Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-05-28
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE
No. LXNII.

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 communlca-
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 CEN
ter of this valley runs the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia Railroad, 24O miles
from Bristol, Va, to Chattanooga. 1t is a
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 ChattanOOgait 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
the Mississippi and the Gulf Going East,
at 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-
iected 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
kets the immense amount of coal mined at
Coal Creek and about CaTeyville. Some
ten banks are in a constant operation and
the coal mined is as good as any in the
country. The beds are ineXhaustable and
lie side by side with iron ore of various
kinds and great richness. The business
of this road can safely count upon, in iron
and coal alone will certainly make it al
ways profitable stock. 1t is now fin
IShp
The prospects for its speedy COM
pletion are good. 1t is now own
ed by gentlemen cooperating with
the Southern Railway Security Com
pany, and they are 50 interested in
other connecting roads as to make
its completion a necessity. The Gap be-
tween CaTyville and the present terminus
of the LabanOn branch of the Louisville
and Nashville railroad is about sixty miles.
The only trouble about building over this
rap is the uncertainty on the part of the
Northern roads which way they want to
connect. Some favor Cumberland Gap
and some Chattanooga. But whichever
way they 90, Knoxville will be sure of its
connection, because but few miles will
have to be constructed to tap either route.
Cincinnati has appropriated ten millions
for Il Southern road, but each route prOpOS-
cd presents so many advantages that it
cannot yet decide where to 90. Final sur
vCys are now being made, and as soon rs
the route is fixed the Knoxville and Ohio
road will be put through to the connecting
point. We will certainly have this con-
nection in 1873. This will give us prompt
and speedy communication with the Ohio
Valley and add largely to the shipping adj
vantages of our city.
Looking southwark we have a begin
ming of sixteen miles of d road now Operat-
ed towards Charleston, 5. G.. This road
runs to Maryville, and has lately passed
into the hands Of a Pennsylvania COM
bination that owns the South Carolina
roads. They promise to begin work this
wear and think they can secure means to
finish it. If so, our long talked Of road
from Cincinnati to the sea coast at Charles
ton will be done, and superior shipping
and commercial advantages secured to
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, a
railroad is projected to connect with the
North Carolina roads to Wilmington,
&c This road is in the hands of the
southern Railway Security Company,
and will be finished beyond doubt very
soon. It is now running about forty miles
to Wolf Creek, and the gap to be built is
a small one.
We have also projected road from
Knoxville to Macon, Georgia. This Is III
the hands of Georgia railroad men of high
character, and they feel confident of build
ing it before two years
We have thus given brief sketch of
our roads now running and those project
ed. We have already good railroad facili
ties, but when our roads in prospect are
lD
any point i'll the South.
J. PROCTOR KNOTT, Of Kentucky, wants
to know if the Democratic party is COM
posed of a set of pusillanimous asses" to
be deliberately insHlted by threat from
Mr.. Greeley to withdraw in case a straight
Democratic ticket is nominated at Balti-
L hnt anl