Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-01-27
Railroad from Clifton to Knoxville.

EDITORS CHRONICLE: Brisk prepara-
tions continue for the early completion OF
this road to cambridge, and if Sewer coun-
| ty remains latent to her interest. it will
probably strike a bee line TO Knoxville
from the latter point, as she can get there
several miles nearer than to go by the
way of Sevierville.
It is very true this road has been dis
cussed and presented to the people as a
narrow gauge. But do not see any reason
why it should not be standard gauge, and
| believe now that it is the preCOnceived
idea and opinion of the railroad and busi-
ness men of the country that it will be
built upon the gauge of the Cincinnati,
Cumberland Gap and Charleston Road;
and that as Knoxville is now fast becom-
ing the grand center of railroad wealth
and business for East Tennessee, it would
be to the interest of the people for the
northern terminus Of the southern end of
this road to be at Knoxville in place of
Morristown. This being the fact, it would
save the unnecessary delay and expense of
re-shipping the freights and passengers to
be distributed along this line and through
out the southeast.
We are glad to have our friends
in Knoxville taking SO much in
terest in the enterprise. We hope
the sew bridge will soon be complete, and
if it's thought not to be safe to run a
locomotive over it through the centre
and main business part of the city, that
there will be a regular line of street cars
from the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia depot to the depot at the south end
of the bridge.
AS for this idea of improving the river
at the expense of the railroad, it is found,
on close chemical analysis, to be q selfish
one. The country is amply able for both,
and the friends Of the railroad project, so
far as know, are in favor of both, but
one at time. And as the river improve
ment is secondary consideration, we are
in favor Of the railroad first, and the other
will necessarily follow.
So far as these 104 manufactures, located
ten miles apart on the Schuylkiu river,
are concerned, they would be an expense
to their owners if it was not for our present
system of railroads, to furnish them ma
terial from the interior of the country to
manufacture. Therefore the railroads are
the basis of this S24 Zoo, 900 of wealth
spoken of by Mr.. Fulton, Jr., in a late is
sue of your paper. But how does this
compare with the earnings of thir-
teen of the leading roads of the
Northwest for the year of 1871,
WHICH WAS SOoIOO1, 40. buG again, .WlaC
are the facts in the case about this road
being only of local interest, as was charged
in the same article? Pick up the map of
our country and draw a line from Sandie-
90, California, to Norfolk, Virginia, the
two objective points of the great Southern
Pacific, q road that has been in course of
construction, ] believe, about two years,
and what have you got ? You have got
this road from Clifton to Knoxville direct
ly on this line; therefore, so far as a name
is concerned, I am in favor of new depart
ure, and am in favor of calling it part OF
the great Southern Pacific. And so far as
it being of local interest, its interest and
accommodation will not be confined to the
narrow limits of our own country, bul
the emigrant will land at Norfolk, VIII
mington and Charleston and distribute
| themselves from one end of this continent
to the other. We hope when Mr.. Fulton
Jr., comes again as he said he would that
he will come on the railroad.
PRO Bono PUBLICO.