The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-12-01
MILAN, ANNISTON & SAVANNAH
RAILROAD.

Your letter of the 10Th instant is
to hand. Some months since / was
requested by citizens in this and sur
rounding towns to canvass for rail.
way, commencing at Cairo, passing
by way of Mayfeld, Paris, West
Tennessee, thence through Middle
Tennessee, on to Savannah, Ca, by
way of Rome or Admission. 1 declin-
ed to do so, because thought it
would be more practical and much
cheaper to make Milan the initial
point, and would accomplish the pur.
poses of the enterprise by a shorter
line; would pass through more fer
tile region and tap larger fields of iron
ore at cost much less per mile. My
suggestion has now been generally
conceded to be right and the more
practicable. Commencing at Milan,
(makiug the termini Milan. Tenn,
and Savannah. Ga.,) and running
thence southeast, crossing Tennessee
River at Clifton or some point near
there, passing Lawrenceburg, Pulas>
XII, Huntsville, Ala, to Rome Ga,
or Admission, on to Savannah, thus
connecting by direct line the north.
west systems of Railways with the
southeast systems.
The importance of such road is
apparent, as it would cross all the
roads running north and south be-
tween the Mississippi river and the
Atlantic coast, thus placing st. Louis,
Chicago and other cities in direct
communication with Savannah, Ga,
and other Atlantic ports, as well as
those on the Gulf.
This line of railway, if built, would
pass through productive region in
West Tennessee, through the finest
iron fields in the state, lying in Wayne
and Lawrence counties, and through
the most fertile portion of Middle Ten
nessee, reaching in north Alabama
immense deposits of iron and coal.
The advantages to the Illinois Cen
tral road and to the northwestern
cities would be incalculable, and
should invite from those sources, caps
ital and active aid; favoring, as it
would, interchanges of southern and
northern commodities.
At the request of friends to the
enterprise, l visited some of the
northern cities, and in all the CONFER
ences l had with railroad men, they
heartily approved the projected road
as feasible and should be built. The
only obstacle l met was the reluc-
tance of capital to invest in railroads
in Tennessee. on account of the
seeming hostility to that character of
property; but l hope this objection
will be temporary.
Railroads are now built by syndi-
Gates and combinations and their di,
rectiOn mainly determined by com.
mercial cabinet conferences, but the
activity of localities have much to do
with their location. The builders of
railroads like to penetrate rich and
productive regions, and those CONS
munities that favor their construction
and are friendly to them. They are
also pleased to receive all contribu.
tions by way of subscriptions and q
ready surrender of right of way.
From the rich returns The country
receives, it is right it should respond
literally in material aid to induce the
building of railroads.
l thank you most heartily for your
tender of newspaper help" for the
country should be educated up to q
vigorous effort all along the line, and
the newspapers will be a valuable
factor to do this. When the proper