Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-09-30
The Walden's Ridge Railroad,

Ahe "dluens Rluge Railroad,
Prof. II. E. Cotton, State Geologist, who
has just returned from stay of several
days at Oakdale, and who is one of the di-
rectors of the Walden's Ridge Railroads.
narrow-guage road being built by Colonel
John G. Scott from Winters Gap to the
Cincinnati Southern Railway at Emory
Gap-was thus catecbised by Times Re-
porter in Chattanooga, Tuesday:
Is work in progress on the proposed
Walden's Ridge Railroad, the prospected
narrow gauge line to Winters Gap from
Emory Gap?"
''It is not a proposed road, but is now an
actual fact. -Four miles have been graded,
and from $50 to 300 hands are constantly
employed. The road will be sixteen miles
! long, from the Cincinnati Southern to the
coal beds. 1t will be built as a narrow
gauge, but will be graded as wide gauge
and will be hroadened when the business
demands. The road will be finished by
December 1st."
''Is company organized to mine the Goa
and what is its intentions z"
Yes a strong company has been form
ed and is already mining the coal, and has
ample capital to make the output as large
as the public demands"
"What is the quality of the coal?"
1.-The very best character of bituminous.
Its analysis shows almost no ashes. Poplar
, creek coal was always famous for its many
good qualities, and was formally boated
down the river. This road will reach that
coal" =
''Win the Walden's Ridge road be ex-
aI hauonI in}a
Its charter permits the construction OF
a road to the Knoxville and Ohio Road, and
also to Cumberland Gap. The distance
from Winters Gap to Clinton is IA miles, to
Knoxville 2S. The present owners of the
charter of the Waldens' Ridge Railroad
Company also control charter from Emory
Gap to Knoxville, which would use the line
of their road to a point two or three miles
above Oakdale, and then diverge to the
right, crossing Clinch River about the
mouth of Beaver Greek. This road could
be constructed without any tun-
nelS The line surveyed by Colonel
/ Gum for the Knoxville and Cincinnati
Southern Railway Company, crosses Clinch
river much higher up and has four tunnels.
1t is true this road for a coal road to Knox
| vile would be six miles longer than Col
| Gums route. Whether the Walden's
Ridge Railway Company will go to Knox
vile by this route or on mp the valley to
| Clinton is a. question of the future. The
Clinton route is much the cheapest anc
gives equal facilities for the shipment OF
/ iron to the North and West.
| "What about the injunction of the Goa
Creek Company on the Knoxville and Win
| ter's Gap Railway Company ?"
"This does not affect the Walden's Ridge
Railway at all; the legal points are now be
| fore Judge Staley, and he will soon render
his decision. 1t is simply a question
whether few men, who happen to own the
entrance to the Gap, will shut out every ont
but themselves. If the injunction is made
perpetual, the W.lden's Ridge road will &c
to Donovan's Gap, through which they have
the right of way, and which tffords nearly
equal facilities"
| Hon. John G.. Scott. president of the
! Oakdale Iron Furnace, is at the head of the
enterprise, and is the moving, active spirit
| He is known throughout this section as &
man of uncommon powers, and his ability
is rarely tried in vain. His connection with
the company insures its success. A number
of other very wealthy men of St Louis are
interested in the enterprise which promises
to effect SO much for this city, and in fac
this entire section.
Prof. Cotton was in Knoxville yesterday
and in brief conversation we CLEANED some
additional facts. As is stated above, The
ultimate connection or outlet of this roaG
depends upon the future developments
Colonel Scott is working for his own in
terests. 1t would naturally be cheaper ani
perhaps more to his interest to make tbs
connection to Clinton, a distance of Il
miles instead of to Knoxville, which il
% miles, but he is willing to NEE
any other combination half way, and, if thu
Erlanger syndicate make proposition hi
viii no doubt join them in completing tht
! Knoxville and c. s. Railroad.
The Oakdale Iron Works are now making
$4,000 tons of iron a year. Colonel Scot
can consequently well afford to spend 5000,
600 towards securing competing line c.
road, for that would give him saving ot
8 cents on the ton in freights.
Hrof Cotton declares that Colonel Scot
has surveyed and actually under way th'
best route to the Winters Gap coal mines
but he is perfectly willing for others to g
in.
"Lindsey's Blood Seacher"-the grea
medicine for fever and ague, malaria, ant
tD1 L. n>~ Gn,l -.