Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-05-29
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE.
Our Railroads, Finished and
Projected.
NO. IXXII.

ton of country without good railroads is
considered behind the age. The labors of
the farmer and mechanic the profits of
the tradesman, and the convenience and
contentment of all classes are so largely
dependent upon the prompt communica-
ton with the outside world through rail-
roads that every immigrant takes the rail-
road facilities of his proposed home into
grave consideration before permanently
accepting it as his place of living.
East Tennessee, possessed of railroad adj
vantages of the high order we have here
tofore commented upon, has also fair rail-
road facilities existing, but better ones in
immediate prospect. The Valley of East
Tennessee is bounded north and south by
mountain chains. 1t begins in the East
with the Southwestern Virginia Valley
and runs southwest TO the mouth of the
Valley at Chattanooga. Through the GEN.
ter of this valley runs the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia Railroad, 240 miles
from Bristol, Va, to Chattanooga. 1t is a
d. part of the Great Trunk Line from New
York to New Orleans, known in railroad
maps as "The Great Southern Mail Route"
This road is in good order well managed
and fully alive to the necessity of develop
ing and building up the material interests
of the country. This road affords East
Tennessee its outlet to the East and South
west. At Chattanooga it connects with the
system of railroads North, West and
South. BY the Nashville and Chattanooga
Railroad it connects with the Ohio Valley,
and by several competing routes it reaches
no mi nd ha
ut Bristol it connects with Gen. Mahone's
roads to Norfolk, Washington and down
to Richmond.
ROADS NORTH AND SOUTH.
For many years railroad has been pro-
ected from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Charles
ton South Carolina. This road has been
talked about as much as any unfinished
road in the United States.
Knoxville and the State of Tennessee
have shown their faith in its completion
by building a part of this line. The
Knoxville and Ohio Railroad runs north
ward towards Cincinnati. 1T is completed
and now being operated as far as Carey
vile, about 40 miles north of Knoxville
1t runs through the rich coal fields and
iron beds that line both sides of Coal
Creek. The principal, in fact almost The
only business of this road is in transport
ing for the KNOXVILLE and Georgia mar
lIets the immense amount of coal mined al
ten banks are in Il constant operation anC
the coal mined is as good as any in the
country. The beds are ineXhaustable ant
lie side by side with iron ore of variou.
kinds and great richness. The business
of this road can safely count upon, i'll iror
and coal alone will certainly make it al
ways profitable stock. 1t is now fin
ished to Careyville, as before stated.
The prospects for its speedy COM
pletion are good. 1t is now own
ed by gentlemen cooperating will
the Southern Railway Security Com
pany, and they are so interested II
other connecting roads as to max,
its completion necessity. The Gap be
tween Caryville and the present terminus
of the Labanon branch of the Louisvill,
and Nashville railroad is about sixty miles
The only trouble about building over thi
gap is the uncertainty on the part of the
Northern roads which way they want {,
connect. Some favor Cumberland GaI
and some Chattanooga. But whicheve
way they 60 Knoxville will be sure of ii
connection, because but few miles viii
have to be constructed to tap either route
Cincinnati has appropriated ten millions
for Southern road, but each route propos
cd presents so many advantages that i
cannot yet decide where TO go. Final sur
yeys are now being made, and as soon n
the route is fixed the Knoxville and OhiC
road will be put through to the connecting
point. we Will certainly nave THIS con
nection in 1873. This will give us promp
and speedy communication with the Ohio
Valley and add largely to the shipping adj
yantages of our city.
Looking southwark we have a begin
ming of sixteen miles of n road now OpCrat
ed towards Charleston, $. G.. This roaC
runs to Maryville, and has lately passet
into the hands of Pennsylvania com
bination that owns the South Carolin;
roads. They promise to begin work th
year and think they can secure means t.
finish it. If So our long talked of roaC
from Cincinnati tothe sea coast at Charles
ton viii be done, and a superior shipping
and commercial advantages secured 4
Knoxville We will then be at the center
of the Grand Trunk lines East TO West
and North to South.
At Morristown on the East Ten
nessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad
railroad Is projected to connect with tn
North Carolina roads to Wilmington
&c. This road is in the hands of tn
southern Railway Security Company
and will be finished beyond doubt yer,
soon. 1t is now running about forty mile
TO Wolf Creek, and the gap to be built !
small one.
We have also projected road from
Knoxville to Macon, Georgia. This IL il
the hands of Georgia railroad men of higl
character, and they feel confident of build
ing 1t before two years.
We have thus given brief sketch o