Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-05-26
For the Patriot.
To the Tax Payers Of Nashville.

/ E Y ~
GENTLEMEN As you have bad a report
printed, about the condition of the North
western Railroad, in which, Col. STEvENsoN's
statement, made on oath, contradict Mr. DoUG-
LAS, myself, and otbers,and you are going to
take the vote for or against taxing yourselves
about S30O,O for said road. / want to get
you to examine part of Col. STEvENsoN's state
ment and part of the work near Nashville;
for by so doing you may judge of the rest.
On page six of said report he says-from
Nashville west, about three-fourtbs graded
~ud bridged "a miles. / think you will have
to look close to find one-third graded, say
miles and one bridge, or a piece of iron, limb.
er for one; for / cannot; though it cost about
100000, and he swears they can grade, bridge,
cross-tie and prepare for the rails at ST ,2S0
per mile. As such do hope you will have it
examined; for by so doing you may imagine
what Col. STEVENSON would say or swear TO
about things at a distance, or where you can
not track him; and as this is matter of much
importance to many, and there are so many
conflicting statements about it. which have
and will produce doubts iIl-will, contention
and law suits. / do hope that Col. STEVEN
son. or others, will invite your committee, and
that they or you will go with them and e1-
anime the "a miles that is graded and bridged,
and count the bridges. aud report the same,
and that you will apply it as scale to his
various reports, though think he expands as
he gets further from you, and should have
NJ i'm eli Ia
of from one inch to nothing that what he said
would 6t one end or the other.
On page Is he says be can build the road
on the Huntington line and have surplus of
81 ,437 .270, and on the Paris line 5 1864. 343:
if so. | think he should help Nashville and the
other roads little. Go to work and quit
begging; for Mr.. COOPER said in Court in sc
that the road was in a better condition than
any other road the county had stock in. In
'5S Col. STEVENSON said it was in the worst
condition and should not have been started,
and that they offered him $4,000 per year for
part of his time to get it out and to save it,
and that he saved them 81 900 900 by getting
clear Of Mr.. BECKER, and he told the Court,
in 1853, tie had added so much TO it that he
could build the road and have 100000 left,
and that he was going to keep on piling it
up; and from his last report he has got it up
so as to have SI,634.34 surplus. If so, [
think we should keep him and his road as
nest egg, though il may be that he is like the
milk maid that counted and priced the chick
ems before they were hatched, for he has cause
to think the country magistrates have but
little confidence in bin, for some have seen
the work and that they will attach your mon
ey as soon as you pat it where they can getit.
for they claim large damages and have taken
all they could find.
II you will examine the Acts for 1S5I-2.
page 81, you will learn the Company had to
get SI,OO0UOO, subscribed by the LIST of jana
airy, 1858, and before they could locate the
road; and if you will examine their report for
80, which was long after the road was locat-
ed and under contract, they had but $685.
900. and but S552 534 from Mr.. DOUGLASS
report made in SO, after the first charter had
died with old age and poverty From the
way Mr.. b. DOUGLAS has acted at various
times | think he is entitled to the thanks and
confidence of the people of Davidson county.
The road if built, will be so crooked. with
such high grades, and so many bridges, it
would be of but little value at least. My
object in making this statement is to get you
to examine and think for yourselves before
you vote; for time will tell the tale correctly
for me, and the people will put Il stop to
selling state bonds, for they are bills of credit.
And ifCol. STEVENSON will not show the "a
miles of grade and the bridges, the tale is told
on him. ] admit that my brain is weak and
shallow; though, as he remarked when he
could not bribe or hire me, will be free;
and | think it would be better for him to let
you see the "a miles of grade, and how the
money has been spent for the last six years;
for the people Will look and think after
awhile for he cannot humbug the hills and
rivers; and have got him, as did the first
gang, if my brain is weak and shallow, and
hope you will retain his reports.
Yours, &C.,
May "a, 1859. S. w. ADHESION.
n. b. will thank you to hand this to
others, and examine the work they have had
on hand six years. Ask Col. STEVENSON if
railroads aud taxes have done all the work
and produced the gold, or kept you on a lev
el with him, and how long il will take to get
you so from the way things have been going,
and if Kings don't produce taxes, lords and
bcggars, and ii his brains and road is in as
good credit and condition as his pocket? If
so. | think he should go and regulate Europe
or the price of cotton may go down, and ex-
pose him aud his road. 5. w. A.