The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-10-20
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The Savannah Convention.

Last Saturday was a glorious day in
Savannah, the county site of Hardin. The
friends of the proposed Memphis, Saran~
nah and Knoxville Air Line narrow gauge
railroad, to the number of at least twetyr
five hundred, met there in convention.
By ten o'clock all Of the Delegates from
various points along the line had arrived,
and they, together with vast concourse
of citizens from NcNairy, Hardin and
Wayne, headed by the Purdy and Savan-
nah brass bands, repaired to lovely grove
near the southeast limits of the town
where the stands, seats and long tables
had been prepared for the occasion. At
eleven o'clock, the speakers being on the
stand, E. D. Patterson, Esqr., announced
that Rev. William Walker would odel a
prayer 10 the Great Ruler that His bIess~
ing might be with the people there assem-
bled. The reverend gentleman then rose
from his seat and eloquentIy pehsioned
the Throne Of Grace in behalf of those
who had met together for the purpose Of
devising means with which to consumate
great and good work Having filed
his holy mission on this most interesting
occasion, the distinguished divine resum-
ed his seat, and Genl ". c. Whitthorue,
of Columbia, one of the most gifted and
brilliant orators il the South, was intro
duced to the convention. lie made one
of those ininitable speeches so peculiar
to himself For an hour he held the au-
dience spell bound, as it were, aud urged
the necessity of prompt and ener-
getic action in the construction of the
road, assuring them that it would be to
their material interests to do so lie
made one of the strongest appeals we
ever heard. lie told the people Of Hardin
that it was their bounden duty to sub
scribe literally to the road and push it
to completion. Said he, complete your
road to Memphis, and when you knock at
the borders of Wayne and Maury they
will come to YOU in their strength and
pridge.
Genl. VIM. Wallace, formerly of the
Memphis bar, but now resident Of the
town of Raleigh, was the next speaker,
He came as a delegate from the Mem
phis and Raleigh narrow gauge railway
company, and being thoroughly convers-
ant with the subject of nrrrow gauge rail
roads, made the welEin ring with unmis-
takeable truths piled upon solid augu-
ment There were no defects in his as
symptoms, and he clearly demons ira ted
to the convention that the route was a
practicable one; that the road ought to
be built; that it could be built, and that
it would be built if the people of Hardin
and McNairy only performed their duty
/ in the premises.
At the conclusion of Geu Wallace s
remarks, Willis Hornsby, Esq, of the
Piney delegation, was introduced by the
chairman, and made short but pointed
speech in favor Of the early completion Of
the road lie announced the important
fact that those whom lie represented il
the convention would grade thiIteeu
miles Of the road, beginning at point
one mile east of Hatchie river and going
to the McNairy line,
At the conclusion Of AIR Iornsby s re,
marks dinner was announced. On arriv-
ing at the tables we found it to be com
posed Of the very best and most ehoic,