The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1851-05-30
THE RAILROAD.

To THE EDITOR: The more l think OF
The action of the Board st the last meetlng'
the less am able to see the proPrle'Y' e"'
pedieacv and good sense OF establishing Tue
repair shops OF the Company at Dalton
The fact is wholly inconsistent win Inc ~.
kuowledsed intelligence and patriotism Of
the gentlemen composing the Board lhey
mus, certainly have been governed by some
exlraneous Influence, some temporary ao-
erration of mind, or some exceedingly uh'
fortunate mental hallucination, SO en'lre'y
different in its results has it been nom
wha, has uniformly been their course here
,olore touching the affairs OF the koad.-
An evil genius must have been hover'ng
abou, Them, debating their actions anu
swervlnc them from the true course when
their own good sense would naturally
promp, them 10 follow. Some unlucky
prejudice or false impression must so lar
have taken possession of their minds as 10
make them forge, that they were cl''zens
of Tennessee, and that it was the people OF
Tennessee and not the people OF Georgia
whose interests they had boon selected TO
consult and TO advance. Had they con-
suited their own better judgments and the
duties they owe TO themselves and TO their
constituents. as they had been accustomed
to do on all former occasions, public expec'
,arion would not have been dis appon'ed.
and the benefits which are expected TO ac-
crue as resulting from their meeting would
have been guaranteed TO the people oil our
wn State. II is a matter OF very little
consequence in the discussion OF prncl~
ples that amounts are TO beslaken as the test,
for the principle is the same whether you
appropriate one dollar or million OF dol
lars. If by spending one dollar amongst
our own people, ou subserve the interests
of the Company to the same extent as if
you should Jpend it IN another State why
lie, our own eople have the dollar. So if
fifteen huad red dollars are appropriated 10
be expen in Georgia at Dalton, when
the very !Fmc results to the Company can
be accomplished by expanding the same
amount at Cleveland in Tennessee. is it not
patriotism that the people Of Bradley coun-
" should receive it? Under what peculiar
obligations is the East Tennessee and Geor
gia Railroad Company, to the people Of
Murry county, Georgia, that they should
be selected as the recipients Of our expen
d;lures, over the heads Of the good people
of Bradley county in our own State
Cleveland could have been chosen as the
site of the Shops, had the slightest effort
been made, but i, seemed to be The settled
policy of the majority, that the territory OF
another people over which the Company
have been compelled to fight ,heil way,
inch by inch, should receive the benefits OF
our labors and expenditures. Charleston
and Calhoun could have been selected, but
the county in which the most q Bishops
lands are located. and lhroug RAiE 6<;ikf
Union Branch Railroad VIM .
stands more in need and pres
brilliant charms fer favors at Oh
Don't answer me that the appro p4U =
small-too insignificant for so serlo6s a
maller-less than the estimates absolutely
necessary as made.out by the chief Engr
neer himself. I'insist that the amount
whatever i, is, be given 10 our own citizens
in preference to Others, rhen The Interests
of The Company can be equally SUBSCRIBED
Let no one reply, that the immediate ne
cessiiles or our Road require the erection
of a shop, as repairs must now be made
the cars are running within three miles o.
Cleveland, and before preparation can be
made, the citizens of that place vii! be en-
loving the benefits of the Road. The cars
will be running to Charleston by the mid
die of August, and the buildings 10 be
erected for Shops could be built there in
time. But enough upon this point.
Ihaye not in all that have said upon
this or upon any other subject wished 10
appear censorlous, for am well convinced
that the very worthy gentlemen composing
the Board in all their actions have endeav-
ored to advance the interests of the Com
pany but claim the privilege Of reviews
ing their actions whenever my opinions
and theirs disagree in reference to the
course of policy most advantageous 10 be
pursued. II is good rule adopted by the
most successful Railroads in the United
States and those that are making the largest
profits, to disregard popular whims and
caprices when inconsistent with the true
policy Of the Stockholders-,o consult the
private interests Of no individual or cliques
Of individuals, 10 the neglect of the true
interests of the Company, and only 10 re-
spect public opinion, when that public opp-
ion indicates the best course 10 pursue
This rule being the foundation upon which
the success oil any Railroad enterprise is
guaranteed, how important is il therefore
that every one having any connection with
il; divesling himself Of every feeling in
compatible to il. should adopt it, study 1t,
and make it the leading idea So long as he
is associated with the enterprise. 1t will
be observed that IN all that | have said
since my fist article, this has been the
governing principle Of my remarks-the
interest Of the Stockholders FIRST, the inter.
est OF the people generally next, and the
interest Of particular individuals last. The
interests Of the stockholders and the PEG.
pie generally are almost always the same,
but sometimes even they conflict, But il