Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-03-17
THE NEW RAILROAD.

The railroad spirit is rife in
GAINESVILLE, and it should be. The
apparent necessity of increased rail.
facilities, TO say nothing of the great
advantages that must accrue To this
city from new line running north
and south, brought the people tC
serious thought. This thought has
been turned into enthusiasm by the
fiattering prospect of a speedy con-
struction of such "A railroad as the
people desire. The best business
men of GAINESVILLE consider the
proposition of Major Gordon very
liberal, highly feasible, and requir-
ing only energy and effort to put il
in operation. We join every we'll
wisher of the city in the hope that
the zeal now displayed will be kept
at white heat until the road is built,
and If like ardor is stirred up all
along the line there can be little
doubt of its early completion.
A glance at the map will show
the necessity of railroad through
the section of country that it is
proposed to build this one. All
the way from Mobile to the
Ohio river there is a section of
country as barren of railroads as
was the country through which the
Cincinnati Southern now passes, be-
fore that great thoroughfare was
constructed. The said district is
more devoid of any means of trans
portatIou than was the country now
supplied by the Southwestern ex-
tension of the Chesapeake d Ohio.
The country through which it is
proposed to build this road is richer
in agricultural and mineral re-
sources than that along the lines of
either of the roads mentioned, yet
both of those roads do thriving
business and are self sustaining. 1t
is plainly indicated that the new
road, over which GAINESVILLE is now
excited, will be built some day as a
commercial necessity, if it is not
pushed though now, and the Sc
quence is equally as obvious that it
will be one OF the most important
lines that connect the great lakes
with the Gulf of Mexico. 1t is
line that must attract the attention
of capitalists, and when it becomes
thoroughly agitated and advertised,
it is going to be built even if Clarks
Vile should strive to prevent it.
The section of country which we
have described as so barren of RAIL
roads, lies between the Mobile q
Ohio on the west, and the Pensacola
branch of the Louisville & Nash
vile on the east. This wide and
fertile district has no railroad run
ming north and south. In that part
of Tennessee lying between the
roads mentioned above, north of
the Memphis & Charleston and
south of the Nashville & North
western, there are nine entire
counties not touched by any rail-
road, and a large portion of ten
others in the same lamentable con-
ditiOn.
When the proposed new road is
completed GAINESVILLE will be an
important junction, situated on a
navigable stream, and such an adj
vantageous situation should alone
insure its increased prosperity.
But the great benefits that our city
is to derive from this enterprise |
were fOrcibly pointed out by Judge
Wood in his speech at the Tuesday
night meeting. North of US lie the
coal fields of Kentucky,
and to the south are some of the |
finest mineral lands in America,
in iron ore. The new |
road will bring this wealth of coal
and iron together, and GAINESVILLE
will be the place of meeting. Then
our city may take from Chattanooga
the sobriquet, THE Pittsburg of |
the South" and be known far and /
wide as a manufacturing center. /
This picture is not overdrawn, or in
any way highly chimerical; it is a
legitimate and reasonable expecta-
ton from the building of such a
road.
We have said that when this
road is brought to the attention of
capitalists it will be built, though
should strive to prevent
it. We believe that is true, but
that fact should not encourage apa-
thy on the part Of our people. 1t is
dependant on them to put the ball
n motion; they must agitate and
it. As Hercules told the
liscomfted wagner, "first put
your own shoulder to the wheel"
The Gods help those who help them
elves, and fortune always favOrs
he brave.