Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-05-16

from their own lands and supplying
them with wood, for which they ars
getting satisfactory and renluneratiye
prices.
II WAS a good investment that tbs
State OF Tennessee made when through
the Legislature OF 1s7s-79 she remitted
the taxes of this county for two years
in order to complete cur railroad
which was then about to be abandon
ed. Some of those very pGnctillous
members who voted against 1t might
be relieved OF some OF their squeam-
ishness by observing the picture pre-
sented here to-day and what it was be-
fore we had any railroad. As an
example, in the 9th civil district OF
this county, which was the poorest
| then, and in which the railroad first
entered, the taxable property was but
$4,000: now in that same district the
tax lists show s1S0O70; a half million
dollars has been added to the sources
of revenue within that time and helps
to fill the plethoric Golfers of the State
from this county. This little town
has seen and ieltits influences, and as
result, there is now one OF the incest
and most pleasant brick hotels, large
and of beautiful architecture here that
you can find in any of the small towns
in the State, besides beautiful brick
bank building, which is the First Ma
tional Bank at Centervllle. Numerous
other business houses and private res
licences have been erected since the
impetus of improvement set in from
the building of the N. & I. railroad.
The croaker, and dead-beats first
called it the Narrow & Twisted rail-
road, the Stem Winder and all such
names as these, Just like some oil them
may call the L A. & T. r. r.; they are
afraid to ride on 1t, they say.
One whois not acquainted with the
details of practical work in building
new roads, particularly narrow gtiage,
has but little idea of the obstacles and
difficulties to be encountered in such
Undertakings; everything about 1t, |
assure you, is not aus softly as dream
and pleasant as a holiday" He who
undertakes it should have nerve, de-
termination, perseverance and pluck.
Napoleon would never have crossed
the Alps, and got into the beautiful
plains of Italy. had he been discour
aged by his engineer When he asked
him if the route was practicable and
he replied abarelv practicable.-For-
ward y was his his order, however, and
he accomplished what he undertook.
was much impressed with the
progress which had been made with
your new road 1t opens up one of
the finest countries any one ever saw
almost The undulating and extern
sive fields which are seen upon every
side with the beautiful residences
which are upon them, presents pano-
ramic view hardly to be found else
where, and gives evidence that wealth,
culture, taste and refinement is abun-
dainty to be found in the good old
county of Christian.
This letter is little rambling, but
since | undertook it, rambling busi-
ness matters have interrupted me. As
there is an old saying shat the proof
of the pudding is the chew in the bag
to day send you specimens of the
coal, alcohol, creosote and pig iron,
made under a new patent process, by
the Standard Charcoal Company. I
would ask you to inform our old
friend Gen. w. A. Quarles, of the fact
when it arrives, lest he may lose some
Of mis- well known popularity at home,
by repeating what your humble cor
respondent told him, when last in
your beautiful city N.
Centerville, Tenn, May 8, 1885.