Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-15
NASHVILLE DELEGATION IN
CINCINNATI.
Railroad Meeting Saturday
Night at the Merchants
Exchange.
SPEECHES OF THE DELEGATES.
Resources and spirit Of the s0ufs set
Forth.

in respect 10 the eligibility and advantages of
connecting this city with the South by way OF
On motion of Mr.. Theodore Cook, President Of
the Merchants Exchange Joseph e. Butler Esq.
was unanimously called 10 the char. and Messrs.
J D. Caldwell and Hugh Mckinney were appoint
ed Secretaries.
Mr. Kirkman, Chqirman Of the delegation, who
was then introduced to the assembly, SAID the del
esation had been appointed by the municipal au-
th0Tties of Nashville TO visit Cincinnati, for the
purpose Of presenting the mutual advantages q
railroad connection between the two eltie3. Ahey
came to extend the right hand OF fellowship, ana
to interest the citizens Of Cincinnati u scheme
Of mutual benefit
SPEECH OF MR.. d. n. De Row.
Mr.. De Bow, on being introduced, said:
Mr.. Chairman. coming to you as delegates from
Nashville, aud many from more Southern resi-
dence from the heart of the country which has
suffered all the devastation of war, these gentle
men could not fail to be struck on their entrance
to your magnificent city, with all the wealth and
prosperity which is yours to-day; for the have
seen -FOUR magnificent workshops: they have adj
mired the development Of you industry; they
have heard the clamOr Of your locomotives; ana
have seen the exhibitions OF your commerce, net
with envy, but with a generous disposition to co
operate and increase, far possible, this vast
deveoPement. And, sir. IN the relations which
you have had with the South in the past, you
found it a different South from what exists to-day
The trials the sUiferings, the experiences OF
long war have reused in that people all the eher-
gics of their character and nature ana they are
] believe, to-day, better prepared from the sore
lessons Of adversely, to perform their part in the
development of the great power and energies oil
this vast country. Applause.l
1t affords an instructive lesson to wander. to
day. through all the regions of this vast South,
and ! appeal to gentlemen who nave WItnessed
these scenes to bear me witness IN what repeat
tonight. The people Of the South are aroused
to the necessity OF action.
Every where you see evidences of the awaken
ing spirit of enterprise and the men who served
in arms are to-day developing the working enter
prise of our Southern country. The eader OF the
great war is now found at the head OF a literary
institution; the next TO HIM Is at the mead OF an
Express Company. Another OfOur leaders Is now
in your city on his way to Europe; that he may
hack wealth to aid in developing the resources of
the South I heard him ask after the tOunderics
and workshops of Cincinnati anxious, not TO
know whether you were able to graphic with US
in arms but whether you were able TO grapPle
with US now in the great war OF industry whlch
is to take the place of that of arms:
| am not here, Mr.. President, to discuss the de-
tails Of this enterprise; other gentlemen oil our
delegation will present to you all the facts. L
thought it proper that / should say something
aabOt the spirit that actuate our people, IN tue
darkest hour of the late war, II was sand among
us viii there ever be peace? And heard
men of sense and sagacity say, GIVE Us IA truce oil
one year, to allow these angry passions to suoslde
and let the Ncrth and South once more go 10 ira
ding and commerce. and you Will meyer Dflng
them into the tented field in hostile strife agalni
This truce, trust, has come to permanently
unite the two sections. What was SAID thirty
years ago | trust will be realized now, and bring
the South and North ipdissolubly together; I'm
einnati is admirably adapted for TINS; WIN iihes
diverging to the Eastern States and to ell the
Southern States Tadiating from this city rs COM
mon center, you may put yourselves INTO colninu-
nication with the great world around you.
Der to-day. The South sleeps-she is not dead
Her great power will awaken in the future, ana
you will find her able to contribute to TINS enter
prise We have lost the institution Of slavery.
but believe we shall realize the fact that we are
willing TO work without IT. If the negro Is an
element OF power. he shall work with us; II ne
a. f,fxU Ina NR h
out him. We cannot but trust that TINS was put
accident in the history OF great people, lc'
US cultivate the virtues OF foTbearanGe ana gen
erOsity let forget the bloody past that mas ior
four years kept US asunder. Loud applause
SPEECH OF Mr.. J. W. sLAUs.
Mr. J. W Saus, President of the Tennessee
Alabama railroad, was next introduced. by the
aid Of large map, drawn Tor the occasloni by
chants Exchange, Mr.. Slaus distinctly ana intel
lgently showed the directness of the route South,
country trayersed by the projected line. ,
For many years, continued the speaker, the
subject Of uniting the Gulf of MeSico with the
Lakes of the North, by means of a Central Trunk
railway has been prominently before the citi
Zcns of Alabama, and many efforts have been
made to consummate this much desired end but
until within few years pest, nothing mas been
accomplished that promises success. .
