Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-28

vember, 1866, and Mai. Robert w.
Humphreys was elected to fill the
vacancy. Maj. Humphreys adj
ministratlon experienced the most
trying period of the roads existence
OF equal duration, during its histO-
ry. The tremendous amount of
work which had been under con-
tract for the first two years, still un-
finished, had nearly exhausted all
of its available means, but by push
and determination he brought it
safely through all of its troubles.
On the 18th of September, 1860, the
first through train brought from
Louisville eX-GOv. Helm. Mr..
James Guthrie and other officers of
the L. and N. railroad, together
with Messrs. Osborne and Wallace,
of the Louisville Journal Mr.. Me-
Kee, of the Courier; Frazier, of the
Bowling Green Standard; Gamma
way, OF the franklin Democrat,
and Rhea, of the Russellvile Her
aid, with a large number of excur-
SioniStS from Louisville and points
along the line of the road, to cele-
brate the opening of the railroad
between Louisville and GAINESVILLE.
The excursionists were met at Guth-
RE by a colninittee of the M. G. and
l.. railroad, amid the whistliug of
locomotives, the firing OF cannon,
and We're welcomed in a wellsput
speech by Gen. Vim. A. Quarles,
which he delivered from the tender
of a locomotive. The response was
made by Vice President Guthrie.
The GAINESVILLE car was then
coupled to the exclusion train and
proceeded to GAINESVILLE, where a
welcoming address was delivered
by Hon. j. f. Bailey, extending
the Inequalities of the city to the
| eXcursiOnists. Gov. Helm respond
headed by a band, With Mr.. II. ID.
Leonard as Marshal, and the dlstin-
guished guests were escorted to the
public square, where they were
assigned to homes among the citi-
zens. Every door was thrown wide
open, and every soul provided with
comfortable quarters. A grand
banquet was givene at Moore's Ho-
tel, where speeches and tOastinp
ruled the hour until midnight
Tiris was the biggest day CIarks.
vile had ever witnessed, but, Of
course, there were the usual mum.
Der of Observation-Disclosures who were
not hidden to the banquet-wht
made things lively. These formed
themselves into " party called the
Wolverines, and at the next city
election lacked only few votes d
Ousting the entire city government
The road was completed 10 Mem
phis March 20, 1861 only a shorI
time before the fall of Fort Henry
and Fort DonelsOn, and it soon fel
into the hands of the Federal Gov
eminent. The aggregate cost o
the road was about $1,000, 900. Al
/ only proposed to write the ante
bellum history of the road, / vii
not take up your valuable space by
following its universities unde
BrownloW's government, under {
receivership, and its passing out o
existence as a corporation by it,
purchase by the Louisville anC
Nashville railroad. The road was
from its inception, an elephant OF
the hands of the company on acoun
of its ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS miles
Even if the war had not inteferreC
with its running arrangements, j
never would have paid a dollar di
vidend on the amount invested
and for this reason, if for none 9th
er, it was a wise stroke of policy Il
dispose of it to the Louisville ant
Nashville railroad.