The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-12-08
EAST TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA
RAILROAD.

The friends Of this enterprise must be
gratified to learn that it is rapidly progress
ing towards completion. The masonry of
the Bridge across the Tennessee river, ut
Loudon, is finished greater portion of the
wood work is up, and the remainder will be
put on in short time-the iron for the
track above the river is passing up daily, the
work of track-aying commenced this week,
and, making allowances for all possible de-
lays, We think our Knoxville friends may
safely calculate on the arrival of the ears at
their city by the first of June next-some
think earlier-but by that time at farthest.
In this connection, il is not improper for us
to say that great credit is due the present
able and efficient management of the Com
pany, not only as concerns that portion of
the road which has been working, but for the
energetic manner in which the work at the
river and beyond has been prosecuted. 1t is
true, other enterprises of greater magnitude
and involving much heavier expenditures,
may have been commenced, pushed forward
and completed in less time. But the last
have had abundant means to operate upon
and been met with perfect unanimity and
working together of the whole country
through which they were located, while in
regard to the East Tennessee and Georgia
Road quite the reverse has been the case
Scarcity of available means has been fire.
quentiy felt, and local jealousies and dirty,
contemplate prejudices have met the man.
agement at almost every step, from the
throwing of the first shoyelfull of dirt at
the lower terminus, up to within very short
time past. None but those who have been
on the ground and watched the whole bust
ness from its inception to the present time,
can have correct idea of the difficulties
and obstacles which have continually pre-
scented themselves, and which have been sue
cessively and successfully surmounted and
overcome by the indOmitabc energy and per-
severance Of the men to whose hands the
management, from time to time, was contided;
and it is not Ventuying beyond what the facts
and results justify to say that no other en-
terprise was ever built under so many nd
verse and depressing circumstances, and that
no Company could have been more fortunate
in the selection of its officers from first to
last A portion of the road has been work.
ing for some time, the country is feeling its
fertiizing and beneficial effects, and although
we occasionally hear of grumbling on the
part of men who now get at their own door
one dollar per bushel for wheat which they
formerly had to sell at forty and fifty cents,
and seventy-ive cents for corn which in Or
binary seasons they could hardly give away,
still we believe the people generally are be-
ginning to appreciate the immense benefits
and advantages they are deriving from the
construction of the work, and will in time,
perhaps, be disposed to accord proper de-
gree of credit to the men whose labor and
skill were most instrumental in bringing
about the happy results.
But enough of this for the present. We
merely intended to announce to the friends
of the enterprise abroad that the work was
rapidly approaching completion, and that in
few months at farthest trains would be run
ming regularly to Knoxville. Our friends in
that city, who have heard so much in the
last five years about the ''iron horse" we
know will hail his arrival with accamations
of JOY. We congratulate them upon the
nearness of the event, as no one will more
than ourself rejoice at a speedy consumma-
ton of the work.