Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-07-28
THE BEGINNING.
ENTHUSIASTIC INAUGURATION or THE
NEW RAILROAD.
Judge Wood Addresses Large Crowd. and
Amidst the MUSIC OF Brass
Sand ana the cheerIngof
Fba Daaalo

~hS WIN va COnSLK 0CllOu Vi buG
railroad to Princeton was begun
Monday morning at 10 o'clock. The
great enterprise was inaugurated
with very fitting ceremonies, SIM
pie but pleasing, and the initiatory
step was witnessed by large and
enthusiastic crowd. The Mozart
band parading Franklin street was
the announcement of the proceed
ings and then nearly all the business
houses were closed. The crowd fol-
lowed the music to a point between
the river and Spring street, near the
residence of Mr.. Dune Mari. There
under the shade of some large trees,
Mr.. Daniel Gold called the meeting
to order and Judge w. B. Wood, Of
Alabama, was mounted on Mr..
Kincannon's wagon and begun the
following address:
Mr.. President and FelLOtU Citizens
The honor of being invited to be
gurate the work on this great enter
prise by lifting the first shovel of
earth, is distinction which any
man may covet. / appreciate it
because it is the testimony of those
who have been my co-laborers in
this work that / have worked ear
nestly, faithfully, and TO some ex-
tent, successfully in making it the
grand success which we anticipated.
| have never sought military fame,
though served my country from
the first to the last in her struggle
for independence; | have never de-
sired political hOnOrs however
much they are to be coveted, but if
either military renown or political
fame were in my reach, it seems to
me that in either capacity 1 could
not have served my country half so
well as to be instrumental in Origi-
mating and prosecuting to success
full conclusion a great work like
this, which is to add to the wealth
and prosperity of the people of
large section of country, such as /
sincerely hope the building of this
railroad will effect.
On the first of this month two
years ago, at the request of Major
Gordon, the President, Il entered up
on the active canvass of thecOunties
i'm Tennessee and Kentucky through
which the road would pass, with
the object of creating public senti-
ment in its favor and of obtaining
assistance for its construction. AS
was various. In some places the
people were enthusiastic in its ia
vor, at others it was receivld with
doubt, and in Others with decided
opposition. In some localities the
people were willing to help to the
extent of their ability, whilst at
others they refused to give an acre
OF their poorest land. In the month
of October, 1881, according to an
nOUncement, / arrived in the beau
tiful city of GAINESVILLE, an entire
stranger. | had never been here
before / knew but one man living
in the city. had no idea what kind
of a reception you would give me
or my project. / had however an
abiding faith in the great scheme l
advocated, and believed that men
of intelligence and enterprise would
accept il if | could present it to them
in all its grand proportions as the
future will most certainly develop
it. The warm and generous recep-
ton which l received at your hands
the very first time 1 met you in the
Courthouse, and the more than
generous confidence and assistance
which you have manifested toward
the enterprise since, has made me
feel in my heart that there does not
live ON the face of this whole CONT
nent a more intelligent, hOspitable,
enterprising, noble people than are
to be found in the city of ClarkS-
vile. say this not as a mere COM
pliment, but because | feel it, and
because / have abundant evidence
uf it in my frequent intercourse
with you, and because the work we
have met to inaugurate this day is
testimony to the enterprise
and spirit of the people OF
GAINESVILLE. Young ladies and
gentlemen often tell Of TALL
ing in love with each other at
first sight-if as old man as | am
may speak of the tender passion as
animating Il heart which has been
showed under for three-ScOre years,
| will declare to you with all the
ardOr of a lover who bows at the
feet of his adored, that fell in love
with GAINESVILLE and her people at
first sight, and have loved them
more and more from that day to
this. Why, how can man who
has heart under his RIBS help it =?
\ city beautiful for situation, her
men distinguished at home and
abroad for their culture, their pa
triotism, and their public spirit !;
their women, than whom not all
this broad land can boast of a more
refined and beautiful. You must
pardon me for this public declara-
ton of love for your people, but you
have always shown me such high
consideration that l would be less
than a manly man if did not feel
it, and a stole if 1 did not give it
utterance. And / am not the only
one who has been won to give eX-
preston to such feelings of admira-
ton. My worthy chief, the Presi-
dent of this road, on his first visit
here, last March, was constantly
telling me how much he admired
everybody he saw, and how COM
pletely the people had won his adj
miratiOn and confidence. / thought
then that we were in danger of los
ing HIM as a citizen OF Alabama,
and / see now that the danger is in
creasing. Nevertheless we will not
give him up entirely to you. Men
of such enterprise and energy as he,
are too scarce with us, and we need
lis ever restless brain filled with
grand conception of great enter
prises to develop our own immense
but dormant resources.
Fellow CitiZens-It is not the oc-
casiOn for nee to indulge in pros
pectiVe of the future of the South.
For nearly a score of years we have
been buried beneath the ashes of
the destruction which the war and
subsequent events brought upon us.
| am not going to discuss the right
or the wrong of those days and
years of distress and almost abSO-
lutte ruin; | merely mention the
fact that AS people we have been
to the very bottom of financial and
political ruin, but amidst it all the
spirit of despair has never seized