Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-10-20

Leaving Bristol on the evening OF
the 8th, aboard Capt Newman's train,
"a more gentlemanly conductor than
whom / have not met, found myself
borne along toward the city of Knox.
vile at rapid speed. Nothing occur
red to break the tedium of the trip
except at JonesbOrO', where the dis
persing crowd from a Conference OF
cOtored people in that town came down
upon the train with a rush, compara-
6le to that of an avalanche. But as
each succeeding depot claimed its quo
ia, we were soon relieved of the entire
company, all of whom seemed to be
in the highest state of enjoyment
Twelve o'clock found us comfortably
lodged in the Atkin House.
Looking out, next morning, TO see
what changes had come over that por-
ton of the city near the depot, since
'62, it was at once apparent that the
large brick house once used as a way
side hospital had shared the fate of
many others during the war, and was
now no more. AS we looked upon the
spot there came rushing up the recol-
lectiOns of the past and the long weeks
Of sickness that tied us there, while
the war clOwd was gathering to burst
in fury upon Fort Donaldson.
But proceeding up Gay street, what
was our surprise to see building after
building of Majestic proportions rising
up as if by magic. Not less than twen-
ty splendid business houses two, three
and four stories high, and of such style
of architecture as would do credit to
any young city, are going up. Besides
there are from forty to fifty residences
in process of building. A few years
ago and Knoxville had a business
only to a few thousand dol
lars, but now, as was informed by one
of her leading merchants, her business
to millions annually. | was
shown through the splendid Hardware
of w. w. Woodruff d
Co. In this single concern there is
employed capital of ninety thousand
dollars, and their sales this year will
reach about 5000, 900.
Now, Mr.. Editor, if Knoxville, with
her limited r. r. connections, can ac-
these things, what may
Bristol reasonably hope to accomplish
when her prospective railroad cOnnec-
tions shall bave been fully perfected.
what we need now is to encourage
men ef capital to locate in our midst,
who can aid in making our place the
Memphis and Norfolk.
The Custom House at Knoxville
will soon stand up to attest the energy
Of its people. And Knoxville has IA
market house well supplied with the
products of the country and most ar
ticles of family consumption, so that
her citizens are dcpriUCd of the privi-
lege of making the circuit of the town
every time they want pound of but
ter or IA dozen eggs, then to find that
some one more timely than themselves
had just gotten the last or that the
article so much desired had Just been
packed for a distant market. When
will our people assert their indepen-
dence of the present miserable system
under which We suffer. But to return,
| found in session, in the city, the
Baptist General Association of East
Tenn" This was composed of repre-
from all sectious of its teri
tory and representing about forty thou
sand communicates.
An intense interest was manifested
by the members of this body, in the
various enterprises sought to he promo
ted by it. Missions, foreign and do
nestle; Education, literary and theO-
logical; Sabbath schools. and many
other subjects received much attention.
Messy Creek College is to have hum
drcd thousand dollars endowment, and
the question of establishing, within
the limits of the Southern states, a
University of learning, under the con-
troll of the Baptist denomination, of
the South. and second to no institution
of the kind in America, was warmly
This body was presided
over by Ed. w. A. Montgomery, of
/ Leadvale, and will convene i'm its next
annual meeting at Cleveland, E. Ten
neSSee.
A large crowd is expected in attend
ance upon the Fair commencing to-
morrow, the 10th, but Knoxville hos
pitality will, no doubt, be fully equal
TO the emergency.
Yours truly,
J. T. X.