The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-10-22
As We SEQ It.

WY was ~ llNA ilitl ildlulN (HlCICu
upon the prospcrities lhat the building
of the road brought to them, when the
war came on, Then every industry was
PROSTATE, their Gro were consumed,
their fields lid waste, they were stript
of their personal property and if they
had made any money it was utterly
worthless The war lasted four long
years and it required four years longer
for the people to get on their feet, One
half of this time actual loss and
universal havoc, and the other half no
gain and no recuperation, Not a
cent OF the principal OF the railroad
debt paid and the Interest running up
into the thousands. There was no
help for it, no immediate relief from
the burden. The people we've impoy-
ershed and beggared, and plenty, like
all the other comforts CT peace, disap-
peared before the desolating march
and clash of contending armies. With
out factories, the only source OF IN
come was the agricultural industry,
Farming stock could hardly be OBJ
tained With unfenced farms and
empty barns the people were under
the lash of relentless necessity. They
had to begin at tie stump and build
anew. They Went to work with Il con
quering hopeiullness and determine
ton. Rest had brought to the soil a
fruitful store of new forces and ener-
gies. Providence sent propitious
seasons, and abundant haryests re-
warded the laborers. The processes of
recuperation went IN slowly, but stead
lily and surely, until the people were
enabled to live in comfort, pay their
debts and taxes, and have a
snug little surplus left. BY selling
their railroad stock, from which they
realized $37 800 they plid the last do
lar, principal and interest, Of their
subscription to the East Tennessee
system, The hardships and priya-
tons are all over, the cruel pinch is in
the past, and what was once Il serious
depicting outgo is now a most conyo
nient and comfortable income. This
is the history in brief of the suffer
ings and deprivations, the worriments
and tolls of our people in paying theil
subscription.
1t should be also remembered thai
the sum of $4,000 at the time that this
amount was subscribed was at least
equal to 100000 at this time; thai
forty years ago the means of making
money were exceedingly limited; anC
that at the present time we have many
sources Of revenue and that they vii
be enormously multiplied when oul
development begins on a gigantic
scale, as sure as it will, upon the build
ing of our uncompleted and projected
lines We have only discovered "thC
BLOSSOM" we have only touched tht
vein of our wealth, while its i'm
measurable store-house, hidden in thu
field, mountain, forest and stream
has never as yet felt the magic toucl
OF ca.ital and industry. Yet the won
drous revelation will come, in spite O
adversely ard disadvantage, and come
too, with a momentum of moral ant
financial forces that no human agencie
can resist, just as sure as the God whit
placed these treasures within on
grasp and keeping intended them 70
our benefit and the blessing Of tn
: world
Long, long since We got full re
turn for all the aid we gave the Eas
Tennessee systc.A IS Daniel Boon
"blazed the way" through the tangle
wilderness of this region of a centur
ago for the onward march Of civiliza
ton to the empires of West, so tn
East Tennessee system is the pionee
of those combinations of energy, ski
and capital which have built on
towns, factories, furnaces, machin
shops and other railroads, and whic
are destined to conquer all obstacle
and impediments and make our sec
ton the fairest and wealthest part {
the Union. The East Tennessee syl
tenn may be an aggregation OF all tn
evils and wrongs that its bitteres
enemies curse it for, yet th
solid fact will ever remain mistake
and uncontradicted that it is the CT
during base Of all we are and have an
of all we can hope to be and have i
the future.
Indeed we have been repaid for a
the sufferings, annoyances, exasper
tions and spoliations we have exper
enced On its account.
The late DR.. Samuel B. Cunning
-. IL .,ro,; .ln,,t II IL H. r.,