The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-04-08
RABUN GAP RAIL ROAD.

70 OOO H'lo pScu SuuSCIlDeu, SuitClcHt 10 dutn
y. rize the Comptroller General to endorse Il
Bonds of the Company to the amount
= Sl,250,0 making sum sufficient to col
plete that portion of the road within the liz
: its of that State. It is moreover known b
yOnd any reasonable doubt, that the sma
n portion of the road in North Carolina will |
O provided for by her industrious and enterpri
lingcitiEens. Now, will Tennesseeans, who al
perhaps more deeply interested in the con
= pletion of this road than any other peopl
look on and see the project fail! or will the
evince to the people of South Carolina tia
spirit of enterprise that will warrant them i
going forward with the work! There is n
time now, for idle speculation and wild cou
lecture. The time has come when we mus
act, or the reward is lost. That part of tn
: community who live upon and contiguous t.
the contemplated line of road, are beyond
question more deeply interested than am
i other; if they e'use to go forward in tht
prosecution of the enterprise, other counties
and sections will take advantage of their in
dolencc and inactivity and secure to them
selves advantages which righgtlly belong to
others Where, then, is that portion Of the
road in Tennessee forming the connection
with the East Tennessee and Georgia Rail
road to be located! or where should il be To-
Gated to meet the object for which its con-
struction was originally intended! The in
terests of South Carolina, and particularly
the city Of Charleston, to use the language,
is "to bring within her grasp the golden
commerce of the Great West" to build up
her markets, to enrich her Commonwealth,
to bring her as nearly in contact as can be
with the West and Southwest; furnishing
them in return convenient aud ready mar
ket for their rich and abundant product
This the object - and that route or location
most practicable and best suited to meet the
same, with the least possible impediments
ought to and will be adopted. Again, the
Legislature of Tennessee at its last session
granted charter for the construction of
road leading from Chattanooga and intersect-
ing the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad
somewhere near Charleston, Tenn, being a
direct continuation of the great western tho
roughGare. Recent surveys, made by the d.
rection and authority of the Nashville ard
Chattanooga Railroad Company, show clear
y and beyond any reasonable doubt that the
only direct and practicable route connecting
Chattanooga and Charleston with the Rabun
Gap railway, would be down the Tennessee
valley, by way of Madisonvile, and form the
connection at Charleston, Athens, or some
intermediate point-a distance of some fifty,
or tifty-four miles only. This is the shortest
and most direct route, rs every man of can
dor must admit, who il acquainted with the
geographical position of the points to con-
meet. This, too, is the route contemplated at
first, when the road was thought ephemeral,
n chimcra of the brain, and when its con-
struction was said to exist only in specula-
tive minds. But now, since it is believed
and known that the road can and will be
built to the Tennessee line, provided Ten.
ncssee will second South Carolina in the
undertaking, not one single aIlusion do we
hear made to the most direct route. But no.
tice with what vigilance and study the same
is avoided. And is it to be supposed, that
the Company and those interested will prose-
cute the building of this road to our border
line, to our very doors, without any hope of
n direct connection, perhaps for years. Ger
tainIy not. An earnest of good faith, Of our
determination and ability to accomplish the
work, is required at our hands. Will we
give it! Again, it will be remembered that
the portion in Tennessee yet to be provided
for to complete the connection here spoken
of, lies entirely within the limits of Monroe
and McNlinn counties. Tho Farmers, Me-
chanics, and Merchants of this section are
the people Interested What have these
counties done, and what will they do, are
questions of material consequence. Several
counties, through their delegates in conven-
ton at Anderson, have assured the people of
South Carolina, that they were willing, able
and anxious to embark in this great enter
PRISE More than this, the county of Mon
roe, on her part, has given unmstakeable evil
dencc upon her public records that her credit
and means, to the amount Of 100000, and
more if required, can be had at once to say
nothing of the large amounts that will be
subscribed for by individuals and companies
Now, will the citizens of Monroe, McNlinn,
Bradley, and Hamilton relax every effort to
avail themselves of this road, with its innu-
merable advantages, possessing too, as they
unqucstionably do, superior inducements to
bring it through their very midst-the dis
lance by far the shortest when compared
with other routes spoken of, the grade light,
the expense and delay of building bridges
avoided, to say nothing of the interest felt
South and West in direct communication.
JUNIUs.
Madisonville, April 4, 1853.
jacksonville, April 4, 1853.
Mr.. Editor: My attention has been called
to an article in your paper, asking my con
sent to run rs n candidate for the State SEN