Sunday, September 11, 2016

Insect Caught

            A full sized locust has been caught on the Northampton race course. It is supposed to have arrived in an embryo state in the root of some foreign plant.


[North Carolina Argus (Wadesboro, NC) 2 Mar 1850]


Cicada Mania
http://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/when-is-a-locust-not-a-locust/





[The Granville Whig (Oxford, NC) 26 June 1850]


Friday, September 9, 2016


[News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) 1 Feb  1883]


Digital Commonwealth, Massachusetts Collections Online
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:h415pf673


Monday, September 5, 2016

Railroad to Roper?

             The grading on the road from Williamston (Martin County) to Plymouth (Washington County) has been completed and track laying is being done as rapidly as possible. All the trestles have not yet been built, but it is thought that the road will be finished and trains will be running on it before October. The terminus of this road will be at Roper City (Washington County), six or eight miles below Plymouth, where there is plenty of water front, and it is generally believed that a line of steamers will be put on from this point direct to Baltimore. It is thought that trains will be run direct from Weldon (Halifax County) to Plymouth and Roper City in connection with the steamers to Baltimore. It is also rumored that a road will be built from Roper City to some point on Pamlico Sound (Hyde, Dare, and Pamlico Counties).—Roanoke News
            The above paragraph from the News is right so far as it speaks of the Railroad being pushed forward to completion, but, it must be wrong when it says that the terminus will be at Roper City eight miles below Plymouth. In the first place there is no water front at said town. It being situated on McKensey creek, one of the most crooked streams we ever saw, and is not navigable only by small boats.
            The terminus of this road will undoubtedly be Plymouth as the company is now at work building the depot, elevators, etc. After the road is completed to this point, it may then run a branch road to Pungo river, unless Mr. Roper can be persuaded to connect his road to this place, which it is quite likely he will do.
            The R. R. R & L Company will run their road to Washington, making this the northern terminus. As to water front, no town can offer better.

[Roanoke Beacon (Plymouth, NC) 9 August 1889


Granville Free Lance (Oxford, NC) 2 Jan 1880

Saturday, September 3, 2016


[Weekly Register (Raleigh, NC) 19 Nov 1838]

Choose Me, Mr. President!

     IN the grand Democratic celebration in Washington city, on Thursday last, a carriage filled with ladies from North Carolina joined the procession, who had inscribed upon their banner:

NORTH CAROLINA"

Pennsylvania gave her a President;
 she owes him a wife.
 Let the Union be cemented.”

            The above we take from an exchange. These are not the only ladies from North Carolina who are after the hand and heart of the President elect (James Buchanan, who never married). We know of a bevy of ugly old maids on Currituck banks, who held a Convention, and unanimously agreed to use their influence with their male relatives to vote for Mr. Buchanan so that they might go on to Washington to try to catch this distinguished fish, but taking advantage of leap year.
            Go it, old gals! Nothing like trying.
 
James Buchanan (1859) by George Healy
as seen in the National Portrait Gallery in Washingrton, DC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Buchanan
 ________


[Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, NC) 24 Dec 1856]