. If the State continues this q
work; on the "Western -North Carolina
Railroad, for twenty or thirty years
longer, it will cut her off for long years' H
to come from doing anything with this
labor for other section's. H
The introduction into the State of the &
amount of money and energy necessary
to the completion of this great work, by
foreign . capitalists . is, in my opinion, K
worthy to be considered, and if you be- y
lieve in the good faith of the parties g
proposing such completion, should have 5
its influence on your action. The speedy
development of the large section of the ?
State beyond Asheville, consequent upon c
the completion of this road, and the in
vestments there by other, capitalists :
from abroad, will become a reality, and
no longer 1te a prophecy. n 1 ; "
Ana now,: gentlemen, having given :
ypu, an the information , in my posses
sion, and for fuller details r placing my
letter-book, : containing all my ' corres
pondence on the subject, J at your, dis
posal, I leave the matter in your hands ;
confidently believing that your action in
this crisis, so fraught with' good or evil
to the Weiit, : and of the whole State,
will be taken with an eye single to the
good of those whom you represent.
In conclusion, gentlemen. I beg leave
to say that I' know of no other subject
for your consideration which may not be
postponed till the regular session of tne
General Assembly,' next 'winter; and I
trust that I am not infringing upon your
prerogatives, in t. earnestly advising yon
not to enter upon general legishv ion.
Respectfully, 1 Thomas ' J, Jarvis.
igh & Augusta Air-Una B. E. CO.
BCPEKIKTEJCDEIIT'S OrriCX,
Raleiou, N. CM Jan 5, 1879.
On and after.Frlday, . June 6, 1879. trains on th
Raleigh and Augusta Alr-Llne Railroad will run
daily (Sundays excepted) as follows : , , .
No. 1 Leave No. 2 Leave "
'Raleigh..... 8 00 pm
Dale
Hamlet ...... 2. So
HofTman 3 14
ICcBCsT 8
Blue's. .... 8 64 "
Manly 4 13
Cameron 4 66
8anford....M..M 5 41
- Osgoo(L..MM....jw 0 02
Moncure....MM.. 6 25 '
' Merry Oaks 6 42 ,
New Hill 7 00 )
; Ap6Xim 7 23
Arrive at ; . .
Raleigh 8 80
at Hamlet with the C C
cftry o oi
New Hill.U.. 9 14
u
Merry Oaks. 9 36
4
Moncure...... 00
(t .
Osgood 10 17
Ma mora
Cameron
Manly .. ....... n
Blue's
10 44
11 27 "
.12 09 a m
12 29 "
Kerser . 12 48
Hoffinan ...... . 1 14
Arriveiat ;
Hamlet.. 2 00
Train Nn. 1 conn
Railway for WilMington, Charlotte and all points
ooutn " ' ......
Train No, 2 connects at Raleigh with the Ra
leieh and Gaston Railroad for all points North,
' JOHN C WINDER,' Superintendent
c
ape Fear & Tadkin" Valley B.
On and after Monday, May 19, iS7, trains going
' V A Trl'I'tllTT T l If&Y 10. 17
ud the road will l
IyetteviUeMm.4 00 p i
Little River... .4 45 "
m Leave onir. warn
Egypt. .9 25
a 26 -
Spout Spring .J6 15 "
Swann'sSUt'nd 05 "
Ban ford
7 20
M Jonesboro,? 45
M 8wnn'i.J 15
Jonesboro
6 40
M . I
Sanfoi
.7 10
7 40
Egypt
I -:,t. little Blv 4
Arrive at
Arrive at
..7 65 " FayettevllleJO 29 a a