Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-12-28

formally opposed by General Grant in his
first annual message, in which he said ::
''There has been no hesitation in chang
ing officials in order to secure an efficient
execution of the laws sometimes, too,
when, in mere party view, undesirable
political results were likely to follow. Nor
has there been any hesitation in retaining
efficient officials against remonstrance
wholly POLITICAL That he has been some-
times Overborne by the tremendous power
of an evil system, we do not deny. But he
has not relaxed his purpose tograpple with
it and, Congress having expressly au-
thorized him to undertake the work, he
states quietly in his third annual message
that plan of reform 'shall have a fair
trial" The President is not a rhetorican,
but he says what he means, and the country
understands him. ,l.-.,. ...,..r, ~.
Narrow Gauge from Clifton to Knoxville.
EDITORS CHRONICLE The idea of
Charleston, Wilmington, Norfolk and
Richmond being connected with Knox
vile by a new link of railroad extending
from Clifton to the latter place appears to
be a fOregone conclusion, and is no longer
spoken of as a matter of novelty or told in
words of idle jest. Public necessity de-
mands it; and public sentiment will force
it through. Those who were the least
sanguine and the most Indifferent toward
the enterprise at first now acknowledge it
to be only question of time, and that
time to be measured or calculated by the
energy, generosity and combination of the
people along the line. At present Jeffer-
son county enjoys the privileges and adj
vantages of two railroads, the East Ten
nessee, Virginia and Georgia Road run
ming through her north side, and the Gin
To- nd Ninr lncfO1
Road across her east end, at present,
through the energetic efforts of her eff
cient corps of commissioners, she appears
to be trying to excel in this new enter
drise
We notice in looking over the subscrip-
ton book, opened by the Commissioners,
that 81 900 subscription was received and
four miles and a half of grading went un-
der contract on the first day Judge Swan
being the subscriber and cOntractOr.)
In order to demonstratethec correctness and
sincerity of Jefferson county in this matter
we here introduced few facts and fig
ures. About IS years ago she had no rail
road and knew but little of their value, at
that time In 1S4S when the charter of the
L. It. & V. road was applied for her tax
list shows that all her land was valued at
81, ,0S2, ,619,00 She was then called upon to
help build the road to which she Hber.
ally responded by loaning her credit to the
amount of S50000.00. In 1854 the road
was completed ; and her taxable wealth
had increased to 81 ,607, ,S64,00, being an in
crease of considerably over half a million
dollars, and within a few dollars of half
as much as she was worth in 1913.
The aggregate value of her lands in 1867
was S.9l2 500 being an tneFSytse since 1s4s
of over leigi& 5tNaclfcs7 fhOaSo5td dollars,
thus throwing into the county treasury Il
revenue OF more than six times the inter-
est on S50, 600, 6 per cent. bonds, also her
lands along this line, before this road was
built, that sold at private sale at SO per
acre, after it was completed the same quali-
ty of lands sold at $40 per acre. These
facts taken from the county records pre-
sent a view that is interesting and graft
flying to every citizen of the county, and
constitute arecord that we may all be proud
Of Then, when this third line of road
passes through her center and south side,
She can well define her position as being
second only to Knox and boast of he pride,
her power and her glory.
Pro BoNo PCBLICO.