Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-20
The Proposed Southern Railroad.

Gen j. T. Wilder, who has been in the city re-
Gently has given fresh interest TO the subject Of the
contemplated Cincinnati and Knoxville Railroad.
As this matter is one in which the citizens Of Gin
cinnati are perhaps more nearly concerned than
those Of any other city, we lay before readers
the main facts ard figures relevant to the subject
There are three routes proposed for a railroad TO
Knoxville. One, and the one which the citizens OF
Louisville making every effort possible to secure
defects from Lebanon, the terminus OF the LOUIS
vile and Nashville branch leaving Stanford TO the
left passing through Somerset crossing the Cumber
land river at Point Burnside, and tFav erslng the
plateau Of the Cumberland Mountains to Knoxville.
Another route by which it is prOpos Sod to connect
Cincinnati more directly with Knoxville, starts
from Paris and passes through Winchester, Irvine,
Manchester and Cumberland Gap, connecting at
MOrristOwn with branch road al that point to
Knoxville.
The route, which it is claimed by Gen Wilder
who has travelled the entire country through Is most
practicable, crosses the Cumberland at Point Burn
side If Cincinnati builds the road, it is proposed
that leaving Echol8sville it shall pass through
/ Danve and Somerset crossing at Point Burnside,
and thence over the plateau Of the Gum berland
Mountains, through Clinton to Knoxville. The
advantages of this route are stated as follows Inc
distance from Knoxville to Nicholasyille is 1870
/ miles The Knoxville and Kentucky Railroad
Company, chartered by the Tennessee Legislature,
I have completed ten miles and have graded eight
! miles more which eighteen miles comprise the
most difficult portion Of the line. Besides, the piers
and approaches to Clinch river bridge already
! constructed and about twelve miles more Of the
road are about half graded.
I There is but one bridge to build from Clinch to
. kentucky river distance of l54 miles. The"su-
perstructure Of Clinch river bridge removed by
the Government during the war for use at other
, points and of course will be replaced
The road runs near Big South Fork Of the Cum
berland for G5 miles along the plateau Of the noun
tain requiring not a single bridge Culvert. Eight
miles of the road already graded from Nicho-
lasville to kentucky river, and 100000 have been
expended toward the construction OF the bridge over
. that river.
The proposed route lies through country pro-
nounced by noted biologists the most wealthy sec
ton in minerals, coal and oils known on the CONT
nent.
The great valley of the Big South Fork in which
are located the famous Beatty oil and salt wells il
thus opened up to development of its immense pc
troleum wealth. The opening OF the Big South
Fork to down stream navigation, which enterprise
Is about to be undertaken by English and Canadian
capitalists secures to this road the transportation
the immense quantities Of oil and mineral wealth
that must flow down this valley for distance o
one hundred miles. This stream with its tributarie
drain the great level Of the Northern table of tn
Cumberland range. Each stream cuts througl
great sandstOnes of the coal measures to the sub
carboniferOus limestone, from which every punctur
brings forth petroleum. 1t IS believed by geolOglst
VINO nave Oeen the eHJle s'L!liieA PiOePoCIllS
this region that this section is richer in oil than
the great oil regions in Western Pennsylvania. Gen
Wilder has several specimens of this oil at his
at the Burnet, and they are pronounced very supe
rior for lubricating purposes. A donation of $50
900 acres of these mineral and oil lands are tender
ed as a gift to the parties who build the road
The objections to the Cumberland Gap route arc
that the obstacles to be encountered in either of tn
forks Of Rockcastlc river, all Of which must b
crossed are far more serious than that rising to tn
Cumberland plateau on the other route.
Laurel river on that route is equally serious al
obstacle as Rockcastlc. There is required at Cum
berland Gap tunnel Of at least 200 feet IN length
Besides, at the southern outlet the road is from so
TO 700 feet higher than Powell river, which is bu
seven miles distant. From this rivertO Morristown
Black Oak ridge must be crossed, which of itself
a greater barrier than the Cumberland Mountains
The following exhibit shows the condition of tn
: Kentucky and Knoxville Company affairs.