Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-11

Lie COtlHt AlCO gCoso40oy o-CAG-Aeo ~ ~
O'Clock. Judge Turner in the chair.
Squire Maxey offered the following res
olution, which was adopted;
Resolved. That the attorneys for the
county in the case of the Nashville and
Northwestern Railroad be instructed to
make the best compromise possible for the
county.
Col. Washington, President of the Edge
field and Kentucky Railroad, made short
statement to the court: He said that by
Che report of the operations of the road
for eleven months preceding his induction
into office, there had bsen deficit Of
about five hundred dollars Bot since he
became President, the road had paid ex-
penses. There were some expenses TO be
Incurred. The engineer Of the Edgetield
road had lately been sent out, and reported
that the bridges over Sulphur Fork and
Red River would have to be repaired.
Col Washington further said that the
company was waiting to see what the
Comfy Court woGld do. He also remark
ed, that the first payment to the State
would be $225, 600 in State bonds, and
he Thought there ought also to be pro-
vision CT about $4,000 in money 10 pay
the interest on the remaining portion OF
the $500. 600 in Stale bonds. He thought
that, after a while, the Ock in the Edge
field road would be valuable enough, SO
that il would pay the interest on the stock
by the earnings of the road.
Squire Msxey offered the following res
olution In lieu of tho resolution before the
Court in regard to the Edgeield and Ken
lucky Railroad, drawn by Judge Demoss
and offered by Squire Baskets:
Resolved, That the question of taking
one handred and fifty thousand dollars ii
the new organization of the Edgefeld and
Kentucky Railroad be and is hereby sub
mitted to the voters Of the county in &C
cordance with Section 90, Article IL, of the
Constitution of Tennessee, and if the vo-
tens, in accordance Herewith, vote for the
measure. then this Court pledges itself
that it gill take the stock as voted for by
the voters of the county, according to law.
Squire Msacham then discussed Squire
Maxey's resolution, and reviewed the
speech Of W. G. NBTien, Esq, made to the
court on Saturday. Squire Meacham said
that ihe Evansville, Henderson and Nash
Vile Railroad desired to get the Edgefeld
road so that 1t could be run in the interest
of the Henderson end of the road The
Henderson road would not ship coal to
Nashville, although there were thousands
of bushels Of coal mined on the line of the
Henderson road, and waiting shipment 10
Nashville. He esquire MeachRm) said lie
was in favor Of the county OF Davidson re-
tanning her interest in the Elgefeld road,
which he thought would yet be the Little
Miami Of the South. If $l50,G0) could
be obtsined from the HENDERSON road for
the amount due from that road, tho debt
due the State would be decreased, and the
county would have to raise about S35, 600
in cash. In less than ten years he believed
that tie stock il the E1getle!3 road would
be worth from twenty-five 10 thirty peg
cent. mo!e than the stock in the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad. squire Meacham
further said that he was informed that a
private caucus had been held before the
meeting of the court, and that some mem
bers Of the court had been refused admit
lance.
In answer to a question, Squire David
son said he was not allowed 10 enter the
caucus.
Squire Maxey said thst Z meet
ing Of the friends of the people had
betn reid to consult about what was
necessary to be done for the interests Of
the people, and knowing that the gentle
man ,eferring 30 Squire Davidson was a
spy, aont TO see what the meeting would
do, he had not been admitted.
Squire Davidson denied Squire Maxey's
impu etion.
'Sauire Meacham-Then anybody that
Opposes this thing is q spy and IN opposi-
ton 10 the friends Of the people. 1 am
neither a spy nor sn opponent of the in
telest Of the people, and l say that these
private cauolses by those who profess 10
take care Of the interests CT the people,
and exclude other nembers Of the court,
are held by men worse than spies aud
traitors Applause Squire Meachgm
then said tnat be was not ashamed of his
record as e member of the County Court
since 1860, and he had always upheld the
interests of the people.
Square Baskette then addressed tho
court, and held that the proposition made
by the members of the court on the other
side that the State was partner in the
ownership of the road was not in accord
ance with the law. he then said that the
State was nc partner, and held that there
was no provision in the constitution or in
the laws of Tennessee to prevent the
county from securing its stock i'll the
Edsefsld railroad. He also held that the
County Court had right to bid for the
road without submitting the question to
the people, provided the money could be
raised without taxing the people. And
even if the county of Davidson let her
stock in the Edgefeld road go, she would
have to pay about Sl20,O 600 as interest, on
bonds on the Edgefeld road. That would
be paying money into lost concern-ii
the county did not secure her interest in
the road, and let other parties buy it.
Squire Walsh then addressed the Court
as follows:
Mr.. Chairman-After the display of elo-
ouenCe and legal ability, with which this
ceurt has been entertained for three days,
/ feel some embarrassment in attempting
80 add enc word to what has already been
said. l confess there was some doubt il
my mind when the question was first pre-
scented at the called session Of the court az
to nv duty and action as one of the repre-
sentatives Of Z. First District, con.
seauently 1 have given the sQbjec
such investigation as my humble
ability would allow and have listened
attentively to The speeches that have been
made beth pro and con, and feel that as a
representative Of large proportion of the
mercantile and mechanical interests Of
Nashville, ard like proportion Of the tai
payers of the county, have but one duty
to peIf1rm and that / would be dereiot il
duty, and would violate the solemn trust
confded to me did I DO otherwise thai
vote for the resolutions presented by judge
Demoss, one OF the attorneys for tht
county,
WHY am i encouraged TO this action?
have Aoked around me from day to ia,
during the discussion Of this question ant
have seen a class Of men il attending,
upon this court that we have scarcely eve
seen here before, manitesting an anxiet
and interest in our action that unmistak
ably poincs me to the conclusion that / ar
acting for the welfare and represent tn
substantial interests of my constituents
We find here the merchant, the banker
the mechanic, the lawyer, the farmer
short the taxpayers Of the county-lmplol
ing rs TO vote for these resolutions and d
1T promptly. Among the speakers VII
have entertained us upon this question
we first had the views of Judg