Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-16
A GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY.
An Old Project Reviyed-The Tennes
see Central Railroad Important
Lnk In the Line 10 the Pacific.


More than thirty years ago, an act wa
passed by the Legislature Of Tennessee,
making an appropriation from the treasu
~ to defay the expenses Of survey {
central railroad route, from one end I
the State to the other; thus, indicatin
the programme of the system Of railroad
improvements to be pursued, VIZ:
central trunk and various laterals ant
| tributaries. Ia pursuance Of the act,
chief engineer for the State was ap
pointed, with assistants, and the survey
Of the route for central railroad wa!
made, commencing at Fulton, on the frs
Chickasaw Bluff, on the Mississippi river,
passing by Brownsville. Jackson, and on
through Middle and East Tennessee to
the Virginia line. But, in subsequent
legislation, local influences and combina-
tions subyerted this judicious system Of
public works, resulting in the construc~
ton, with the aid of the State, Of several
detached railroads. 600 -l Co. *
A charter, however, was obtained, in
pursuance Of the indicated policy Of the
State, for a central railroad from Fulton
to Nashville. Under this charter, books
were opened, and large subscriptions $
obtained both Of money end real estate
The company was then organized in con-
fornity with the terms Of the charter,
and the undersigned was elected presi-
dent Of the company. Engineers were
then employed, reconnoisances made and
q complete survey of the whole line from
Fulton to Nashville, with general esti-
mates of the costs of construction.
At one time this company had assu>
rance of assistance from the State, but
sinister influences and combinations were
brought to bear against them and they
failed to receive the aid expected, and
consequently the enterprise has remained
in allegiance; but is now resumed with
much better and more favorable auspices.
The Nashville and Northwestern road
has been constructed nearly on the route
contemplated by the Central Railroad
Company and is in reality the Tennessee
Central railroad and may yet become so
in name, as far as Huntingdon, from
which point it DIVORCES to the Northwest
terminating at Hickman, in Kentucky; q
most injudicious application Of Tennes-
see means and credit to building border
road with terminus on tbs Mississippi
river, in another State.
The Southern Railroad Association, a
company Of capitalists, mostly from the
North, are now engaged in extending
the Nashville and Northwestern road
from Huntingdon to Jackson, and will in
a short time have it completed. We now
have, therefore, by other agencies more
than half of the length of the Central
road from Nashville to Huntington
already completed, and will in short
time have thirty-f1Ve miles from Hunt
ingdon to Jackson, embracing more than
two-thirds of the whole line from Nash
vile to Fulton and covering more than
three-fourths of the whole cost of build
ing the road to the Mississippi river. All
this is offered to our hands. Why, then,
can not the people of Madison, Haywood
and Lauderdale, complete this line OF
railway between the capital of the State
and the great finland sea-" the Missis>
sippi river To fail to avail themselves
of the benefits offered them, would indi>
cate want of ability to perceive their true
interests or a culpable want of public
spirit. This line Of sixty odd miles from
jackson to Fulton is Of easy construction,
having no stream of any magnitude to
cross bat one, the South Fork Of Forksd-
deer, no deep euts or heavy SnbanE-
ments to make, very little trestlework,
with easy grades throughout, and at the
terminus beautiful site for city. The
undersigned is authorized to say by the
owners Of large body Of land in and
contiguous to the town of Fulton, chiefly
members of his own family, that when
the citizens and counties will make indi'
vidual and county subscriptions, sufficient
| to Justify the commencement Of work
on the road, they will contribute
large portion of their lands t.
| the promotion of the enterprise. Tit
town will be remodelled and enlarged
and the proceeds of the alternate lots
shall be applied to the same wheI
sold, as the demand may require. Thu
will materially aid the building Of tn
road. But there is another eonSidera
ton to which your attention is especially
invited. That is, the great probability
if not absolute certainty Of the exten
sion of this line of railway to importan
connections beyond the Mississippi river
A very well informed correspondent a
Washington, has recently informed III
undersigned that the bill now pending
before Congress, granting aid for the con
strnction Of the international P9cIt
railroad, from Cairo through Arkansa
and Texas to the Rio Grande, looking
ultimately to its extension to the Pacltit
| will probably be passed at this session
but il not, then certainly at an early da
thereafter" Should the bill pass 9
this session, he gives assurance that,
great are the wealth and influence com
bined to promote it, the road will be con
pletsd to the Rio Grsnds in two year
| This great international railway Wht
| extended to the Pacific, will have man
/ advantages, being shorter aud not lab
: to be DISTRACTED by snow and ice, whic
: | for at least three or four months in Il
; year, will greatly impede the successl
, working of the more northern road no
, approaching completion. From Fditt
, an extension of fifty miles would 81
5 US a connection with the Memphis Al
8 Little Rock road at Madison or, goi
: more directly west, ajunction with 4
D great trunk Of the Pacific road, near
: crossing of White river. This come
s ton made, we should have continue
line from the far southwest, by way
Little Rock to Nashville. Thence 1t "
s. inevitably be extended centrally throu
h | the State, to connection at knoxyIll
n with the East Tennessee and Virgin
If roads, and thus on to Washington and
3 New York, the great emporium OF
# continent. Should these connections
If made, we may expect TO see realized
g prediction which was made by the u
"A dersigned, in an address to the people
1 the counties on the lines Of the prOpos
1t I'Central road, and laid before the me
a bers Of the Legislature, but was Jee1
and rediculed by an Honorable Rep
sentative from Haywood, viz II
when this Southern Pacific rallrt
ar should be completed, it would draw to
u the trade from the boundless shores
re the Pacific and Indian Oceans" Fl
Australia, Polynesia and the 81
- Islands, from China and Japan,
-, wealth of Ormus and of Ind, and CT
,c- mercs of half the world, and an
il. numbered throng of all nations
he languages, would be found travelling
a transported on this road"
Fortunately, we have at Fulto
er- beautiful, permanent bluff, forty or
lie feet above high water, overlooking
lit, river, with gradual ascent from the I
rst at the base of which is the steam
an channel, both in high and low WI
This would seem to have been formed