The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-02-08


railroad prospects, now encouraging
to a degree not before e&periencsd
in her history. For--these years
we have talked and dreamed OF
n brighter day for our town and
longed 20 see the moment when our
most ardent hopes would be realiz-
ed. r.uu
The conception of railroad from
here to Cumberland Gap Is by. no
means a new one. 1t has been,
talked about for over halfa century.
More than fifty years ago a ailFoad'
convention was held in the dcfty OF
Knoxville, the subject of which was
to ascertain If there was not feast
bic route through some gap Of the
Blue Ridge and the Cumberland
range that would place number OF
the great barbors of the Atlantic
coast in communication with the
northern and northwestern sections
of the Union. 1t was largely at
tended by the representative mon
especially of Tennessee and South
Carolina. That distinguished states
man and pure patriot, John G. Cal
houn, was a delegate and rode
through the mountains of Western
North Carolina all the way.to Knox
vile. $3.50 tairHrEl s'-
Two routes were indicated by that
body through the Blue Ridge and
only one through the Cumberland
range. One was known as the Ra-
bun Gap route and the other ria
Asheville, n. G. There was no di-
vision of sentiment as to the route
through the Cumberland mountains
Cumberland Gap. All agreed
that that was the great outlet to the
north and northwest. ut was then
as it has been for many years past
Kentucky's highway o'the South
ern belt of States, particularly North
Caroline, South Carolina and GeOr-
gia. Over it passed her herds o.
cattle, her focks Of sheep and her
droves of hogs, mules and horses
Coming through Cumberland Gap
it crossed Clinch mountain, passed
by Beams Station, by MOrristown,
up the French Broad river, on to
Asheville and from thence into
North Carolina, South Carolina, &c.
No other route was then mentioned
or thought of through the Cumber
land mountains Other routes have
since been spoken Of and two have
been made available-the one thro'
which the Knoxville and Ohio ex-
tension will soon pass and the one
now used by the Cincinnati South
ern. ... q. s.
These trunks, while they are i'm
portant and are doing much to de-
velop and make available the re-
sources of the sections they drain,
do not afford as short and direct a
line of travel to the "cotton belt as
the projected route through the
Cumberland Gap by way of Morris
town. When completed, as it will
be, and its Southern connexions are
secured, it will become, unquestion-
ably, the cheapest, the most desira
bic and the most prosperous rail
way running north and south.
o. c. King, Esq, has already in
formed the public that he has eff
fected the consolidation of various
roads in South Carolina. This he
found necessary in order to consum-
mate a scheme of vast Importance,
that of securing q contract with
wealthy New York syndicate that
would not build the Cumberland
road unless they could get the con
tract of the entire line from Aiken,
S. c., to Cumberland Gap. Col.
King was successful in this bold IN
dertaking and has, in our judgment
reached the marrow in the bone 1t
was playing the winning card. He
played it well, which evinced his
sagacity, tact and skill. By this
skillful stroke of policy and success
full management, he has placed the
great enterprise in question in
safe position. We think there cab
be no doubt of this and, therefore,
confidently expect and believe that
it is only a question of time as to
the construction of the Cumberland /
Gap road
One word more. We do not, OF
course, assert it upon authority
when we say that, unless Morris
town at least grants the right of
way through her streets and do
Mates depot grounds, there may be
'ome danger Of the projected road
passing some four or five miles east
IF her. We have only heard Of a |
lint to this effect which it would be
veil to watch. 4
Mmmmmmamm@anrzzmMm<ammm@m
Alexander III. Stephens, who has
ust completed his History of the
United States" is reported to have
aid recently that after n, careful es-