The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-12-18
10 THE SEABoARD.
A Grand Flank Movement by the
Z. & N. & G. S. Railroad.

While we would not detract a
single thought from our Eastern d.
Western railroad project or say a
word to abate the interest felt in it,
there is another contemplated rail
road which our people should feel
considerable interest in and one to
which we desire to call the atten-
tion of the L. & N. & G. S. Railroad
officials. To the latter we regard
it as very important project. 1t
was suggested in a public speech
here on the first Monday in Decem
Der by Major Sy kes, who has given
the subject good deal of thought.
We refer to a road from here to At
lanta via Huntsville, Guntersville,
Gadsden, Carrolton, &C., which
would completely flank the great
Western d Atlantic and give to the
L. IL n. d Great Southern an outlet
to Southern Georgia and to the At
lantic seaboard by the shortest pos
able route from Nashville IN all
points North and Northwest. With
such a connection as this our road
would indeed be the GREAT South
ern.
We append the substance of Maj.
Sykes remarks and invite the seri-
Gus attention of the officials thereto
Major S. said:
1t is supposed by many that the
Western d Atlantic railroad from
Atlanta to Chattanooga is the key
to the Southern trade, and that
those who own or control that road
are masters of the Southern situa
ton. If no other roads could be
built this might be true, but If that
takes place, which l am satisfied
will during the next ten years, it is
a great mistake. By extending the
railroad already completed from
Griffin, Ga, to Carrolton in that
State as far north as Alfalfa on the
Alabama Great Southern four miles
from Gadsden, the Cincinnati road
may become independent of the
Western d Atlantic so far as freIghts
bound for Macon, Savannah and
Brunswick, Ca, are concerned.
Chattanooga may thus be reached
from either OF those places without
passing over the Western d Allan
tic, and the route is nearly if not
quite as direct. So also if a road
be built from Pulaski, Tenn. thro'
Huntsville, Ala, via Guntersville to
Gadsden in the same State, it would
there meet with the road from Car
rolton and Griffin which would be
as short line from Nashville, Ten
nessee, to Macon, Savannah and
Brunswick as the one by Oh ltta
nooga and Atlanta. This line
would pass through Jacksonville.
Ala. From that point a road has
been projected and NAV be built to
Atlanta. BY turning off at Gads
den, which is about 10 miles from
Pulaski, and going through Vann's
valley in Georgia, by Cedar Town
in Polk county, direct to Atlanta,
still nearer route would be obtained
than through Jacksonville. This
would perhaps be the shortest
route from Nashville to Atlanta.
1t would go through a rich and
productive country from Pulaski to
Guntersville, Ala. BEYOND Gun
tersville there is a road already
graded as far as Gadsden; this part
of the road has been graded tor
many years.
No road in the South would be
more profitable than this road from
Pulaski, which would virtual
ly be from Nashville to Atlanta and
to Macon, Savannah and Bruins
witch. 1t would open to the
Nashville 81 Great
Southern Road a direct outlet to
the heart of Georgia and to the sea-
board as they now have to che
Gulf of Mexico and it would give,
as before explained, these Southern
cities in Georgia a connection with
Chattanooga and Cincinnati without
being dependent on the Western
and Atlantic road. 1t is very i'm
portant that no one road should
have all connecting roads in
its power and at its mercy, be
cause railroads, or rather railroad
managers, are liable TO the weak
nesses OF human nature; consulting
their own interests at the expense
Of others. 1t is because 1 AIN
to all and partial to none
that l desire to see these competing
lines. AS the country improves
and becomes more prosperous the
business of all the roads will in
crease and then they can afford to
decrease rates without loss, land this
decrease of rates will stimulate
trade, develop the various indus
tries of the country and thereby
benefit the railroads.