The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-12-05

year in the interest of the Duck River
Valley railroad, and of the Cairo and
Tennessee River railroad. On each
of these lines large amount of stock
has been taken, and had it not been
for the unexpected financial crisis,
this fall they would both have been
under contract, and 80 soon as this
crisis passes away, even to ,moder-
ate extent, they will be built. They
connect with each other and form a
part ola great system.
was working and speaking" for
nearly twelve months in the interest
Of the Memphis and Jackson and of
the Jackson and Tennessee River
railroads, and we succeeded in get
ting up 100000 for these two rail-
roads. Why these roads were not
built the writer's in the Wing and
Tribune know as well as l do. The
fault is not mine, since did all i
could by argument and entreaty to
have them put under contract.
/ have been working aud speak
ing" for several months in the inter-
est of the Memphis and Knoxville
| railroad. That road is now under
contract in this county and is soon
| to be put under contract in Shelby
county, and within the last month,
il the midst of this financial crisis,
we have succeeded IN raising $15OOO
to pay for survey from the Tennes-
see river at Clifton to Fayetteville, a
distance OF ninty miles.
| do not claim that these roads are
| indebted to me for their construction.
1 believe they would have been built
/ without my assistance, but l merely
| wish to show that the roads Gin the
interest of which l have been work
ing and speaking have been built,
or are now in process of construc-
ton.
1t takes time, patience, hard labor
and almost obstinate persistence to
build railroads in a country so desti-
| tute Of means as our southern coun-
try is, and especially i'll our State.
where there is no State aid, and
where it requires a three-fourths
majority, as it does in most of the
counties, to get counsy subscriptions.
/ have never worked and spoken
in the interest of any road that has
not been built, or that believe will
not be built, not excepting the Mem
phis and Jackson and Tennessee Riv-
| er railroads.
So far as compensation is concern
ed some of the companies with which
[ have had official connection have
given me a small compensation, but
most of the companies in whose in
terest | have been "working and
speaking for the last two decades,
have paid me nothing.
/ received no compensation for
what did for the Jackson and Ten
nessee River railroad, and l am not
| to receive one cent of the Henderson
subscription, if it should be voted on
next Thursday, as these writer's well
know. l have barely received
enough for the last six years to pay
actual expenses, and that much l
think l was at least entitled to.
think il more than probable that
the Henderson county subscription
will fail on next Thursday, owing to
the present condition of financial af-
fairs and to the misrepresentation of
the amount they will have to pay,
but am satisfied that this PROPOSE
ton will eventually be carried, and
that both of these roads will be built.
| was in favor of withdrawing the
proposition at this time, but Others
whose judgments were perhaps bet
ter than mine advised a different
course, saying that defeat at this time
and under existing circumstances
would not be so disastrous as with
drawal of the proposition.
have not resOrted to vituperation,
abuse or small attempts at ridicule,
because the building of railroads and
the improvement OF the country are
matters of too much Importance to
be treated in this manner.
Very Truly, Yours.
w. J. SYKES.