At this time, however | am pleased to have IT
to say, that from the city of Nashville to Pensa-
cola every mile upon the line is let to contract,
and every company, without single exception.
have the ability. and is pushing forward the work
with great energy.
will find that between Pensacola or Mobile and
Decatur there five lines, all of them being
links" in the Central Trunk railway, thatls to
say:
list. Alabama and Florida railroad.
ID. South and North Alabama railroad
81. Tennessee and Alabama Central railroad.
ith Mobile and Great Northern railroad.
5th Selma and Gulfrailroad.
| propose to show the points connected by these
several lincs-thcir progre-s ana prospects; and
TO do so OmprchcnSiyeIy, / VIII take them up III
the order in which they are mentioned.
l. The Alabama end Florida road extends from
Pensacola to Montgomery, II distance OF l6Omll's.
The construction of this road Is completed.
,. The Tennessee and Alabama road takes up
the line at Montgomery and extends to Limckiln,
a distance of 10 miles.
3 The Tennessee and Alabama Central Road
takes up the line at Limekiln and extends to De
catur u distance of 10 miles about forty miles of
which is graded. They have ample means for
completing the road, the State of Alabama having
donated Il cash bonus Of about SSOO,0OO and the
Government of the United States grant of about
400, 900 acras of land
The Mobile and Great Northern road extends
from Mobile TO Pollard. point on the Alabama
and Florida road.
s. The Selma and Gulf Road, will connect Sell
ma with Pesaccla and Mobile, and will intersect
with the Mobile and Great Northern and tho Al
ALBANIA and Florida Roads at or near Pollard;
Selma ls also the terminus OF the Alabama ana
Tennessee Rivers Railroad, and Is nearly due |
south from MOntayallO.
The following table of distances will show the
length Of the several links ia the main line, as
well rs the distance from Pensacola or Mobile to
Miles |
Pensacola or Mobile TO
MontgC merry to MontayallO................ 50 |
Montayallo to becatur...........- |
Decatur to
fatal ........4fj |
Making the length of the Central Trunk line |
from Pensacola or Mobile 10 Nashville. by way |
OH 10 Soil hot linz kafr ghp q
same length, four hundred and sixty six miles
and about near an "hT line as can be OBJ
ained. IL will not be aIniSs to mention some
IF the advantages arising TO this line by means
IF its connections and crossings, rs well rs the
character of the country and productions through
which IL passes.
,St portion of Middle Tennessee. At Decatur
which is the centre of the Tennessee valley, 1t
'rosScs the Tennessee river where 1t intcrsects
with the Memphis and Charleston railroad. a dis
ance of one hundred aud eighty miles from
Memphis. Leaving Decatur, 1t reaches Monte
,allO, having passed through. centrally, the min
,ral regions of Alabama which, according to Pro-
eS>or Tourney, State GcOlogIst, aboundS III iron
md coal, and according TO which statement the
Dad runs through az area OF about 1900 square |
niles of coal, which, having been tested, Is found
o be well adapted TO steam marine purposes.
At Elytuu. thirty miles north of Monteynllo, II
rosScS the Northwest and Southwest railroads. |
which. going southwest, extends into the State of
Mississippi and by the connection of this road rs
lear route Is offered from Nashville to New Or
At MOntevallu Il lutcrSccts with the Alabama
md Tennessee Rivers railroad. At this point two
ines are presented going South To Mobile or PEN
ncula, the one by way of Montgomery aud the
ther at Selma. Al Selma anumber of roads are
ult and being built, extending into the very
cart of the cotton growing region Of Alabama
nd Mississippi.
At this point and Mt Montgomery the Alabama
liver affords "A good navigation 90 Mobile for the
rcater portion of the year. At Montgomery a
lumber of roads are being built leading in every
Erection from the city.
The most important one to them and to the
main line, laside from the main line 10 Pen
acc la and Mobile l. the Montgomery aud Euta-
\ ruau. WulCu. running IN SOutheaStolN dlTcC- |
iun pCnctratcs the richest and most extensive
corgia, and il is designed by this road 10 reach
he Atlantic at Brunswick At Pollard the two |
lain lines. viz: 10y the way of Montgomery and |
clma come together, when they connect with |
he roads leading directly to Mobile and Pen
lcola.
Thus il will be seen that the time will soon come |
hen there will be Central Trunk railway extend
lg from the Gulf to your city and beyond the |
axes which will traverse almost every degree of
character, and every variety OF
)ll and products.
Il j. a striking fact in the principle Of con-
ructing public thuroughisres. and especially l.
true when applied 10 railways. that that ioca-
on Is most rcmuncratlyc As an investment. as
ell n most beneficial. when constructed across ,
arallclS of latitude. The reason Is obvious: the
reductions of latitudos differ, and there must of
ccessity he an Interchange accommodates. How
zen will the construction of this central trunk
fleet commerce. !
In my Judgment IL takes no prophetic eye 20 !
sccrn the result. and II bchOovCS the CONNER \
al men Of your city a well as Of those cities ly-
* beyond you. 90 examine well into this matter ,
~ see the bearing the opening up 81 this great 1
loruughiarC will have upon your future com 4