Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-08-02
SOUTHERN CONNECTION.
Georgia Looking for OunC elton ufsa,
! Knoxville.
vtsit of PrOmineut Railroad Men-Exeur
sion co MaryviIIe. &e,


VisIt of Prominent Railroad Mep-Exeur.
sion co MaryvitIe. &e.
| The importance of finishing our ncornplcto
| railroads has long been felt by the citizens of
! Knoxville and. indeed, of the entire State and
! there Is mono of more Importance to our people
! than the Knoxville and Charleston Railroad.
/ when this line is in the hand Of the contractors
! there will be no trouble in securing n connec-
! ton with Louisville or Cincinnati
1t is however of comparatively recent dntc
! that our Southern neighbors have aroused them
selves to view the matter in ITS proper light hut
! now that Georgia has somewhat recovered from
the effects of the war the people of that State
| have determined to become better acquainted
and reap the benefits of increased commercial
! facilities with our section.
Some time ago, Mr.. w, X. DeGratfenrcd
! had n conversation with Mayor Van Glider on
| this subject, which that gentleman deemed Of
sufficient Importance to lay before the City
! Council, and but n few days since Major Camp
| bell Wallace made some statements ut a meeting
at the Board of Trade Rooms, in which tFc same
spirit WINS manifested
Mr. DeGrafcnreid is director of the Macon
and Knoxville road, as is also Mr. Jerry Cowlcs
| and accompanied by Col c. G.. Clukc, these
gentlemen came to our city day or two ago to
make inquiries and ascertain the condition Of
the proposed connection. Col. Cuke represents
q company of New York and Chicago capital
lists who have ample means to build any road
they may contract for, and with the liberal
franchises and aid guaranteed by the State of
Georgia $4,000 per mile, it is not improbable
that the company he represents may take hold
OF the work and push II through.
On Thursday afternoon, by the invitation of
Major Ihos. O.Conner, President of the Knox
vile and Charleston road, Messrs. DeCiraffcn-
). >. Van Glider, Mcssrs. Perez Dickinson
Calvin McCorkle. II. Clark, G.. w. Ross, II
l. Van Glider, and n number of other inhuen-
tai gentlemen, together with representatives of
the press, took trip to Maryville on n special
train, in order that the distinguished visitors
might examine the road and the country
through which it passed. The train left this
city about three o'clock in the afternoon and
arrived Mt Maryvlle at four, remaining there
an hour aftording an opportunity to those who
desired of doing the town, and returned to
Knoxville at PM
On arriving Mt tho depot, Mr.. Dickinson re-
quested the eNcursionists to remain few mo-
ments, when Mayor Van Glider was requested
to call the gentlemen present to order, after
which Mr.. Dickinson offered n resolution ex-
pressive of qualification on the part of the cih-
zens of knOXillc Mt the visit of the gentlemen
from Georgia and rendering them their sympa-
thy and encouragement in the undertaking. Als,
vote of thanks to Major O'Conner for the
courtesies extended by him in his official ca
pacity,
Mr.. DeGralfenrcid replied in behalf of the
visiting gentlemen that he was rcjoiced to see
the evidences of prosperity to be witnessed on
every hand in East Tennessee and especially
~ n ii'NN ~ NHlCu WIS 80 THplUIN increasing
in size and wealth, which was due entirely to
the enterprise and public spirit of her citizens
Eighteen months ago, if any one had spoken of
road from Macon TO Knoxville the idea
would have been secuted rs n chimera, but now
the people of Macon and Atlanta and, in fact
of the whole State of Georgia, ardently
desired the proposed connection The products
of East Tennessee were wanted in the South
and the latter had commodities tn give in cx-
change When he was here short time ago,
he expected n corps of engineers would have
commenced surveying the route before this, but
owing to complications with rival roads this
had not been done. But MS soon as be went
home, he would report his views and have the
engineers commence the survey next week, and
he expected they would reach Knoxville by the
first of October
Mr.. DeGrafenrcid's remarks were received
with applause, after which, on invitation of
Major O,Conner, the party adjourned to the
Akin House for refreshments. Messrs. De
Gratlenreid, Cowlos and Clukc then looks seats
in Mr.. Dickinson 5 carriage, and were driven TO
his residence, whose guests they are during their
stay in this city. We understand they viii take
their dcDarture today .... ..