Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-11-25


from her by Elk River, and the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad Thousands of bales of
cotton have been, or will be. shipped from
Decatur this season, a large portion of which
goes from the neighborhood of Elkton. at q
cost of three dollars per bale, to Memphis.
The Central Southern Railroad is the only
project which can bring back, and secure per-
| manently to Nashville. this trade, as well as
| the trade of all of North Alabama, to which
she may be legitimately entitled, and which
she would inevitably have lost by locating
| this road in the direction Of Florence.
As far as Nashville is concerned. then, we
insist that she has more important connec-
ton secured by the construc ton of the Cen
trail Southern Road, than the location of the
Tenn. & Ala. Road offered her, and we are
very certain that neither Of these roads ask
any further assistance of her. They are both
rapidly approaching their completion. with
ample means to effect it, and are being con-
structed in such manner, as TO make their
stock of some value, and bring no discredit
on the State.
In regard to the Louisville and Nashville,
and Edgefeld and Kentucky roads. we are
equally certain that they do not need or expect
any further aid from Nashville. They are
both progressing satisfactorily, and having
received Estate aid.'; must necessarily have
been able to satisfy the proper authorities
that they had sufficient good and solvent stock
subscribed to prepare their road in every re-
spect for the iron rails
The Nashville and Northwestern. then,
must be the road that "needs our help and
cries out to us for assistance; and if it is
the object of your correspondent to create
sympathy for this road. by placing other
roads in the same attitude it presents. or by
magnifying its Importance, secure further aid
from Nashville. a corporation, We are OPP
posed both to the plan of his operations and
the end be desires to attain. IF our citizens,
individually. are disposed to assist him, no
one can object; but to burthen our city with
larger debt, or indirect liability, is a meas
ure to which we, as taxpayer. are utterly
opposed, even to secure the completion of this
or any other road. Even admitting all the
advantages which your correspondent claims
this road would bring US, we think them too
dear if purchased by heavier taxation. Rail
roads. like all other pecuniary matters, are
governed by the laws of trade They have
their value, which may be properly ascer-
tanned, and may become good investment to
communities that are able to pay for them;
but we are as liable to extravaganza here as
elsewhere and should remember that there is
no investment which may not be made nm
profitable by paying too much for it. If, like
the boy in the fable, who thrusting his band
into pitcher, grasped so many of the good
things it contained that he could not with
draw it, we also have been too greedy, let US
follow the advise given to him, and by relin-
gushing part relieve ourselves from the di-
lemma.
1t is possible, Messrs. Editors, that we may
have misunderstood your correspondent; the
Nashville and Northwestern Company may
have as ample means to finish their road as
the other roads we have mentioned. They
certainly ought to have, and if we are not
mistaken their President convinced our Coun-
" Court, that he not only had means enough
but surplus; their difficulties may be only
temporary If so, we can only claim that the
tenor of his article justified the construction
we have placed upon it. 1t is certainly, how
ever. very ridiculous to place that road in an
attitude of complaint against Nashville. Sure
ly if either party has the right to complain, it
is the latter.
If on the other hand, we are right, and the
to favorable consideration of proposition
for corporate assistance, we trust the effort
will be "nipped in the bud" B.