The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-08-04
FACTS AND FIGURES.
Columbia and Fayetteville Narrow
t:auSe Railroad

Gauge Railroad.
What interest has Maury courtyard the
town of Columbia in the proposed rail
road TO Fayetteville? Let us examine
and see. First, it is well known that
Georgia, South Carolina and Florida
furnish the best markets for corn, wheat
4 and bacon, anywhere to be found in tho
South, and that these products are fast
becoming our main staples for trade
since the abandonment of cotton. Now,
let us see bow we are TO be benefited
by the proposed road:
Distance from Columbia to Decherd,
Nashville & Chattanooga II. r.. So I'm
g Columbia TO Fayette-
. Fayeticvilie to NJ. &C.
II. r., via Winchester q Alabama
X ................. Jbin
or which latter road there are u miles
yet to complete, but it will no doubt, from
recent movements, be done in a few
months; making difference in favor OF
Columbia to the Memphis and Charles
ton Railroad over the Nashville d Chat
tanocga Railroad, of 4 miles, thus Civ
ing us competing lines for the Southern
trade, which, at present, from high tar
| ifs and out-of-the-way routes make it
entirely impracticablo for us to culti-
| vate. ...
| 1t is also well known that the supply
| of coal is increasing in Importance to Us
| every year.
| From Columbia 10 Decherd via pro-
From Nashville TO Decherd, n. & {.
II. SIM
Thus giving us coal as cheap as Nash
Vile can get it, and perhaps in a few
months cheaper. When the North d
South Railroad is completed across Sand
Mountain, in Alabama, we shall at all
events have the advantage OF competing
| lines to the different coal fields. Some
may regard the article of coal as ofsmall
moment to Columbia, compared with
other interests, but we regard it as Of
| the first Importance, for should this
place ever become great distributing
| point, then with cheap coal and iron we
NAV see Foundries, Machine Shops,
and anufactories, go up rapidly, and
| thus supply us with home market for
a half million dollars worth of produce,
from orchards, market gardens, and a
thousand other products necessary to
support a corr esponding increase ofpop-
| ulation.
In examining the distance Columbia
| stands from the coalfields of Cumber-
land Mountains and those OF Sand
Mountain, in Alabama, we find them
| route by Fayetteville be built. Then
with narrow gauge railroad to Centre
vile, Hickman county, we can have
cheap iron of the best quality, and only
haul it about 80 miles. This, then,
brings coal to the front as decidedly OF
the first Importance to build up Column
bia, and the county of Maury. Let
Maury county consult her best inter
ests, and she will build her quota of the
road to Fayetteville, which Will not ex-
coed II miles, costing $4,000. Now let
us take the lands on each side of the
road for five miles as being the most di-
rectly benefited, and we have l2O
square miles, or 10, 500 acres, from which
subscription of s.. IL per aero will fur
nish the means TO build the road.
II Columbia ever expects to rise above
| her present condition, let her foster and
| promote every avenue of trade that
promises TO make her great business
| centre. Such points are always sought
! out by business men as location OF cap
| ital, to carry out great enterprises, and
but rarely ever selected unless it is in
habited by live people. What capt.
talist from a distance would locate in
town like Columbia, unless her business
mcn are confident of their ability TO ex-
pand and seize upon every opportuni-
w TO lncredSe lnciI pOluldllOl anu
trade? Who would have the temerity
to locate a manufacturing establish
ment here, which depended upon cheap
freights and abundant sources OF sup
ply Of iron and coal? No one. Then
let us place Columbia in her true posi-
ton as a business centre, and then you
NAV look for persons 10 come here with
capital and invest it. When they
come, then it will not be as II has been
for the last three years. Hundreds have
come with great expectations and gone
away sadly disappointed al the apathy
and indifference to our own interests
generally manifested by our business
men. But we feel confident we see
new horizon in which is set different
order of constellation. Young men OF
financial skill and business tact are
springing up everywhere around us;
men who control ample means TO com
mence and perfect hundreds OF bust
ness combinations. All they need Is 10
be.set in motion, and their capital Will fur
nish occupation to those WHO have none.
There are at least one hundred young
men around Columbia, who. if placed in
their proper position, would earn for
themselves and the county at least ST.
500 each, year Here, then, we have
found loose screw. This fund, alone,
would furnish money enough TO COM
plete all of our new enterprises from
year to year, and they would soon he in
good financial condition. $1,000 in
vested in labor during ihis year will
furnish $200,U0 TO invest next wear.
Try it; let every man put his shoulder
to the wheel, and the progress of inI-
provmeut will be accelerated tenfUld.