The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-02-01
Cincinnati -MuTist0Wn- Charleston,


SPEECH OF OOL. O. G. KING. :
Pursuant to a call in the last Is
sue of THE GAZETTE, Carriger Hall :
was crowded last Thursday after
noon with our best citizens to hear
Col. o. G. King make an address
upon our railroad prospects. lie
had but recently returned from q
visit to the Carolinas in the inter-
est of our projected railroad, and
all classes were anxious to hear what
he had to relate. 1t is impossible
for us to do more than give brief
outline of the address.
The speaker first spoke OF the
town when he became citizen OF
it seven years ago, and then review
ed his early efforts to inaugurate
movement to build a railroad from
Morristown to the coal fields at
Cumberland Gap. In this connec-
tion he referred to the lukewarm-
mass faint-heartedneRs and incredu-
lily of many of our citizens, but
spoke warmly of the earnest, cheer
full and liberal cooperation OF oth-
ers. He then spoke of his concep-
ton of the idea Of making the NOR
ristown and Cumberland Gap road,
a link in a great through line from
Cincinnati and Louisville to the
Soutb Carolina sea coast-Of his la
bors. visits, conferences, and CORE
t snondence to that end. Then ne
f spoke of the recent contract he had
r made with Messrs. Child q Ollver
i to construct the road from Morris
: town to Cumberland Gap, and SAID
e that it was a contract of unparallel'
e ed iberality to the railroad comPa'
d nv and the people of MorristoWr
r and along the line. In this con
o nection he adverted to some OF the
T special features of the contract. ID
s said, however, that while the bring
e ing into juxtaposition the many va
y rieries of iron ore along this line
i with the coal at Cumberland Gap
( was an attractive idea, and wa
n duly considered by the contractors
r vet that was insufficient to Undue
d, the contractors to undertake tn
j, construction of line so costly an
Sc that they only consented to max
t the contract upon the speaker S at
&c surance that he would secure to
y them consolidation OF othe
t. lines affording continuous conne'
t. ton South to the Atlantic sea coas
m He then said, II have redeeme
n that promise; and now it only r.
j. mains for my own people to secul
as the contamination of this gre;
he scheme, by the manifestation OF
IN liberality commensurate with Il
re magnitude of the results that ms
or be expected to flow from it. 1
then said substantially that, In b
Judgment, the building of gre
"a railroad from connections In he
tuekv to the South Carolina coa'
through Cumberland Gap, was
assured fact. The ball had be-
- set in motion and would roll o
p The question now is, shall we RET
anv of the advantages to result fro
: its building? We cannot do I'll
- by sitting still and waiting. U
- people must show their hand. Th'
must reach out and help along t
good time for which they have
~ long been waiting and hoping. 1
,s hoped that now, when prosperity
IT, within our grasp, every citizen wou
do his whole duty, laying down al
bo forgetting all personal difference
is Without public spirit no town G
nd prosper. Let it be understo
NO among us that, "Of him to who
ho much has been given, much will
required" He said that he b
- spent his own money and his til
nd for almost year in perfecting Il
scheme; he may have assumed
90 leadership in the matter; he cot
- assure his friends that his leaderst
,oa had been with an eye single to t
bo interests and prosperity of his toy
and county.
md CHARLESTON AND THE YVES