The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-11-12

route are so much easier than or
the other that it would be folly fol
the one road to try to compete will
the other if both were completed.
AS the Dispatch indicates, every
thing points to the completion. at
day not long to be delayed, Of 6
great railroad line from the North
west to the seaboard through Nor
ristown. But here is the article
from our Knoxville confrere:
Cumberland Gap and Norris
town, to use a military phrase, are
eventually to become the stragetic
points by which the Northwest pro-
noses to reach the Southeast through
one of the grandsst systems ola net,
work of railroads, perhaps, on the
continent. Take up the map OF the
United States, and note carefully the
position of these two points, their
relative positions to the mighty re-
gion stretching out west Of them and
their positions to the southeast,
stretching to the seaboard. Is it not
a plain case? They are bound to
become central figures in the future
movements now coming to the sur.
face looking to the inter-communica'
ton between the northwest and
southwest. St. Louis, with all that
vast expanse of territory lying back
of her and sweeping on to the Pacific
slope. naturally casts her eye towards
these points. Reaching Cumberland
Gap, she can diverge to the left and
dash on 10 Norfolk, or she can deploy
to the right and move on to Morris.
town, and there head up for the
Carolinas and Georgia. Nature has
so plainly marked out this grand
highway that the commonest mind
must see it. The Carolinas and
Georgia see it and are struggling to
utilize it. 1t is as if the commerce
of the southeast were stretching out
its tentacles like some gigantic
cephalopod, each of which is intui-
lively feeling its way toward the
richest possible prize-the greatest
conquest
There are now five projected lines
in the States mentioned. looking to
q connection, with the great trunk
line running through Kentucky and
moving westward to St. Louis.
There is one coming up to Morgan
town, N. c.; another at SparLanburg;
another near Walhalla, S. c.; and
still another to connect Port Royal |
and Savannah. All these lines, with |
the exception OF Walhalla, are seek
ing to reach the northwest via Nor,
Tistown and Cumberland Gap. |
Hence the proud future awaiting
both Of them. They are in the di
rect line leading in that direction,
and therefore the laws governing
will fix their destiny.
The Walhalla line is seeking an out
let through the Blue Ridge, by way
Of Knoxville. to the northwest. This
would tap Franklin, N. c., and
Tenn, coming on to this
,ity, reaching the Cincinnati South.
,rn and from thence TO the north
md northwest. For more than for~
Y years this route has been project.
ID and repeated attempts made to
,ut it through. II is only a ques-
ion of time as to its completion. 1t
nay not be done in this generation,
,ut some future one will realize it.
Sut for the poverty of western North
,arolina, it would have been built
re this. 1t is the most direct line
D the seaboard and you'd tap Port
loyal, Savannah and Charleston.
We are not, however, dealing with
bis route at present. The spirit Of
10 times 10 not In sympathy with it.
'apital and enterprise are graphing
ith the one we have indicated, and
It'll which Louisville. ST. Louis and
le Carolinas. together with Norfolk,
-e strongly and indissolubly iden- {
fed. Louisville, is especially wax.
g up to it's importance. 1t will
,t Only be her direct line to the
arolinas and to Norfolk, but to New :
ork. There are four routes open t
sher. the longest Of which is 1887 :
lies, and the shortest-the one in '
miles. The distance to
Ie Carolinas aud to Georgia will be
50 to 736 miles, and to Norfolk only
wen miles longer than that via the il
hesapeake and Ohio. The direct {,
ansit TO the Atlantic will, therefore, o