The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-04
ANTIQUITIES or MARIETTA.
How the State Road Came Near Being Eoca-
ted West of Marietta.

ted West of Marietta.
From the Marietta Ga, Journal.
AS the interest attached to any place CEN
tiers principally in its citizens we shall refer to
such rs our memory recalls. James Anderson
has been referred to as possible the earliest
settler, and may also be called the father of
Marietta. He was man of culture, OF warm
and sympathetic heart, and in a remarkable
degree man OF sound, practical sense. To
him more than any other man, the citizens of
Marietta are indebted for the location. and
the admirable and faultlesS plating OF the flu
turo GEM city of Georgia; and to his ndomita-
bic VIII and perseverance the people owe n
convenience (Which amounts TO treasured
without which the place would forever have
been crippled. We refer to the location OF the
State road. He caused ii 70 be run where it
is at present. He realized with perhaps less
than hali dozen others not only the value OF
transportation TO q town. but tho advantage
of having il convenient There was on the
part Of the property holders of that day
strong feeling against allowing the road 60 run
through the place, imagining that the very
ruin of the town would he the consequence.
1t may be observed that tho citizens Of those
days knew next 10 nothing about railroads
and their fears are not TO be wondered al.
But James Anderson, who, by the way was
Marietta's first post master, was resolved that
this lovely town the very pride of his heart
should not be throttlcd IN its infancy II he
could prevent II. SO he called a meeting of
the citizens and gave them an earnest talk,
Nlt to NlNtklNE WAS UNSATISFACTORY IN met a
failure. He appeared TO be in a hopeless min
GRITTY, In the mean timo the survey was pro
gressng. Tho chief engineer, Long, had
reach tho town ana was awaiting the decision
of the people TO proceed with his work. In
this emergency, Auderion hurriedly called a
second meeting of the citizens, at which Chic
Engineer Long was present and modeStly favor
cd the cause OF the ardent Anderson. Even this
meeting was unsuccessful, but thore WAS some
interest aroused on tho subject and this far
seeing man prevailed upon Long 10 hold the To-
cation oftthe road in allegiance until the peo-
PIE could be allowed n brief space for further
reflection on the subject, and IL was not until
a third meeting, was permission given TO allow
the road - come through the town. But for
the perseverance, of MIR, Anderson the Yves
tern and Atlantic would have been located
about half y mile more or less 70 the west of
the pablo square,
AS we have considered this an important
chapter IA the history Of Marietta, We have
thought proper 10 dwell on II At some length.
Is will be recolected that the people of Cass-
willie did not favor the idea Of having the rail-
road located within their town, and that
once promising place died Of agrophy brought
on hy not knowing a good thing when IL was
offered them, or AZ least within their reach.
Since there We're two James AndcrSons.
highly respected citizens, the one referred TO
here, was The father oi Judge George ID. and
the >raul-la,heT Of ,he Rev William y. An
Gclson.