The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-07-03
THE COOsA RIVER.
Importance OF its Improve
nlent 10 Tennessee, Ala
hanna And Georgia
Another Great bIgh
way 10 tke Cuff.


The Coosa river is made by III
} junction of Oostanaula and Etowal
rivers. These rivers penetrate th'
rich Cherokee country convergina
from Murray and Barlow counties
and meeting at Rome. The Coosa, (;
broad, vigorous river. becomes the
Alabama. and poprs into the Gulf Of
Mexico at Mobile. 1t flows through
u rich country Astounding in minerals
Judge Underwood, of Roms, prob
ably Knows more Of the river ard il:
proposed extension than any man liv-
ing. If has certainly done more to
bring it about than any other man,
having secured through Mr.. DOy, OF
Alabama, the FIRST appropriation made
for the sarvev, and having beea active
in securing everything granted since
then. Heis at preseat in the city at
tending the meeting Of the superior
court judges, and on yesterday we
dropped in with him and hal a talk
on this subject.
In the ourse Of the conversation
Judge Underwood said:
"You know, the Ocstanaula that
joins with the Etowah al Rome, MAX
ing the Coosa, il navigAblc already up
to Cartar's, in Murray county. Now
i canal of twenty-five miles to the
Conasauga would connect the COSTA
naula With the H;awassee at Charles
ton.
The HiSassee Cows down into
the Tennessee, which is navigablc Up
to Knoxville, and ever 100 miles be-
You'd up to cambridge. Thus by the
building of this uncomfortable canal
we should open up the rich ard in
comparable produce country Of East
Tennessee, which can very nearly
feed the world"-to speak fgura-
lively. You must see at q glance
how certainly the opening up Of this
vast graaary and ~barnyard would re-
suit il direct trade with South Amer
lea. East Tennessee is now strug
CLING for an outlet Of this sort, in the
removal Of the obstrutionS at Muscle
Shoals. 1t is easy demonstrate that
this line by the Coosa will give East
Tennessee a limo to the .Gul9 1850
miles shorter than sue can possibly
get even after the'Muscle Shoals are
opened up. This 1889 miles must
count at last AMI command the trAle.
Tho opening of this section will be
hardly second in Importance to the
opening up Of the Mississippi valley.
With the Coosa opened up the devel-
opmcnt of the Southeast might be
time Of war this route would be Of in
calculable benefit. Through it pre-
visions might be easily carried in
any quantity, or troops transported
from the interior to the coast or from
the coast to the Interior. With its
mouth guarded at Mobile, as it might
easily be done, this river in an ex,
hausting war would be the artery
through which the life-blopd Of the
Republic would how."
do you think the CooSa river viii
be opened up?"
81 do, firmly. think the necessi.
ty will be made 80 apparent that it
must be done. One of the great
troubles is that the real Importance Of
the matter has been dwArfel and
,rampcd by the pitlful demands here
made fohAt by u representa-
The very fact that they asked
for only $4,000 or $4,000 was a
proof TO most Of our national states.
men that it was a matter of only 10.
cal Importance, and demanded no
looking after. 1t should be presented
rs IL scheme of national importance,
Is 1t really is and should eve be
belittlcd by triAing demands. ! was
sent on with Col. Brintup when the
sl05, 900 was secured. Tho Com
on Commerce reported unani-
nouslyiu favor Of it, and it was east.
passed. / did not talk TO q single
Senator or Representative who did
not declare himself enthusiastically
n favor of it. Gov. Randolph, Of
New Jersey, said that he was ready
% vote the whole 100000 just as
asst rs it could he used, | think we
hall ask for $500 900 at the next SEES
ion, apl I feel sure we shall get it.
complete the work at Greens
,ort and get US well into the work at
Wetumpka. Then yc con push
ahead and finish it, Il 10 the grand
st yvorl thot 10 nronoaol IN tba /