Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-02-02

The following letter from Gen.
Malone scarcely needs comment. 1t
is in his usual and decisive style, and
clearly means work. From it the
public will get the authoritative state
ment, chat the length Of time essen
tial to the completion Of the Tunnel at
the Gar, by tie most rapid and eff
cient means possible, is the gauge Of
the period ecesssry for the compile
ton Of the entire line. Before the tun-
mel shall have been finished, the 9TH
err portions Of the line will have been
completed, ard 10 order to render the
period rs short as possible, Gen.
Malone proposes if necessary to I'm
dertake and commence Immediately
the construction of the whole of it
Tie L. & n. Co., are urging the City
of Louisville to subscribe $800.000
and to guarantee for five years the
payment of the interest on one million
more. The Lebanon branch Of L. &
\. L. r., now extends to Roccastle
River, eleven miles South ofMt. Yer
non Ky.
ATLANTIC, MISSISSIPPI AND ONO
r. T.. Co.,
LYNCHBURG, VA, Jan. 8, 1872
II. d. NcaCcoa6, Esq, President Louio-
UiLIc RdibOdd Company, Louisville,
Ky.
DEAR SIR-Refering to the proceed
ings taken by the Board of Directors
of your company in answer to a COM
municatiOn at the hands Of a special
commission on their behalf, in regard
to the extension of our respective lines
of railway to a physical junction at
Cumberland Gap reasSuring us OfyOur
company's readiness TO perform its
part of the work at a day not later than
December, 1874, l beg TO advise you
that the time is quite upon us, when
it will be necessary to put that portion
of the work more or less common to
both of our companies under contract,
if we would accomplish the cOnsum-
nation of the lOng-desired object, a
physical junction of our railways at
Cumberland Gap, within the time you
have designated,
This part Of the line is the tunnel at
the Gap, the construction of which,
with all the energy we can well apply,
will occupy the intervening period:
and, to effect this union of our roads,
and to open the line for public use, as
has been indicated by your Board, the
tunnel should be placed under con-
tract at once, and the work pressed
with every energy. 1t is the gauge as
to time by which this connection of
our railways is to be measured; there
fore the importance of placing it first
under the way. The balance of the
line on either side can be more leis-
urely prosecuted,
On our part, we are ready as to the
requisite means for the prosecution
to completion, at the earliest day, of
our entire part of the work, and We
shall proceed, having completed our
preliminary surveys, to the permanent
location of the work.
AS to the tunnel, however, in this
connection, the engineers on both sides
have so far agreed upon its location
that the vital part of the undertaking
may be put to contract within sixty
days.
This much promised, the main OBJ
iect of this communication is to arrive
at such an agreement with your COM
pany for the construction and putting
to contract at once of the tunnel upon
such terms as may be right and proper
as to relative cost and the terms con-
venient to our joint and respective in
terests.
BY way of suggestion, it would suit
US to have your company undertake
and carry on to completion the work
of the tunnel, we accounting to 1t fol
our proper share of the cost, or, if de-
sired on the part of your company, we
will undertake the work on the same
terms.
1t has been long time since Virgin
in and Kentucky made, the one with
the other. the pledge for the establish
ment of this important highway, but it
is gratifying to find that all that has
transpiTed since, and that the growing
demands of trade of the Ohio ana Mis-
vallies still continue To urge
the wisdom of this project and the ne
ccssity for its completion.
Yours respectfully,
WM. MAHONE, Pres't.