Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-07-13
From Blanche.
For the FaYettsrille Observer

BLANCHE, Tenn, July 6, 1871.
! Dear Misunderstanding to
promise, l drop you few thoughts
about railroads and their benefits
to the country through which they
are built. Before | commence it
may be proper to inform you that
III have spent several days in
i Huntsville, Ala, my old home,
where the people are always alive
to their own interest, and | found
that the people of that city antic-
lipate a road to be built from
Huntsville to Rock Spring, and
then to run across and intersect
with the road running from Ste
Ivenson to Nashville, or intersect
with the road to Lynchburg, Tenn.
Now, the first question that pre-
sents itself is, who will be benefit
ted, the railroad ring or the people
generally? Some will be ready
to say both. | am inclined to
take issue with all that so think.
First, because railroads ought al
ways to be built the nearest, the
cheapest and the shortest route to
their places of destination. Now,
| ask is the road that is anticipa.
ted the best route that could be
surveyed? We answer, no. AL
low me to suggest route Tor a
road that, if built, would not only
benefit the builders but would ben
eft Alabama and Tennessee. Ny
line starts from the terminus of
Guntersville road at Huntsville,
or from the terminus OF the
NortL and South road at Decatur,
Ala. 1--we start from Huntsville,
which | think will be shortest and
the best route for all concerned,
and ruin northwest from Hunts
vile to Blanche, or to the Tennes-
see line, the distance will be from
20 to 25 miles through an unde-
veloped country. As you are a.
ware, all or nearly all the lands
are vacant from the Cross Roads
in Madison county to the Tennes.
see line, and the lands are not
paying to the STATE one cent of
revenue. You at once see the
benefit to the State. Where will
the road end? We don't want it
to stop at the Tennessee line, but
we will ask our Lynchburg friends
to continue their road directly
South and intersect with said
road. Now, we will try and show
to all thinking men that such a
road would be of more advantage
to both States than the road con-
templated to run by Rock Springs.
First, it is shorter than the Rock
Springs route, being only, as we
said, about % miles from Hunts
vile to the Tennessee line, and
about 80 miles from the Tennessee
line to Lynchburg, making SIS
miles. Next, it will be the
cheapest route by one-half, because
there will be no heavy fills OF cuts
from Huntsville to the line, as it
is nearly entirely level. No
bridges to build nor tunnels to cut,
and there is, as you know, world
of timber for bridges, culverts and
ties-enough to feed NJ. & c., and
all other roads for the next so
years to come, in the barrens OF
Alabama alone, and when we cross
the line to Elk river. it is the
same thing, only the timber is
larger and more various kinds for
building purposes, and after cross
ing Elk River, you enter one OF
the best countries in Lincoln
county, that has never had an out
let for her produce only in wag-
ons. Why don't the railroad pro-
jectors always look to the peo-
pies interest as we'll as their own?
Here allow me to remark that
there are some railroads In this
country that are curse in place
of being a benefit to the people.
You ask why? On account of the
monopoly, and you know that all
monopolies are curses in whatever
form they come, and the people
will have to break them down or
in place OF getting richer they
will get poorer. The next advan-
tage by such a road is that it is
the shortest route that could lie
built from Nashville to Mobile,
and if to Nashville, why not to
New York? But | must close for
this weeH, but will hereafter give
you more reasons-both local and
general. Yours, UNCLE BILL.
Dr. x,o,rr I'll, 1871