Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-06-26
A GOOD ROUTE FORA NEW RAILROAD.

railroad prolect, has peen AlklnB 10 re-
porters OF Memphis and Nashville pa
pers concerning this enterprise and has
pointed out that it is bigger thing than
1T is generally known to be.
Col Gates says the capitalists who
are backing the Ohio Valley route, con-
template an extensive system Of roads
that will reach out in several directions
and ramiiy, as it were, the entire South
The main stem OF the road, as at pres
ent projected, is from Henderson on
the Ohio river, to Jackson Tenn.
From thence Col. Gates thinks the road
viii push on through Memphis to the
far Southwest.
Another connection which he con-
templates, and which is material to this
section, is branch to Birmingham and
probably to the gulf. This branch he
says, will go from Princeton, KY,
through GAINESVILLE, or from Jackson,
Tenn, via. Sheffield, Ala. Col. Gates
very naturally inclines to the Jackson
route, but alleges nothing better in its
behalf than easy grades. To our way
OF looking at things, the GAINESVILLE
route would be incomparably better.
Col. Gates may be talking for effect;
it is his business to work up the Ohio
Valley railroad and the bigger thing he
can make it appear, the more enthusi-
asm he can awaken in its behalf.
But while we take his interviews cum
grano, it is a fact that the Ohio Valley
railroad is being built from Henderson
to Jackson and that it is backed by men
with money. This fact is important
enough to make it worth the while OF
GAINESVILLE to press on the projectors Of
the enterprise the advantages of a
Southern extension through this city.
There is no better place for railroad
on the map OF the United States, than
from Henderson to Pensacola, through
Clarksville, Sheffield and Birmingham.
1t would make almost bee line, and
the shortest possible route from the
lakes to the gulf, from Chicago to Pen
sacola. 1t would penetrate the very
heart Of the Southern coal and iron re-
gion, from beginning to end, besides
passing through some very fine agri
cultural sections.
After leaving the Kentucky coal fields
it would pass through mineral lands al
the way South from GAINESVILLE to Biz
mingham.
At Pensacola it would strike the
finest harbor on the gulf coast. Tina
city is more than anxious for roat
giving it cheap rates and direct connec
ton with the Alabama coal country
When it has such transportation fscili
ties it will become coaling station o
no small Importance, as steamships O
any size can easily anchor in its harbor
The present lumber trade OF Pensacol
is also big thing to be considered.
A very important feeder for such
road would be the GAINESVILLE Tobacco
market, which now ranks second onl
to that of Louisville. 1t is a REASONABLE
calculation that the shipments of tc
bacco from this place this year and il
all future years will be from So, 1000
10000 hhds.
The grain Of Kentucky and the cot
ton Of lower Alabama, would both ad
to the business the road would do.
The iron lands in Tennessee that tn
road would pass through, are not altc
gether undeveloped. The CHAMBERLAIN
furnace only twenty miles South {
GAINESVILLE is in successful and profit
BILE operation and the same can be sal
Of the Warner furnace and sever
others South OF Dickson station.
A considerable portion of the lir
over which it is proposed to build tn
road, is already occupied by short roac
that could be absorbed and utilized
the through route and the expense
construction thus cheapened. We ref,
to the narrow gauge road running fro
this place 80 miles north, the one fro
Dickson Station so miles South and Il
partially completed road from Sheffie
to Birmingham.
The proposed railroad would NAL
rectangular connection with sever
other important lines and rivers. !
Sheffield it would have easy access |
rail and river to Chattanooga. II
nearest competing lateral lines won
be the Montgomery division of the
& n. on the East and the Mobile
Ohio on the West. The l.. & N. Won
be the most active competitor, the on
one, in fact, worth considering, but Il
new road would have the advantage
penetrating the mineral lands of Nor
Alabama and Tennessee which the