Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-12-31
RAILROAD TALK.
A Matter Of Paramount Interest

Ed. SOUTH KENTUCKIAN:
At the close of the year, every
thoughtful man casts about him, aud
plans for the incoming year; he nat
urally studies how to aviod the pit
falls and breakers encountered the
year before, and thereby to insure Il
greater degree of success the next.
This he does individually and in re-
lation to his own personal interest,
but how few bestow much thought
upon the general welfare of the COM
munity in which they live? each is
for himself and no body for the whole.
This leads me as citizen of Chris
tian county and interested In the well
fare ofall, to call attention to our
present surroundings, as a communi-
", in regard TO railroad facilities.
We have one and only ons outlet for
all the produce raised in the county.
The L. & N. Railroad runs through
ii and has been and will be as long as
il has no competitor, master of the
situation, and will dictate terms OF
transportation to our people, and 1t
seems determined by all means to
bold our community by the throat
and say"Thus far and no farther shalt
thou gow When a short time ago a
feeble effort was made by our people
TO get an outlet through the c. o. n
$. w. road, all of a sudden General
Echols, its Vice President, is silenced
and no further oyertures are offered.
What's the matter? The l. & n. is
opposed to it and some arrangement
is made by which this much coveted
field is lett TO the mercy of the l. II
N. Again the l., A. & I. was stretch
ing its slow length in the direction OF
Princeton from GAINESVILLE by which
some relief was promised to portion
of our county, and all Of sudden
the l., 4 N. steps in and gobbles 1t up
at heavy cost, and for what? Not
that it is needed as a feeder to the
main stem, but simply TO cut off an
other and only chance for some CON-
petition TO the L. & N. These things
are pointers, and show the value
placed upon our county TO the l.. Il
n. if left as we now are with no Other
outlet and in helpless condition.The
question now is shall we for ever re-
main in this condition or will we
rise up as one man and say-WC
know our rights and interests, and
are determined to devote every spare
dollar to obtaining the relief we need
How shall we get the competition
we so much need is the question
Our answer Is to build road either
narrow or broad guage from Hop
kinsville to Kuttawa on the Cumber,
land River, a distance of about 4C
miles. Here we connect with tn,
Chesapeake Il Ohio and Ohio Valley
roads,and strike the Cumberland riv
err below all the shoals and obstruc
tions, thus giving us connection will
two Independent competing roads
and a river that is navigable all thu
year, besides running through fint
agricultural country. But can thii
be done? We say it can If the peopl,
will arouse themselves and determine
it shall be done. Let every man look
candidly and seriously at the situa'
ton and determine that he will pu
every spare dollar he can raise in the
enterprise, and ii will be completed
within the next twelve months. j
we wait for somebody else to builC
it for us, the next fifty years will
find us in the same fix we are in to
day but let us do like others hav,
done, call upon every man TO come t.
the rescue and help TO free our sec
ton from a grinding monopoly.
We have thrown. out these sugges
tons with the hope of having tn
matter fully discussed. CITIZEN.