Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-14
great extent, from, the roads wesssof il. by

great extent, from, the roads West Of il, by
way Of this city. The line will thus be
completed from New Orleans to Canton,
thence 10 jackson, Tennessee, Huntingdon,
Nashville, Louisville, &c. &c. That this is
the proper route for the Northwestern road
there can scarcely be doubt. In my estima-
tion it is the only enterprise that can in the
slightest degree relieve the city of Nashville
from the inevitable disadvantages. TO which
she is subjected by the stoppage of the Ten
nessee and Alabama road short of its original
and most desirable termination. 1t will also
SECURE almost the exclusive trade of the
counties bording the Tennessee river on
both sides within the State limits 1t will
open the richest iron region directly to Nash
ville-a region. together with that accessible
by the Cumberland river, upon which Nash
vile is mainly d. pendent for supplies of the
raw iron, with which alone her manufactur-
ing interests 10 this department of industry,
is TO be bailt up. In addition 10 the ore-btds
WHICH the road itself traverses, the frowning
iron mountains which overlook the Tennessee
river will be placed entirely within our
reach and we may say, under our control, if
it should become nee, ssary
Besides these immediate and near advan-
tages. the Interior connections OF this road.
primarily at Hickman with the Iron Noun
tain road from St. Louis and thence With the
limitless and giant Northwest. is an impor-
tant ampliication of the system Of railroads
designed to concentrate here.
In all these aspects the importance of the
Northwestern road is of the very highest
magniud 10 The City of Nashville. The
management of that road is qnite a different
affair. If we are to believe common report
the conduct OF its affairs is open to very
an investigation Of that matter. 1t is of
great Importance, in view of Transporting
events that the real condition Of the enter
prise should be fairly and fully known to the
people of Nashville. learn from the news
papers that committee Of the city authori-
ties are charged with this duty l hope they
may succeed.
| have thus glanced at the railroad con-
nectiOns. actual and prospective of the City
of Nashville. There are five roads terminal
ing here, only one ofwhich is fully completed.
They are all of great importance. Without
all. the system of our connections will be
broken and incomplete. We have the Chat
tanOoSa, penetrating Georgia. and, with it,
Fayetteville branch, North Alabama: til,
Tennessee and Alabama, with its imm, date
connections striking into the very heart of
Alabama the Louisville. linking ms with the
central part of Kentucky aud the Ohio river
The Henderson, giving us free access to the
finest coal fields Of the country, besides II
valuable agricultural and lumber region
and then we are to have ~ the Northwestern.
to extend our dominion over the opulrnt
mineral territory stretching west of Us from
the Cumberland to the Tennessee rivers, and
wrestling legitimate trade and travel from rival
roads west. They are each and all indispen-
sable, to the full and perfect development o.
Nashville aud her resources. We can - get
along" and grow slowly without one or more
of them, but to be deprived Of either will
cripple our growth and restrain our prOsperi-
ty. These will secure the natural comm rcial
rights, which set down as belonging tn Nash
vile in the outset of the discussion. Nothing
short of them all will secure what was and
ought to be ours. With them we may enter
on that bright career of manufacturing pros
perity, which our natural position and adj
vantagcs have marked out for us. With them
Nashville may shortly become the manufac-
them she may make up her mind to an inferior
and misconstructed destiny.
MECHANIC.