Chronicles of the Cape Fear River

Tue First Decnaration oF STATE Po.icy.

On July 4, 1833, the Internal Improvement Convention

assembled in Raleigh with one hundred and twenty delegates,

representing twenty-one counties in the eastern and northern

sections. It seems to have been the first concerted effort towards
organized action looking to the establishment of a railroad.
Governor Swain presided and Gen. Samuel F. Patterson and
Mr. Charles Manly were appointed secretaries. The personnel
of the convention must have been remarkable, as the record

says “So many distinguished and talented men are said never
before to have assembled in the State.”

In this convention Governor Graham, then in the prime of his
rare powers, urged as the internal-improvement policy of the
State, three north-and-south lines of railroad. He was antago-
nized by Joseph Alston Hill, of Wilmington, one of the most
gifted orators of that period, who advocated east-and-west lines
marketing the products of the State through North Carolina
ports. It was a battle of giants, and Hill won the victory.

The convention adopted resolutions to the effect that the Gen-
eral Assembly ought to raise by loan such sums as will “afford
substantial assistance in the prosecution of the public works;
that no work should be encouraged for conveying produce to ‘i

primary market out of the State; that the Legislature be asked
to take two-fifths of the stock of companies; that a Correspond-

ing Committee of twenty be appointed in each county, and that
: second convention be held on the fourth Monday in Novem-
er.

The delegates from Wake, J ohnston, Lenoir, Wayne, Samp-
son, Craven, and New Hanover resolved that “means be devised
for carrying into effect the scheme of a railroad from Raleigh
to Waynesboro (Goldsboro), and thence to Wilmington.”

The committee for the town of Wilmington was composed of
Edward B. Dudley, William B. Meares, William P. Hort
Joseph A. Hill, and Alexander MacRae. Circulars were isaned
to the citizens of Wake, Johnston, Wayne, Sampson, Duplin
New Hanover, and Brunswick to ascertain what amount of aia
they would contribute, and stating that $113,000 had been sub-
scribed by the citizens of Wilmington, and that a total of
$150,000 would be raised.

In July, 1833, the citizens of Wilmington formulated a prop-
osition to make application to the Legislature to incorporate the

Early Years 149

town of Wilmington, the object being to raise funds on which
immediate action could be taken in the construction of rail-
roads; but in January, 1834, the bill “to incorporate the city
of Wilmington and extend the limits thereof” was rejected.

Tue OriIGIn oF THE RarttRoAD PROJECT.

Communication from Wilmington to the North was by means
of an occasional packet ship and two lines of stages, one by way
of New Bern and the other through Fayetteville and Raleigh.

The commerce of the town had but slowly increased and the
future prospect was gloomy. A railroad or two, very short lines,
had been constructed elsewhere, and this new method of travel
was being talked about; but as yet it had not been proven a suc-
cess. Such was the situation when Mr. P. K. Dickinson, a
young Northern man who had located in the town, went one
summer to New England and saw there a little railroad in
operation. It had only wooden stringers, with narrow, thin, flat
iron on top, and the carriages were of light construction. Mr.
Dickinson was greatly impressed with its capabilities. Con-
vinced of its success, he became enthusiastic, and hurried back
to Wilmington with the news that he had found what was needed
to assure the future welfare of the town—a railroad. He was
so enthusiastic, so insistent and persistent, that his idea took
shape, and the people determined to have a railroad. With
Wilmington to resolve is to act, and the Wilmington and Raleigh
Road was chartered ; but Raleigh would not subscribe, while the
Edgecombe people would, so, although the line from Wilming-
ton to Goshen pointed to Raleigh, the construction was north-
ward to Weldon. Mr. Dickinson was one of the chief promoters
and remained through life the leading director. He was one of
the most useful, most esteemed and valued citizens of the town,
and his large lumber plant, located north of the railroad ter-
minal, was one of the great industries of Wilmington.

‘The first American-built locomotive was put on the South Carolina
Railroad, November 2, 1830. The first roads were operated by horse-

power.