The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-03-20

A Comparative Statement Of the
Business of Pulaski and
Columbia.
Reasons why We should Build 1t.

Mr.. EDITOR IL believe it is gen
orally known by our people that a
strong effort is being made, and APP
parently a successful one, to build
a railroad from Columbia to Flor
ence Vio Lawrenceburg. wonder
if our good citizens will sit still
and allow this to be done with nut
any effort whatever to do anything
to prevent such scheme being con-
summated, which will undou btedly
lose to Pulaski a large trade that by
right is hers. Do they know that
such a road means the loss of all
trade which comes to us from be-
yond the lines of Giles county?
That besides taking the trade which
now comes to us from Loretto, Lex
ington, Mockerson, Appletons, ST.
Joseph and a number of such
places, it will build up good trading
points along the line of the pro
posed road that will secure all this
trade and more? Do they not know
that already by their inertness and
false economy they have lost good
trade by not building the road to
Lawrence burg, and how much more
important a trade will be lost by
this new road-a trade that is right
fully ours-that we already have a
mortgage on ii we "but had the
trick to see it?' Pulaski by right
of possession should have the trade
of at least 80 miles square, which
would always insure a good bust
ness, and as the country is popu
lated by immigration and the cut
ting up of tue large farms into
smaller ones will gradually increase
and build up the place to a popula-
tion of 5000 or 5000. But what
are we doing to retain this trader
Echo answers: Nothing" Is it
good business management to sit
still with wry faces and decry the
hard times, and how lily fortune is
treating US, when with little pub
tic spirit and energy we can help
ourselves out of the hard times?
Some of our capitalists say they
would be perfectly willing to pay
their proportion of the tax or an
appropriation in aid of road to
Lawrenceburg, provided, the tax be
levied on the county. DO you
think there IS the shadow of n
chance for anything of that kind to
be done? l do not. And shall we
sit still for that? 1 wonder what
Chicago would have been had they
waited tor Cook county to build
their railroads. [ wonGer what In
dianapolis would have been now if
they had cried hard times, no mon
ey and no taxation! l wonder what
the United States would now have
been if the people had cried "don't
ask us for money. Let US alone.
We have railroads to build, forests
to fell and great internal improve
ments to consummate, but we have
no money; our capitalists don't
wish to invest; let us sit still, maybe
something will turn up? We
make fun of Columbia for her fool
ishness in voting $4,000 in aid OF
the Lawrenceburg road. To be
sure it is large debt and 1 think
too great, but let those laugh who
win. Don't you think our town
would have been as large as Colum-
bia and our trade as great if we had
always used the energy and shown
the public spirit her citizens havei
They now have turnpikes leading
to the town from seven different di
rectiOns, besides the two railroads
and a good prospect of another.
Could we not have had as much
Certainly, if our citizens had shown
the same desire to build up a trade.
But you say that Columbia's trade
is no better than ours. To show
you that it is 1 give below a COM
parative statement of the gross
earnings for the month of February
of the two L. d n. r. Il. stations
which will show for itself:
PULASKI.
Amount charges on freight ford, 81, 760 80
Amount charges on freight reed, l,Scl so
Ticket sales, ............... 1,ll9 95
Tota;, Observation-Disclosures. 1852 rs
COLUMBIA.
Amount charges on freight ford, S9,S5T IS
Amount charges on freight need, 2,469 SO
Ticket Gales, 2,O6l rs
Total. ....................... s7,sss 30
Total Pulaski, .... ..... 4,6s2 IS