The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-12-11
Railroad Legislation.

a correspondent of the Memphis
ArotdAchc has got hold of few Sc
crcts with regard to the way the rail-
road affairs of Tennessee are manipula-
ted. lie writes: NJ %
The Receivership has been nuisance
as expensive as impracticabe. Some
I body's relatives or friends receive large
salaries for increasing the middle, aud
carte blanche to steal, if their tendcn-
cies are in that direction. And Dwhis-
per 1T confidcntially, that the tendencies
have taken that chute to an alarming
extent. .. .u ......t
Especially has this been visible in the
management of the Nashville and
Northwestern railroad, over which the
gifted General Innes awhile presided.
lnnes was one of Brownlow's pets, and
had commission as Receiver in his
pocket even before the road was jerry
wandered out of the hands of the own
ers. Three hundred thousand dalars
i'll bonds had been voted, and as soon as
he obtained control. Brownlow placed
a third of them in his possession. Be-
ing a "Rccciver," he received them
| He also received for several months
the earnings of the road. managing
beautifully in this way until the en-
ploycs, who had lived sumptuously on
| promises, struck for pay. Not long
attcrward, lines, who had tricked the
| State out of. an additional SO, l la-a
ry, also struck" lie struck 4 rail
way train, and has never been heard
from. 1t is supposed he is still travel
ling. There is no record that he spent
| t1n,, =, II Al,
western road, but there is record that
he received 100000 in bonds, and the
earnings ofthc road for several months.
And very naturally, for he was n IRE
ceiver.' The Legislature should also
have provided q watcher" and q "pay-
err so as to hold both ends of the rope.
The old President and Directors of
the Northwestern Road never had
fair chance to comply with the law
| They were piratcd out of their property
in a hurry that soft places might be pro-
vidcd for Inncs and ''sich" Of the "troo-
| ~ loil" persuasion. The interests of an
important section was deemed subor-
dinate to those of n few seedy patriots
who had come down with carpet-bags
and yearncd for Saratoga trunks. The
| Northwestern was Tabled ''lemon," and
every carpct-bagger who came along
was invited to give it a squeeze. Innes
got the first whack and left little for his
successors. The other day Col. Roach,
the member from Carroll, had joint
resolution voted through the House to
restore the road to its old President and
Directors. who seem to make UP in hon
esty what lines & Co, exceeded in that
peculiar quality of patriotism which
consists in transferring your neighbours
property to your own pocket, in the
blessed name of ''loilty." While the
States just claims will remain as firm
ly hooked to the corporation as before,
Colonel Roach doubtless thinks the
chances of liquidation better if the
earnings of the road are devoted to that
purpose, instead of enriching Govern
ment officials, whose chief efficiency
lies in drawing their own aud every
body else's salary with scrupulous
punctuality. Not that ell the men con-
ncctcd with the Northwestern and 9TH
er railroad muddles are rascpls, for
some have acted sqmrcly : bait JlnfoY-
tunatcly, stealing has become the pre-
dominant feature, and that's why this
is thus.
The sums voted by the Legislature to
railway projects since 1864, foot up
alarmingly. l have not the vast aggre-
gate, but omnibus bills approximating
millions at time have been rushed
through as carcessly and hastily as
though mere grants of permission to
erect apple-stands on the Capitol
grounds. For every fifty thousand to
the Middle or Western Districts, count
, half million to East Tennessee, which
at the present rate will soon possess a
vast network of railroads at the almost
sole expense of the taxpayers of the
Middle and Western divisions. Rail-
: way lines to real or supposed coal
fields, mineral lands, country cross
roads or anywhere elss demanded by
these mOuntaineers, are given all the
: public means required. Hardly any OF
the companies condescend even to pay
the interest on the money, but being in
East Tennessee it is all right. Once
over the border, and it is all wrong
Then "the gentlemen from Mudhead'
arises and insists that these "rebcl rail.
: roads" every thing is rebel out Of East
Tcnnessec) be instantly sold out. It's
all lovely, you sec.
| The Middle and Western members
: are to blame for this, and large pro-
{ portion of the other bad legislation
Because Brownlow is from East Ten
: nessec and half Of them arc still afraid OF
him because East Tennessee polls hea-
Wy Radical vote, and half Of them want
, to be Governor; no stand is made OIL
! attempted against tho cncroachments OF
| the dominccring section which propos-
l es to absorb in its own internal i'm.
9 provcments almost the total resources
of the State. East Tennessee comes on
the floor unit on every question, from
: the incorporation of a beaver dam to q
: million dollar railway project, while
: Middle and West Tenncsseeans, whom
e affinity as well as sclf-protcction should
t unite, present but weak front; and il
nearly every contest, when attempting
: their feeble resistance, are sent to tho
e rear demoralized. A project. for the
: benefit of Middle or West Tennessee is
Q greeted with "rebep and ''Kuklux," and
enough from these sections are Away;
found to fall down at the feet of the
Golden Calf of the mountains, and re,
o spOnd "amenw All this, while FESTIVE
under the crack of the East Tennessee
whip, and possessing the numerical and