Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-14
NASHVILLE AND CINCINNATI RAIL.
ROAD.

To The Editors of the Union and Dispatch
The present is a momentOus crisis in the
history of Nashville, in which her rise or
fall, her glory and greatness, or her shame
and dishOnor are deeply involved. Her
natural advantages for the acquisition of
wealth and greatness are not surpassed by
any other city South, yet she must not rely
on these natural gifts or accidental circum-
stances, to make her a great educational,
commercial and manufacturing city. If
she would learn how her advantages may
be improved, she must look at Cincinnati,
Memphis, and other points where enter
prise, public spirit, and the liberal invest
ment of capital are overcoming obstacles
not in the way Of Nashville The feeling
in Cincinnati is growing more and more
favorable to the route by Nashville, 10
Mobile and Pensacola, but the COM
mittee having in charge the selection
of the route and the 'bonus" of 81 100000,
to aid that route, will not make the selec-
ton until the different routes proposed are
surveyed and examined. They have wisely
determined that the route that yields the
largest profits to the company, and brings
the largest trade to Cincinnati will be Sc
lected. We believe that the route through
the tier of rich counties, lying between
Danville, Kentucky, and Nashville is the
best, both for Cincinnati and the company
and that the facts and figures furnished by
the survey will demonstrate it. Two routes
must be surveyed from Nashville to Dan
vile. One from Gallatin, and the other
from Lebanon, or some point ON the Ten
nessee and Pacific Railroad route now
being surveyed. And as the other COM
peting routes are beingsurveyed, Nashville
has no time to lose. Cincinnati and other
points on the route will bear a part of the
expenses of the survey, but they are
waiting for Nashville to lead in the matter.
The revised charter of this road is in
the hands of commissioners, residing chief
ly in Nashville, who have authority TO APP
point twelve. commissioners in each county
on the line of the road They ought to
move at once, unless they choose to lie
supinely still and let this great prize go by
default This route will place Nashville
within fourteen hours Of Cincinnati, with
out change Of cars and open more direct
communication with the lake cities of the
North and West. And when the link of
road from Decatur to Montgomery is COM
pleted, (which is now provided for, and
partly built we will occupy central po-
sition on the Great Trunk Railway from
the lakes of the North to the Gulf Of Mexi-
co, at which point we will command the
trade and travel of the rich tropical States
lying around the Gulf -. ~.
To bring this immense trade and travel |
through our city and the centre of our State, |
we must ill the link from Nashville to |
Danville, only about one hundred and |
eighty miles, and, by the provisions of the |
charter nearly half that distance may be |
built jointly with the Tennessee and Pacific |
Railroad Company.
Let us hope that the incorporators and |
the citizens win take steps to survey these
routes at once. This done, they may rely |
upon Cincinnati and all the rich counties |
on the line ofthe road for liberal aid, which
with the liberal aid by our State will in
sure the speedy construction of the road.
The Tennessee and Pacific Railroad is
gong on fnely-every day with brightning
prospects of success. Let the two great /
trunks span our State from north to south
and from east to west then we shall prove
ourselves worthy of the gifts and advanta-
ges which God and nature have conferred
upon us. J. p. CAMPBELL.
NASHVILLE Dec. II, 1866.