Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-05
CINCINNATI AND THE SOUTH.
Nashville the Objective POlnt-Com-
RnuufeaIsOn from GEN. Nancy

The following communication was pub
lished in the Cincinnati papers OF Thurs
day:
| To the Joint Committee OF the City
Council, Chamber Of Commerce and
Board Of Trade: Conference.-The city
of Cincinnati proposes an expenditure o.
$l0,000,000 for connection with the sys-
| tenn of Southern and Southwestern rail-
roads, this line of connection to be oper-
ated specially to the business advantages
and interests of Cincinnati. The $I0>
100000 proposed for the object stated, is
to be a city debt, and in payment in prin-
cipal and interest secured by the taxa
ton of the property Of her citizens.
Properly the object must be to attain
that connection which will most eminent
ly compensate for the large expenditure.
This compensation may be afforded by
annual dividends upon the Investment;
by the enhancement Of property and
increase of business, or by combination
of the twp. That any of the cities or
railroads of the South would be adVan-
tagged by attracting the proposed line, is
a fact palpable because of the increase of
business it would in greater
or less degree afford to them; but in
asmuch as Cincinnati is to bear this tax,
so causing each Of her propertypholders
TO furnish his part Of means in proportion
to his estate, we propose to consider the
subject, as on all principles Of right it
should be, exclusively with reference to
the best interests of the community which
thus contributes the funds for the enter.
prise. ...
Three points 10 Tennessee, Knoxville,
Chattanooga and Nashville, seem to have
been prominently considered by your
committees, with indications that the one
of these which in your sound discretion
is most directly 10 line with the field
you desire to penetrate, and which af~
fords by its rail connections the most adj
vantageous prolongations of your line, will
be nominally, at least for the present,
your terminus. Upon the careful cons
sideration demanded by the Importance
and cost ofyour proposed enterprise, you
seem to have concluded against Knox
vile on the reason mainly alleged that it .
is too far eastward. Chattanooga is but
fifty miles west of Knoxville. Will Gin
cinRati admit by implication that one
hundred miles width of territory satisfies
her trade aspirations with the great
South and Southwest? In direct terms,
is it the judgment of Cincinnati that
Chattanooga is the longitudinal center of
Southern LAND to which she should direct
her trade purposes? Or will she admit
the charge of unwisdom by locating upon
the eastern margin, instead of the center
Of the region over which she proposes TO
assert commercial supremacy?
Long ago there were designated by
wise prospectors three points for great
W Western centers Of population, toNwit
Gin .innsti, Chicago and st. Louis. If
this triangular, tri-urban supposition be
accurately correct, and time seems to SO
Indicate it, careful consideration of the
map revealing the natural and artificial
lines Of trade and travel, will do much
toward defining the proper territory for
the trade of each. From between the
10th and 4lst parallels, north and north
westwsrdly, including the States and
Territories bordering on and extending
back ofthe great lakes, the country is
commercially tributary to Chicago. South
Of the 10th parallel, and west of the great
there stretches vast area
" westward and southwestward, which 10
like manner belongs to st. Louis. These
appropriated, the remaining area, ex-
tending southwark and east OF the Mis-
sissippi river until competition is sue
afforded by the four cardinal
Eastern csnters OF commerce and indus
try, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and
Baltimore, constitutes a field out of
which Cincinnati, or some city Of the
Ohio valley, must by we'll directed en-
terpTise carve out trade dominion.
The just appreheasions of Eastern in
fluence in the way OF successful competi-
lion with you, was indicated by your re-
coil from Knoxville. Let US see if the
selection Of Chattanooga as your nominal
terminus will secure you against the OBJ
lections urged against Knoxville. As
before intimated, sound discretion would
direct you to point central to the re-
gion you may aspire to control commer-
cially.
Chattanooga, as stated, is about fifty
miles west Of Knoxville, and in submit
ting 8 suggestion Of this insuficiency of
westwardness, we respectfully call your
to certain facts and results
bearing directly on this particular. First,
Cincinnati and Chattanooga are almost
precisely equi-distant from New York
by all~rail lines, the difference be-
ing two miles in favor Of Chatta~
nooga. But Chattanooga has a shorter
rail line to Norfolk, and thence re-
liable and cheaper water transportation
to New York. Suppose you are sue
cessful in attracting large freights to
Chattanooga, would they go directly by
rail through Virginia lines to New
York, or would they drag their weight
over the Cumberland mountains, dis
lance of 800 miles TO Cincinnati, with
out in the least shortening distance to
New York? In word, will any
freights, looking to New York or Liver
pool for final market, incur the cost of
800 miles unnecessary transportation
without the least compromising advan~
tage? In all confidence we are willing
the men who, By their commercial ex-
perience, ssgacity and success, have
built this grand city, should make an
sWeT. 3
By present tariffs it is claimed tina
freights of the same class are carried
from New York to Chattanooga as cheaps
Iy as they are delivered over the Western
routes TO Cincinnati. Is not this fact
suggestive of the Eastern influences
which caused your rejection Of Knox
vile, and which may be justly stated to
be the commercial weight of New York,
and the industrial machinery of Massa~
chusetts and Philadelphia (
But further. Your city, for its best
interests must hold certain relations
with others Of the city family, you at
tract the trade and travel from New
York, Boston, Philadelphia and Balti-
more in proportion as you prolong their
connections into countries they desire to
penetrate. Should you spend your
means in running eastward, to regions
with which they already have connec-
lions shorter and cheaper than can pos>
sibly be afforded through your city, you
will cease to attract any further adyan-
tageous influences from them to you.
Louisville we'll understands this, and is
steadily, constantly pressing westward,
and southwestward, tending by this to
draw the travel and commerce Of the car.
dinaI Eastern cities through her portals
to the destination demanded. The
Northern aud Southern roads are of