Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-29

west, WOulu pass over tnla fOau, we
have assurance, by contract made, thai
the North Carolina system of railroads
will be connected at Knoxville against
the 4th OF July, 1851, ut farihest, and
most probably in year from THIS TIME.
Cincinnati, Kentucky aud the north
west will then, if the Emory Gap
railroad is constructed, have the most
direct communication that can be
made with all Virginia and North
Carolina and the Atlantic ocean at
Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston aud
other points of the southeast. We
may also lock to the completion Of the
Blue Ridge railroad to- this place,
which will connect Cincinnati and
the northwest more directly with the
interior of Georgia and South Caro-
lima through the Emory Gap road
than by any route they now have or
can hereafter be made. But again !:
the Emory Gap road will be link in
the Tennessee and Pacific railroad,
running directly from Nashville to
Knoxville. Thirty (S0) miles Of this
road-from Nashville to Lebanon-are
already completed. No work has been
done on this road for several years
past, but recently it has become an
important link in the railroad combi-
nation formed at Nashville, and we
are satisfied that that portion of the
road running from Nashville TO Emory
Gap, to connect with the Cincinnati
Southern from the west, will be
earnestly revived and speedily COM
pleted. You will thus perceive that
all the freight and passengers going
from or coming to the southeastern
states and northwest will pass over
the Emory Gap railroad. And with
this view of the case, we think you
will readily agree with US that the
Emory Gap railroad will be one OF the
most important connecting links
between the south and northwest.
Besides the general advantages
to be derived from the construction
of this road the local advantages will
be very great The Emory Gap road,
at the mountains, Will tap immense
fields of coal and iron of the very flu
est quality, the freights of which alone
would justify its construction. But
you will pardon US for making another
suggestion that We consider of great
and that is, that the con-
of the Emory Gap road is in
to make the Cincinnati
Southern remunerative. aud to give
your city the increased trade aud COM
mercisl advantages you anticipated by
the construction of this great enter~
prise. Your road runs distance of
three hundred and thirty. six l336)
miles without single feeder along its
whole line from which it can gather
freights or passengers. 1t Is matter
of great doubt whether railroad Of
this length can be remunerative with
out the help of other roads, even when
it runs through a densely. populated
country. But half the line of the
Cincinnati Southern runs through q
sparsely populated country, from
which the freights must necessarily be
small, and the passengers very few; so
that you must rely entirely upon the
freights and passengers starting from
the northern and southern termini of
your road. At the southern termin US
of your road at Chattanooga, you will
be connected with roads that will give
you trade TO the interior of three OF
the largest cotton'growiDg states OF
the south-Georgia, Alabama and Mis-.
sissippi. But these states, in proportion
to their popula ion, furnish but little
commerce. One balfof their population
is composed of the colored race, who
consume but little of the agriculture
products or manufactures of any otGe
| country but their own. Through TIN
| Emory Gap railroad, at Knoxville yol
will strike the centre of thrifty, in
dustrious and intelligent population
Observation-Disclosures OF whom belong
to the white race, who are growing In
prosperity, constantly ascending tbs
scale of civilization, and increasing
their demands for all the comforts anC
many of the luxuries of living. You
| will reach country posse sing M %
temperate and salubrious climate, witt
innumerable fountains of healing wa
tiers, of great agricultural resources
and its mountains and ridges fillet
with iron, coal, marble, zine aud othe
minerals in vast abundance and O
most superior quality. These remark
also apply to western Virginia am
western North Carolina, accessible b.
rail, and with which you may expeC
to establish commercial relations.
From the foregoing premises, we ar
| thoroughly convinced that the stool
OF the Emory Gap railroad will b.
|
| probable, when all the connections are
made at this place, its large business
will constitute 1t a part of the mali
trunk of the Cincinnati Southern, it,
stead of branch road.
We have eDdeavored, in as short 8
compass as we could, to set before yoU
the eligibility OF the Emory Gap rail-
road as the best means of connecting
us with your great Cincinnati South
ern.
Delegations from our city have Wis
tied yours several times to enforcs thu
subject of this connection upon you
attention. We are glad to learn yoU
contemplate visiting us for like pur
pose, and we hope you will do so a
your earliest convenience. We~Believ(
our people are almost unanimous il
favor of your controlling the Emory
Gap railroad, as it can be probably
more advantageOusly run by The au-
thorities OF the Cincinnati Southern
than in any other way. And we think
If it can possibly be done, that tbia
short line of road should be completed
against we will have connection with
the North Carolina system of roads
on the 4th of July, 1881. We have
every assurance that the citizans OF
Knoxville and Est Tennessee will
contribute their foil share to the con.
struction OF this road, and they are
ready and anxious to embark in the
enterprise Immediately. We hope
soon to learn that your citizens have
come to like determination, and are
actuated by similar impulse.
Very respectfully yours, &c,
JOHN III. CROKER,
w, w. WOODRUFF.