The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-04-16

of the road-bed ready for the iron, I'M
der oath of the Chief Engineer, John
B. Inman, having been made, the
whole cost amounts to $685. 900, from
Huntingdon to the Mississippi river.
This is cheap construction, truly. But
the country through which the road
passes is capable of affording this; and
by way of verifying our engineers es-
Inmates ! beg leave here to refer to re-
port of Col. Morris that Col. Cole, has
had the kindness to hand in since my
arrival in this city. Col Cole in or
der that he might be fully advised as
to the progress of our work and the
character of our line, sent Col. Morris
to West Tennessee to go over and in
spect the same. This he did, and re-
ported that we had now II miles of
new road, which with the 8 miles sub
scribed by the Nashville, Chattanooga
and St. Louis road that has never
been used, makes % miles of roadbed.
In this he fully sustained our engineers
report. He says of Capt. Inman's
estimate that 81 am Of the opinion the
work can be done for an amount ex-
ceeding it Capt. Inman's estimate)
very little if any" So it appears we
can stand the touchstone of investiga-
ton, and have made a sound report of
the cost of our road-bed ready for the
iron.
But must hasten. Is the County
of Davidson interested? This brings
me to speak of the country through
which our road runs. Diverging from
the Nashville, Chattanooga and St.
Louis at Huntingdon, it runs through
the best half Of Carroll, leaving Madi-
son close to the left, then entirely
through the heart of Gibson, then
through the new county of Crockett,
leaving Dyer close on the right, then
through one corner Of Haywood, and
then entirely through Lauderdale.
This makes a central road through
West Tennessee, and the best part Of
it. All these counties are among the
best in Tennessee; and Lauderdale,
though among the younger counties,
will soon be at the very head
Of the list. Let me refer to
Gibson county, rs some evidence
of the character of the coun-
try through which our road passes
section, sirs, that has a rich trade to
give, but now cut off absolutely from
this quarter. BY reference to the
census report of 1870 of industry and
wealth, it will be found that Gibson
county stood second in the State in
the aggregate Of agricultural produc-
tons, her aggregate being S., 1927 900
that year for cotton, this county stands
fifth in the State. Sirs, there is Il
rich local trade for ninety-seven miles
along our line, that desires to come
here, and yet is prohibited. Were
this road built the county of Davidson
would have an outlet for surplus stock,
meat and grain, and the city of Nash
vile for manufactured implements and
fabrics, and for her healthy and in
crcasing wholesale trade. Besides, two
very valuable connections would be
gained. One at Milan, the other at
Ripley. The first a New Orleans con-
nection so much desired by intclli-
gent railroad men. This connection
would be exceedingly valuable to this
place. And the mutually that would
exist between the n. c. and St. Louis
road and the Mississippi Central
would afford cheap freights on that
line. At Ripley Memphis connec-
zion is formed. At present our West
Tennessee system is adverse to COM
mercial intercourse here. Let us see.
The Memphis and Ohio road at one
end points on Louisville, at the other
on Memphis. The Mississippi Cen
trail on New Orleans, and connecting
at Cairo with the Illinois Central, at
the other on Chicago. The Mobile
and Ohio on Mobile and by the Iron
Mountain road on St. Louis. And
the new road being built, called the
Memphis and Paducah, bears on other
points. The old Northwestern, which
shears one side of West Tennessee,
finally ending in Kentucky, is the
only West Tennessee road that is OPP
Grated in the interest Of this section.
Partly as a result of this isolation, a
new State movement some months ago
sprung up with us, and a convention
was holden to form a new State out
of Kentucky Purchase, West Ten
nessee and North Mississippi. am
no advocate of a new State; nor do |
charge your county, gentlemen, with
the duty Of holding West Tennessee
in the old fold, but what | say is, if,
while promoting your own great in
terests here in supporting the PROPOSE
ton submitted, you in any measure
throw a block in the path of the new
State movement, | shall only rejoice.
What will be the value of the stock
that your company will deliver us in
return for the stock asked to be trans
fcrrcd? some one may ask. In reply,
| say it does occur to me that
it will certainly be worth as much as
your Louisville and Nashville stock.
Col. Cole is Of this opinion. In fact,
if this county take Col. Coles roadup
in the proposition made, that PROPOSE
ton is about equivalent to saying the
road shall be built and tie stock in it
shall be good. But | hold out no
bright and alluring pictures, for if the
transferred stock Ofitself were forever
sunk, there isyet a big value received,
a large return TO this banner county
of Tennessee.
Ihavespokcn, gentlemen, ofthe West
Tennessee trade, but | have not pre-
scented a still larger, and even thrill
ing, view of the case. On reaching
Fulton, the first Chickasaw Bluff on
the Mississippi river, and the best
point from the Ohio river to the gulf,
either for transfer ferry, or in the
great future that awaits us as a people
for a suspension bridge, we are within
y miles of a connection with the st.