Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-11-24
TENNESSEE RAILROADS.

By request we republish from the Knoxville
Register, the following, ARTICLE FOURTH which
will be followed by "Article Fifth, on the subject
| of
Our STATE Policy From our last article, it will
have been perceived that we decidedly in favor
Of Central Railroad from the Mississippi river to
the Virginia line; and we wish it to be central not
only in name, but in fact In its location, no petty
interests should be allowed the least weight. The
| law authorizing such road, or conditions imposed
in granting aid to companies already chartered for
portions oft should especially guard this point and
not dollar of the States money should be expen-
| ded upon any part of the route before its location
shall have been approved by the board of internal
| improvement, under the advice of an engineer of
character and ability disconnected with the compa-
ny under whose control that part of the work may
be placed Nor should this requirement be con-
fined to portions hereafter TO be located but if any
road already partially built which may be adopted
as part of the Central road has been improperly
located so unnecessarily to increase its distance
the company should be required to correct its loca
ton before receiving any further aid from the State
Every unnecessary yard in the length and foot in
the grade of this great highway Of nations is
grave and continual injury which should be sedu-
lousy avoided or firmly corrected.
Assuming Fulton or Ashport, as the starting point
on the Mississippi, the route OF the Central Rail-
road Of Tennessee" should RIM by Trenton. Reyn-
oldsburgh and Nashville to Knoxville and thence
adopt the East Tennessee and Virginia line where
it meets the Virginia and Tennessee road leading
along the magnificent valley between the Blue
Ridge and the Cumberland ranges to Salem, thence
to Lynchburg, and thence to Alexandria, Washing.
ton, Baltimore Philadelphia and New York, in the
most direct hne and by the easiest route that can
be traced from the bank of the Mississippi to our
great commercial emporium.
he hot 10 lima ,g
True it lies rather north of true central line but
the geography of the country requires, if Nash
vile be affixed point; and no one would expect to
make the Central road through the State and insists
capital But the southern portions of the State are
largely accommodated by the East Tennessee and
Georgia, the Nashville and Chattanooga, and the
Memphis and Charleston roads, whilst that portion
of the State lying on the direct line from Nashville
to Knoxville is far removed from navgable streams,
and Railroads; has few good common roads, and
though rich in minerals is yet sparsely populated
because of its want Of means Of transportation.
Much interest has been manifested in proposed
road from Danville, Kentucky, to McMinnville,
Tennessee, which would be greatly facilitated by
the Central road as the femer might advantageous
ly meet the latter on the Cumberland Mountain and
run with it down the mountain to the west, whence
it might diverge to McNinnville. But, with due
respect to the opinions of those more actively en-
gagged in this project, we strongly impressed |
with the idea that they would better gain their OBJ
Ject Of direct communication with the south by |
running their road at once to Chattanooga, passing
through Morgan county and descending the Cum
bertrand Mountain probably in the cut of the Emory
river, Cperhaps with the Central road and thence
passing down Tennessee valley, close along the
foot of the mountain, where the route is direct and
leyel, having lew streams to cross, and run amidst
COAL iron, wood and limestone inexhaustibIe-
This road thus running might meet the Memphis
and Charleston road On the north side Of the Ten
nessee, and cross on the same bridge at Chatta-
nooga No road can be built in this State whose
way freight would be so great this; for there is
no known locality where the elements of iron man
ufacture are so abundant We earnestly desire to
see this road built as it would cause more rapid i
deVelopement of manufactures of non and great
trade In coal For another reason, not 50 generally