Will Railroad Come To Watauga County? 1907

“Railroad Prospects for Watauga” from the editorial page of the Aug. 22, 1907, issue of the Watauga Democrat, R.C. Rivers, Proprietor

Several parties form Tennessee who are enough interested in a railroad from Shoun’s to Boone to put their money into it, headed by J.M. McCane, a wealthy lumberman operating in Johnson County, have been here during the past week and should the people of Watauga feel enough interest in the enterprise (and we are confident that they will) to help in the construction of a road, it is now an assured fact that Watauga, at last, is to have connections with the outside world by a railroad system.

It is not yet clearly understood what the promoters of the enterprise will demand at the hands of our people, but they propose to make the survey, crossing the state line at Trade, come down Cove Creek by way of Sugar Grove, then on to Boone, the terminal of the road at present.

After the road is surveyed and the cost of construction estimated, then the amount of bonds to be asked for will be deiced upon, and the county will ask to vote thereon, the amount not to exceed $75,000. Then after the bonds are voted the company agrees to fill a bond for the completion of the road to Boone within 18 months.

Our former propositions have been to issue the bonds when the road is completed, and as a consequence the people have become tired of propositions of that kind as the road always fails to materialize. But these gentlemen come at us in a different and more satisfactory manner. They say issue your bonds, take stock in the road to the amount thereof, and they agree to fill a bond for the completion of the road within 18 months. What could be fairer? If they fail to build the road the county is evidently gainer to the amount of the bond. If they do build it, the property in Watauga will be enhanced more than 100 percent.

Now is the time for our people to bend their every energy for the consummation of this enterprise, for we cannot longer afford to be shut off from the outside world when it is easily within our power to procure a road that will give us a good market for our lumber, produce, etc., and give us direct communication with the coal fields of Virginia. Let us give these promoters all the encouragement possible in their undertaking and be ready to vote solidly for the bonds when the opportunity presents itself. We cannot longer afford to be the accumulators of wealth for some sister counties when it is within our power to bring a market for our products to our own doors.