The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1871-09-23
something about Railroads and
Hickman.

TWENTY years or more ago, the pro-
ject Of a railroad from the city Of Mobile
to the Mississippi river was agitated, aud
in a short time afterwards charters were
granted by the States through which it
would pass, aud the work commenced
When the road reached the I&ontlek ;
line, it was expected, aud the idea was
encouraged by the company, that q
branch road should be built to Hickman.
About the same time q road known as
the Hickman and Obion had been char
tered, and was to intersect the Mobile
road at Union City. Some negotiations
were attempted to consolidate the two
roads. or rather to make the Hickman
and 0bion road branch of the Mobile,
but ended in nothing, the Hick man and
Obion preferring to remain an independ
ent road and thus passed away forever
a most desirable connection, and, unfor-
tuuately, with it, the best part of the
trade south of the Obion river, which
Hickman, previous to the building of
the Mobile and Ohio road, entirely
monopolized. 1t was contended by those
who opposed the consolidation of the
two roads, that Hickman would not lose
the trade beyond the Obion river-that
the produce of that section would come
on wagons as heretofore, or if any of it
was shipped on the Mobile road beyond
the junction, it would be transferred and
come to Hickman any bow. These ex-
pectations have never been realized, and
it is strange that any sane person ever
should have entertained such expecta-
tons. Since the completion of the Mo-
bile and Ohio road and the Paducah and
Gulf road, Hickman has lost two-thirds
of its former trade. This is true. and
there is no use Disgusting a fact that is
so apparent to every one.
There are now two railroad projects on
hand, and will be completed in two or
three years at farthest, that will serious
ly lessen the trade which Hickman now
has One, the Mississippi River road
will pass through that portion of Obion
and Dyer counties, Tennessee, that now
trade with Hickman, and, unless some
thing is done, it will carry off that trade
to Paducah and Memphis, as the Mobile
road has taken the trade along its line
and south of the Obou, which formerly
come to Hickman, to other places.
4 proposition for a road or branch
from this place to connect with the MIS-
sissippi River road at Troy, | see. is be-
ing agitated through the columns of the
COURIER. III conversation with some of
our people, | fud the matter is thought
q & Il H.,
treated with as much indifference as the
of the Hickman and Obion
road with the Mobile road years ago.
There should be no longer doubt as
to the truth of the axiom that there
are people who can not nor will not
learn anything. The experience of
the past is to them a sealed book.
tt seems the conceit that Hickman is
the center of the world and is directly on
the highway to every place, and that
railroads will come to it without assis-
lance, will never forsake the minds of
many of its citizens. They may proba-
bly, awake from this delusion when they
cannot in five years from now, realize
for their property one half that it will
bring at this time. How does the price
Of property in Hickman to day compare
with the price which it brought before
the Mobile and Paducah roads took away
two thirds of its trade? How will it
rate when the Mississippi River road
takes (Which it will be sure to do more
han a moiety Of the remaining third /?
Unless there is something done TO give
Hickman more railroad connections than
The now has, il will, and that before a
.reat while, be second Randolph,
sanding monument, as long as the river
viii permit it, to the folly, supineness and
ogyism of its citizens.