The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-07-19
NEW RAILROAD SCHEMES.
Probabilities in Railroad Building
that Materially Affect
Pulaski.

A system of narrow gauge rail
roads for the south, necessarily con-
comitant to the western system that
is reaching down from the north
west towards Laredo and thence in
to Mexico, is one of the near prob
abilities. The suggestions are
about to take the definite shape of
effort, as is evidenced by letters
which we have before US from E.
B. Philips, president OF the Toledo,
Cincinnati q st. Louis r. R. Co.,
j. w. Paramore, president of the
Texas d St. Louis r. R. Co., which
is reaching out its arms until it is
correctly called the "Cotton Belt
Route" and from other railroad
men of prominence. The scheme
directly affects Pulaski. There are
two lines-one from Cairo and the
other from Cincinnati-which will
unite possibly at Pulaski or in Lin
coin county and proceed thence
through Huntsville to Savannah,
Ga. The Toledo, Gin. & st. Louis,
the Texas and st. Louis and the
Illinois Central are to unite and
build a road from Cincinnati to
Huntsville and a road from Cairo to
Huntsville. If the Cairo road
should come to Clifton on the Ten
nessee river and thence by Pulaski,
it could by forming a junction with
the Cincinnati road near Fayette-
vile give US a road to Fayetteville
as well as to Huntsville. The road
from here to Clifton would also be
part of the direct road to Memphis,
thus placing Pulaski in the. cen
ter of web that reaches in direct
est routes in all directions. This
scheme is receiving the attention of
some of the ablest railroad men in
the northwest, as the letters now
before US show. The only ques-
ton is, will the st. Louis & Cairo
road pass through Columbia or Pu-
laski? We are assured that this
route is favored as being more di-
rect, and there are weighty reasons
which we may again refer to as the
scheme takes shape.
The Cincinnati road is about to
be chartered and the system would
give us direct connection with it.
With proper energy and effort on
the part of the counties from Hunts
vile to Clifton would secure the
road. Such link filed in to this
direct and necessary route from the
northwest to the southwest could
not be overlooked by the projec-
tors, and the assistance of these
rich companies is already prom
Used, even if they. do not take the
who'd project under management.
Suggestions have gone so far as to
estimate the cost of grading from
Huntsville to Pulaski at $4,000
and from Pulaski to Cliff
ton at $1SO,0O0. The necessity of
this route is apparent upon meie
glance at the map. The northwest
and southeast are practically walled
apart, and yet their productions
call for closest interchange which
can only be secured by new roads.
This is the moving cause, but there
are local reasons that appeal to our
peoples pockets with a power that
calls for united and steady effort.
This long, rich stretch of country
with its thousands of people is to-
tally without freight competition
and the excess for each year
costs the people from Huntsville to
Clifton more than it will take to |
grade the road. Sit down with
pencil and paper and estimate the
amount of cotton, wheat, corn, cat
tie, fruits, etc, that is shipped off
annually and the freight on this
gross amount to Cincinnati or st. |
Louis, and then take off a third to
a half of this total freight, and it
the actual money saved |
(made) by having a competing line.
This leaves out the thousands saved |
in shipments here for consumption.
Add these together and see if it
will not grade the road in one year.
And then markets are nearer, surer |
and prices better because the lines
are shorter and markets more quick
ly reached. We might multiply |
such arguments indefinitely and |
shall do so at the proper time. The
effort now is to attract sufficient |
interest hitherward to secure the To-
cation of the route. After that we |
ale sure that this country will re-
spond in any necessary way.