, 1873-06-18
IA NEW RAILROAD ENTERPRISE.

Proposition to Oonatructj O. Trunk
LAno from Chicago to the Southcast
Atrnntio "-;As Everything "Apponrs
Favorable. to tho Project, tho Next
Congress Will no PotItIonei. for a
National Charter. 20. r
:, A number Of our wealthy and energetic rail-
road men mot at tho Office Of lfr. Robert Rae,
No, 12o Dearborn; stroot, on; laat Saturday, for
tho purpose Of talsng ,stops to organize COM
papy to build direct trunk limo and railway
from Chicago to tho Boutheast Atlantic coast,
Among these present from abroad woro ". 8.
Haymond, President Of tho indianapolis, Do1pln
d Chicago Railroad Company; Alr. John III.
Clarke, and Judge Boutwell,, tf Augusta, Ga.
Tho proposed road is to run an air line from
Chicagoto to Indianapolis; On tho continuation Of
tho Same COURSE tho Ohio River, at Vevay,
thonoe to Lexington, Ky., and Knoxville, Tonn.,
thonce, via tho Blue Ridge Railroad, tho nabun
dap, IN tho Blue 'nidge;. thonoe to Augusta,
Gu, tho objective point; thence, by roads
already completed to tho coast Of Savannah,
Port Royal; and Charleston. ' =
Tho airline distance from Chicago to Havan-
nah Is 7o7 miles, while tho ahor&oat line by rail~
why's In operation between thcao points oxceods
], COO mi1ca. Tho proposed road could DO built
at Having Of moro than 200 mi1es Distance, or
ono milo In evory five. BY tho new limo, CHI
cago and. the Northwest would be brought in.
direct commercial communication wl&himportant
Atlantic harboFs, and with the 8tates Of. North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida,
from which thoy arc ut present lBolatcd. These
four States aro. mainly depondent upon the
Northwest for thoir supplies Of food. which they
aro only enabled to obtain through Indirect and
expensive routes. It MAS shown ut tho moeting
referred to above that Chicago Ia situated In q
central position to that portion Of North
America north Of tho Gulf Of Mo3ico
I'd wo cast ae Of a tse r,s. aSsy III p0sasst1s ses
from Chicago to Now York, and, with Chicago in
tho; centre. describe circle, the limit Of the
sadius would touch ovory important point on tho
Atlantic coast south Of Now York, VIZ: Norfolk,
Il was declared to he the policy Of ohionso to
encourage tho building Of now armB Of
conamerce, which =. should radiato from
hSs5 sen ss the 'snf' sn It to eg'y ndsonaV p1n il
conceded that tho road was ono Of .groat impor
tanco, aud now urgently demanded BY commor-
cial necessity. Tho feasibility Of tho sonte, II
was stated, lad already boon determined BY &C
would DO much losa than that Of any other line
that could be built from Chicago to tho Atlanta
It Was shown that, by adopting PORTIONS Of toad
nlroady built or commenced, therc wonld only
DO about 500. miles required to complete
tho whole line. Tho question had boon su1l-
| ciontly canvnsBed to warrant tho statomons that
the people along tho whole line wore doeply in.
toroatod in tho project, and wcro ready to grant
every aid IL their power to encourage t.. THO
right Of way, with q fow exceptions, viii bo do
mated. It was also shown, upon official atntistic-
nj reports that the population and RESOURCES Of
the country along the limo in taxable wealth nro
abundant to support tho road and mako it pay
ing institution. ..,:... ~ .
Among tho prospective advantages olaimed
for tho road was tho tropical trade which would
naturally find Its way inland through the larbora
above montlonod. Tho climatic advantages oi
the new route ofror great Inducements to grain
Dealers Knoxville md Augusta arc e1cellont
pointa for storage and distribution. It was fully
established, by tho testimony OF GRAND -ealers
TINT .Auguata,- tho Objective point Of the
road WAS the bost point readily accessible to the
conat for storage, and was froa from all the oh
teotlons known to exist at New Orleans and Mo
bllo: The road was declared to be ono Of nation
al Importance, not only by bringing into closel
conamerciAl relations and social ntercnufse tht
people Of States separated by mountain barriers
but also by boing o valuable auxiliary, IN case Q
foreign invasion, FOR furnishing neans Of q4lcl
transportation for Western supplies TO the coast
In view Of tho great Importance OF tho road o.
. national and International channel Of com
munication,, ,,it WAS resolved to apply tothe nex
Congress- for q national charter. Ono Of tho cd
yautages claimed for national charter oVor tn
chartors already In existence is TINT itwou1d Civ
the enterprise national character, strengthen
the confidence Of capitalists, and obgiato. an,
unforeseen local difioultics TINT might occur.