Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-12-07
IFrom the Nashville Banner. I

A bill has just been passed in the Ala
bama Legislature, and signed by the Gov.
ernor OF that State, incorporating a com.
pauy of wealthy men, as follows, authoriz-
ing the construction of railroad from the
Mississippi and Alabama line in the direc-
tlon from New Orleans to Mobile, and from
tnence to the Alabama and Georgia line to
Chattanooga, in this State. The incorpora-
tors are Hon. Oakes Ames and Peter Butler,
OF Boston, Hon. VIM. Sprague, of Provi-
dence, X. !, James A. RaynJr, W. s. Will
llams and Charles ID. Durant, of New York,
John NJ. Courtney, of New Orleans, and
Charles Walsh, President Bank of Mobile,
and W. .. Winston. The seven first named
persons are all gentlemen Of great wealth.
and can command any reasonable amount of
money TO build the road from New Orleans
via Mobile to Chattanooga, and after the
model, and with the same finish of the fa-
nous railways of England. This they in
tend to do, although it win require q capi.
tal OF from fifteen TO eighteen millions of
dollars. The company is required by the
charter to commence the New Orleans and
Mobile road in four months, aud fnish the
same in eighteen months, aud to commence
The road from Mobile to Chattanooga. The
iron rails for this gigantic enterprise are to
be made on the route, in that extensive Iron
and Coal region In the Alabama Mountain
Districts. John NJ. Courtney, of New Or.
leans, is an English gentleman, and is now
In Montgomery. If the reader will take one
Of Colton's Railroad Maps he will see that
the road from New York 10 Chattanooga is
on a direct line, and this air line will be
continued down Wills Valley eighty-one
niles to Gadsden, and thus along other
valleys In direct line through the richest
mineral country In the world. Notwith-
standing the political national troubles with
which we are Threatened, the people of Ala
bama are alive to these great and important
interests TO the future prosperity of the
South The people of Tennessee, and of
Nashville particularly, should be wide-awake
upon this subject. Bnt few miles of rail-
road, comparatively, would have to be built.
to give us immediate connection with this
great limo at Elyton, Alabama, and thus
would also give us the much talked of direct
communication with Montgomery. The city
corporation of Montgomery have subscribed
million OF dollars, and will certainly build
their road to Limekiln station--indeed the
laborers are already at work on it. From
Limekiln to Elyton road is already con.
structed and supplied with rolling stock.
Another route is contemplated by Sam. Tate,
Esq, of Memphis, from Tuscumbia, on the
Memphis and Charleston, to Elyton, so that
Chattanooga and Elyton both bid fair to rise
into Importance at no distant day. We have
been permitted, in this connection, to make
the following extract from a letter from
Governor Patten, of Alabama, TO our fellow
citizen, Mr.. S. ID. Morgan. Governor Patten
writes: .H
al have leased the State Penitentiary for
SIX years, and you will see by my message
that there are now over two hundred prison.
ers, principally freedmen. We calculate
that the number will be increased by the
next spring to five hundred or more. ! have
no doubt our Legislature will respond favor
ably to the recommendations allowing the
wardens or lessees to work the prisoners in
iron, coal and other mines, and upon rail-
roads. There is a strong desire here 10 go 10
work and build the Central Road from Mont
gomery 10 Decatur. have long desired to
see the completion Of road from this city
he writes from Montgomery to Nashville"