Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-30

aMITa 3D.
r. whe,ess and Thos. Parkes, and on
motion, Thompson Anderson was added
60 said COMMITTEES.
II was suggested that there would be no
trouble in procuring . charter for the new
company. That upon application to the
Ohaneellor, il would be had in thirty days.
Col. Cole said be understood that Gen.
John g. Brown was in the city, who was
one of the directors of the Decatur Road,
and that he was announced to make
speech in Maury county on Monday touch
ing the proposed lease. He would there
fore move the appointment of committee
of three to wait upon Gen. B. and lay be-
fore him the action of this meeting. The
motion was carried, and the Chair APP
pointed e. w. Cole, T. d. Fite and Felix
Demoville said committee.
Mai. Rhea moved that q committee be
appointed to wait on the County Court
and request that body to defer any action
until Monday in order to hear what the
citizens of Nashville in the organization Of
the proposed new company would be able
to do. After some other suggestions the
motion was carried, and the chair ap-
pointed as said committee B. S. Rhea,
George W. Cunningham and J. @. Corr
don.
G. NJ. Fogg suggested that said commit
tee should proceed at once to the County
Court, and inform them of the action of
this meeting.
sThos. Parkes suggested that the subscrip-
ton should be commenced among those
present, and the following sums towards
the $500, 600 subscription were then made,
to-wit: A. G. Adams S., 900; N. E. Allo-
way 5000, E. w. Cole 5000, Thos. d.
Fite 5000, w. A. Gleaves 5000, g. w.
Anderson $500, j. L. lands $500, Thos.
Parkes 2, 500-in all 32, 500.
The meeting then adjourned, and the
committee proceeded at once to work.
Special Meeting of the County Court
Discussion of the Railroad CUES
tiOn-Speeches For and Against the
Same.
In pursuance with the order of its pre-
siding officer, Hon. W. Z. Turner, the
members Of the County Court assembled
in extra session at 10 O'Clock yesterday
morning, when the following named JUS
tees answered to their names: John H.
Baskette, Joseph W. Bigley, Lee Bigley,
Jerry Bowen, John w. Bush, w. NJ. But
Ter, T. D. Oassetty, w. J. Chandler, Chas.
B. Chickering, E. 81. Ohildress, r. D.
Campbell, John S. O. Davidson, Jas. S.
Dillahunty, Nat F. Dortch, James Everett,
VIM. B. Ewing, j. 81. Galbreath, d. S.
Graves. Benajah Gray, B. F. Gieaves,
Thos. Z. GFiggs, James Haynie, Thos G..
Hardy, Geo. J. Hooper, John Hows, Bar
ney Hynes, Martin Kerrigan, d. L. Laps
ley, John G. Marshall, P. W. Maxey, VIM.
F. Meacham, G. W. McOar ley, P. McTigue,
Oswald Newly, D. N. Neylan, jas. T. Pal
terson, Isaac Paul, A. PEBBLES, James s.
Reid, T. T. Saunders, a. g. Scales, Geo.
W. Spain, j. III. Simpkins, j. Ii. Shivers,
James A. Steele, w. A, Sumner, John
Taylor, F. A. Treppard, W. j. Wade, Ben
E. Wallace, Pat Walsh, j. @. Wands, w.
A. Wherry, w. Fl. wilkinson, James S.
Williams, James Wyatt, Isaac Whitworth,
]. E. Wright -
Roll-call being completed, Judge Turner
briefly stated the object OF the meeting to
be the consideration of and action upon the
proposed lease By the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad Company of the Nashville and
Decatur Railroad, stating that he hoped
what might be done would rebound TO the
interest and honor of the city and county.
Justice Hooper moved the reading of
the lease proposed to be made by the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com
pany, which motion prevailed, and the
acting clerk, W. II. Traford, proceed to
read the document mentioned.
4 Sbok IL
men appointed by the City Council of
Nashville to prevent, if possible, the con-
summation of the lease just read, be now
offered an opportunity to address the
court.
Justice Bsskette moved to limit speeches
to half an hour.
Justice Msxey moved in lieu that no
limit be prescribed, sid the motion in lieu
prevailed.
Maj. John Thompson, of the COM
mittee appointed by the City Council, was
then invited to the stand and proceeded to
address the court in opposition to the
lease. He stated that important questions
were involved, in comparison to which in
dividual preferences and prejudioes sank
into the merest insignifcance. He spoke
of the Louisville railroad, saying it was
unnecessary to keep up any longer the
Louisville Railroad. 1t might, however,
unless in time prevented become the
Louisville and Decatur railroad. Accord
ing to the terms of the lease, said Maj.
Thompson, it is to endure for period of
80 years, and for all that time our hands
and those of cur posterity are 10 be tied,
no matter however oppressive may be
the conditions and restrictions i'm
posed By the powerful monopoly now
seeking to get control of our railroads.
His object was candor and truth, and he
would not, even were he able, purposely
deceive any portion of his fellow-oitiz ms
about a matter 50 vitally important to
their interest and happiness Let the
Nashville and Decatur Railroad pass from
our control, and our railroad system was
failure He reviewed the history of the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and
stated the promises made by Louisville in
order to secure its extension from Bowl
ing Green to this city. Referring to the
terms of the charter of the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad, he asked if anything
could be more binding upon the honor
and good faith of that corporation or the
city of Louisville. The lease now under
consideration proposes to further enrich
Louisville, whose eyes are already stand
ing out with fatness, During the war
Louisville smiled neutral grins at the con-
tending armies, and put money in her
purse. The city and county were mutu-
ally interested, said Maj, Thompson, in
preventing the contamination of the pur-
pose so deadly to the happiness and pros
perity Of our people. He noted at length
the terms of the lease, saying they we're,
when properly sifted and understood, all
| favorable to Louisville and all prejudicisl
to Nashville. What would $4,000 per
annum be worth to the county of David
son, compared to the fearfully dear price
paid for it? Louisville, with her $780,
600, 600 preponderance of stock, would
hardly feel disposed to consult the inter
| est OF convenience of Nashville or David
son county. With this power il her favor,
she would comply with conditions
now stipulated about as long as it
suited her convenience 10 do so.
The provisions stipulated in the
lease were suspicious and unsatisfactory,
and tie time allowed to consider them en-
tireIy too bret. The lease does not show
that the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Company will obligate that corporation to
complete the North and South Railroad.
Word of the bond did not give any de-