Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-13

We speak of the Tennessee and Pacific
Railroad, an enterprise of more than or
binary importance. 1t runs through a
country and intersects and connects with
roads that lead off and through all direc-
tons. We regard it as one of the most
important railroads connecting with Nash
vile. It and its connections penetrate and
traverse the finest regions of country ever
kissed by the sun of Heaven. Its con-
struction was conceived by men of far
seeing sagacity, whose insight into the
future developments of the country
overleaps all personal or private interests.
Units inception, legation and construction,
sound economy and wisdom have been
thus far vipdicated and will be farther
done.
Some months since we wrote an
article upon the subject of timber and its
accessibility to Nashville for building pur-
poses The completion of this road, chi
merical as it may have seemed to some at
first, may be set down as fact fixed as
fate and stern as time. We know the men
who have hold of it; we know the capital
involved We know the fructifying country
it will benefit, and we know, too, the vast
accruing interests it will enhance all along
its line and curvitures. Completed, as it
is TO Lebanon, were it one hundred miles
farther, more than all Lebanon's cedars
would be brought to us-for it darts off
thence into the white pine regions
of East Tennessee. What lum-
Der trade it will create. How cheapened
will be white pine plank, and how superior
TO the yellow pine from more remote re-
gions. In other respects of the Case, what
wide and diversified employments it will
give to the laboring men along its track.
Without other transportation to market,
the people will open up the resources of
their soil, awaken the energies of their
artisans, and spring into new yigor of life
the ingenuity of their abilities. Running,
as it now does, to Lebanon only, its bene-
fits are obvious, and its advantages un-
mistakable. The business of the road is
far more extensive than its most
sanguine friends anticipated. We
remember the croakers against the
enterprise who were conscientiously
of the opinion that the road would never
pay nor prove a public benefit We have
our minds eye parties who now think that
not mile further than its present ter
minus will be built within our day and
recollection These, however, are not OF
those who know what the road has done
and is doing since its construction through
the country which il already passes. We
confess to a little State pride in the success
| of the road; we confess that when
the writer of this was a passenger on
the Tennessee and Pacific Railroad, in
August last, to the classic stream of Stones
river, along whose banks we had heard in
years gone by, the roar of can
non, the rattle of death-shot, and
the drum. beat TO the charge and the coun-
tercharge as splintery death few about us,
we looked onward to the future of this
great road with no ordinary feelings and
emotions of pride, suggested by its compile,
ton to its ultimate terminus ano
connections. We recollect Immediately
afterwards the predictions of many,
that the road would not be 8
paying one, even as far ] as it has
already gone. We remember the sneerine
remarks of a metropolitan (O journal
about a great inapplicability of nomencla-
ture of a Tennessee and Pacific Rail
road" running only from Nashville &c
Lebanon. Well, let us see what
it is doing in the way Of business, and
thence let good Judgment and solid sense
infer what IFS future will be. In the first
place the road has been remarkably fortu-
nate in the selection of their officers
Their administration has been most wise
and excellent. The purpose of this article
not being in the interest of individuals, We
will not mention their names. The public
know them well, and by their deeds they
are known. Let it surprise no one il the
receipts of this road are by the middle
of January over a hundred dollar:
day above I'll expenses.
As an evidence of this, without, We
trust, trenching too far upon the private
concerns of the road, we append tn fol
lowing exhibit of its business from it'
/ II