Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-02

| place our iron product before Northern dealers
1 IN their own markets, where was convinced a
com parison would be advantageous to the
southern product. Some demurred st FIST, but
nnaily consented, and the transportation Of these
/ articles has greatly increased
4 DO not eeDsure any one for the policy here
tofore pnrsued-bnt had it been broader and
more comprehensive-more in accordance with
Wnat its projectors contemplated, furnaces and
| f1undrles would long since have been estab-
nsned All along the line, developing these dor
mant resources greatly to the advantage of slI
the other great interests.
1t is well kaown thar the State road has been
| iieeseried and used as political machine-aud
4 tnat lne payment of money into the State Treas
qry has been considered a strong card in the
| nands IN the party in power. 1t Is fair that
should state that could easily pay forty. or
even My tnousa1d dollars into the Treasury
instead OF TWENTY-FIVE thousand 4 couId do X
| by simply neglecting the road itself its motive
power, or by increasing the freight on corn, ami
we otner prime necessaries OF life transported
| over it. But in the one Use the property would
soon become yatueless-in the other / would
take the additional profits out Of the pockets of
| the poor man and the day laborer. Every dol
lar thus paid into the treasury would cost the
people two-development wsuld eease-capital
would be discoaraged-and then laborers would
be without employment,
Thu, gentlemen. while money may not be
taken from the pockets Of the people. By high
rates of freight, that il may be pad into the
treasury aud squandered by reckless legislation,
the policy l have endeaY0red to inaugurate will
mPrSye the road svery year. reduce rates 80 Of
ing, aud encourage the development Of dormant
resources. afoTdiBg employment to the laboreT
increase the comforts of all. and enrich the
1t is generally believed that the road is in
good condition This is a mistaken idea To
make it a irst-elass road in all respects would
require haii million dollars IL left TO the
dictates OF my own judgment-the profound
convictions OF my own mind. as to what
thought for the best interests Of the State in re-
gard 20 its management-I would use every dol
lar OF its surplus earnings until its entire length
was well ballasted. ali its depots put in the
best possible condition, new rails of the best
manufacture placed wherever needed all the
bridges built Of the best material and on the
most approved plan, and commodious substan-
tial. tire-proof shops built. In every detail,
from the most important to the minutest, /
would have Il fIst-elass. Having done this
still keeping in view the great leading idea that
the road was originally projected and built, not
70 build up and subserve the interests of this or
that partisan organization-not merely TO pay
lew dollars in the State Treasury-but to de-
yelop the interests and build up the power and
influence of Georgia. would find the net
profits. and then reduce the rates of freight to
tbs lowest possible point that would pay cur
rent expenses and maintain the read in all its
appointments in frst-cass condition.
By this policy the prosperity Of Georgia would
be increased to AWonderful extent, and the in
creased value of all taxable property would
u
ger amount than has been or is now paid by the
Dad.
A word. now. as to the future of the road, and
the effect upon it OF other lines building or pro-
jected-and permit me, gentlemen. to ask your
careful attention to what am about to say. =
AS have already intima' ed, the position of
the State road has enabled il to exact high
rates. This was because it enjoyed monopoly
of the travel and trade from the Northwest and
from East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia
to the south Atlantic States-South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, large portion of Alabama
and even part Of Mississippi. But now it is
different. Lines already built have taken away
portion of the travel and freiRht. and lires
being built and projected, and which will GER
talnly De completed. VIII take away still other
and greater portions.
Let me demonstrate my propositions taking
Nashville, Tennessee. as an initial or central
point.
Heretofore freights for Montgomery and points
in central and southern Alabama have been
transported via Chattanooga ana the Western
and Atlantic railway, the distance being 464
miles, with grades on the Nashville and Chatta-
nooga railway of los feet to the mile. road
is in operation from Nashville to Decatur, l22
miles. from which point enc is being built to
only 800 miles. or l5y miles less than via the
State Road. The highest grade on these lines is
about so feet, or less, per mile.
The distance to Columbus, Georgia. from
Nashville via Decatur and Montgomery, Ala
bsma, is only 402 miles, over an easier grade,
against 42S miles via Chattanooga and Atlanta,
showing an advantage over the State Road
even to that city Of % miles
The Selma, Rome and Dalton road is COM
pleted and working between Selma and Rome,
and Will soon be completed to Dalton. The dis
lance from Nashville to Montgomery via Chat
tanOoga, Rome, Lime Kiln. and the MOntgOm-
cry and Decatur railways is 426 miles, while via
Atlanta and West Point it is, as before stated
46i miles. showing difference against the State
road Of 50 miles.
The Alabama and CHATTANOOGA railway. be-
tween the latter city and Meridian Miss. il
being rapidly pushed forward to completion.
Thus you will observe that the travel and
freight between Nashville and MONTGOMERY Is
as good as lost already to the Western and At
lantie railway, and that at a day not remote, We
shall have to compete for travel and freight
with Alabama roads for Columbus business
even, in the State of Georgia.
Another line projected, which will doubtless
be built is that from Griffin, Ga, to Decatur
Ala, which will be 237 miles long. By this line,
the distance from Nashville to Columbus via
Newman and West Point, will be AIS miles, with
lower grades, against As miles via ChatfanOOga
and the State road, or 10 miles in distance
against the latter.
The distance from Nashville to Macon, via
Decatur, Ala, and Griffin Is 4l9 miles, against
tage in favor Of the latter Of u miles, But the
grades of the line via the Griffin and North All
ALBANIA road, to Decatur. Alabama. are enough
lighter than those Of the Nashville and Chat
tanooga lover which freights must pass to reach
the Western Atlantiel. TO eounterbalance this
distance.
These are our present and impending dangers
on the West. You will observe that portion
of travel and freight once ours is already gone.
while roads projected, and others progressing
to completion, will shortly take away q portion
OF what is left.