The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-04-05
Especial Correspondence of the Atlanta Sun.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT RAILROAD
GATHERING I'M RICHMOND

EDTQRs DAILY SUM- do not be-
lieve in any extra "gassing," but
must say that, after travelling from
Atlanta to Richmond, our glorious,
Gate City," is, after all, the only
live place we have found. After
making your readers feel good over
this declaration, | propose trying to
make them feel better by telling
them a thing or two about the "At-
lanta and Richmond Airline Rail.
way Company"
The Directors are now in session
here, looking TO the interest of this
great line.
The status of the read is as fol-
lows: The trains are running to
Gainsville-53 miles. There are
about 1874 miles more nearly ready
for the iron-leaving about Is miles
yet to be completed-.upon which
some 5000 hands are at work. Gen.
Cass, the President of the Southern
Security Company, says it will be
all built, equipped, and operating, by
the lst of October next and as his
company have the contract for
building it, it seems probable that he
is right.
Just think of it ! This magniti-
cent enterprise 262 miles of railway,
built in so short time 1t is almost
incredible
We do not think our people have
ever fully realized its Importance to
Atlanta, and | will give you a
thought or two on this subject.
What Atlanta needs, and has al
ways needed, is cheap freights.
Now, the only thing that can &C
complish this is competing lines.
The freights which we want cheap
ened are the Eastern and Western.
With the Airline and Georgia
Western built, let us see where we
stand.
For Eastern freight we will have
four competing lines-that over the
State Road; that over the Airline;
that over the Charleston and Angus
ia Roads, and that over the Savan-
alb an Macon Roads.
For Western freight we will have
the line leading by Montgomery and
West Point, the state Road, the
Georgia Westesn, and from present
indications it will not be long before
we have another, vja Louisville,
Knoxville, Rabun Gap and the Air
Line, making four lines-a very
fair chance, think you will say, for
cheap freight.
Another incaIculabIe benefit of the
is that it puts Atlanta al
most in the grand centre of the Great
Southern Pacific Railroad, bound TO
be the greatest and most important
line of railway in the world Ifyou
doubt it, consult the map. Then
again, we will be within about thir-
ty hours of New York. What an
achievement it is
There is a grand gathering of the
railroad officials at this point just
now for various purposes-a con-
vention for the purpose of making a
new schedule over the line from
here to New Orleans among the rest
and one hears nothing at this
house (the Ballard) but such terms
as "short lines," quick time, Sour
line," Schedule time," and all such
expressions as are familiar to rail
road men. Is it any wonder, then,
that "railroads" seem to fill the air.
earth and water in the imagination
of your correspondent, and that he
can write about nothing else Z
Still there is something very in
pressive in the sombre look of this
and historic city. was
much impressed yesterday in hear
ing the Clerk of the Senate address
the House of Representative as the
"House of Delegates" and was car
ried back to the time when Patrick
Henry Numbered in the days of rs,