The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-02-06
Old Cutoff" Railroad Story Is
Again Being Revived.
Mayfield Reports the Presence Of q
Corps Of Surveyors ia. Prepare
for the Work.
NOTHING AUTHENTIC KNOWN

The time.worn story Of the Illinois
Central "cut.off" from Mayfield to
Calvert City, Gilbertsville. or some
other station above Paducah. cutting
Paducah of the main line and short
ening the route from Louisville to
Memphis 20 or more miles,is being re.
vived. II is not known whether there |
Is any more truth In il now than in
past years, but local officials profess TO
know nothing Of 1t, while the May.
field papers soy that the chief con.
struction engineer Of the road is there
with a corps of men to begin the sur
vey.
1t used to be that whenever the rail
road wanted anything in Paducah, it
simply sent out few surveyors to sur.
vey the "cut-off" and Psduch prompt.
ly gave it what it wanted. Many
railroad men have long believed, how.
ever, that sooner or later the cutoff
will be built in order to save time anc
cradle the Illinois Central to better
compete with the other big roads.
Yesterdays Mayfeld Messenger says
Of the matter:
"Mr. f. Kehner, chief engineer of
the construction department of the H.
linois Central railroad system, is here
with a gang Of hands to begin the sur.
vey of the cutoff line from Mayflela
TO Gilbertsville, on the Illinois Cen.
trail at the Tennessee river bridge in
Marshall county. Tney will survey
an air line route from here to Gil
bertsville. The distance is 2s miles,
which will shorten the route about 20
miles-a saving in time to the fast
trains, including the stop at Paducah,
Of about 80 minutes, which will give
the |. q. big advantage over the L.
and N, which can now reach New Or.
leans with the fast mail and express
from the east, from three TO ten min
utes sooner than the /. O. in spite of
her fast trains.
"This cutoff Of 20 miles will put
her fast mail in New Orleans at least
25 minutes before the l.. .nd N.
This new line will be built this
summer. as it is stated that work will
begin at once and pushed right along.
IAN air line from here to Gilberts-
willie will leave Clear Springs to the
left, and pass directly through Oak
Level. crossing the N, O. and St. l..
at Fristoe and cross the range OF hills
on the other side of Clark's river
west Of the Salyer hills and on by
KOBE, a postotfice on the Briensburg
and Paducah road, leaving Palma two
miles to the left, on through the breaks
of Tennessee river TO Gilbertsville.
This road will pass through fine sec
tion Of both Marshall and Graves
counties. 1t will leave Benton about
three miles south of the line and Bri.
ensburg will also be left about the
same distance to the south. IL will
greatly develop many sections of these
counties that need 1t, passing through
some Of tho best timbered and most
fertile lands to be found in them.
at only requires q look at the msp
to see the great saving in time this
cutoff will save to the railroad COM
pany in running its fast mail and pas
songsr trains. It's true il will cut Pa
duoah Off aud make her only way
station, but the vast amount Of passen-
ger, mail and freight business done
these days, require more direct
route, and in order to secure this, it
is necessary TO leave her by the way
side.
"The building Of this new road will
cause two or three new towns to spring
up that will soon become good bust
ness points. Clear Springs will, of
course, move TO the new line, Oak
Level will soon improve and make a
good town, FIistoe or lola will pick
up, but will never amount to much as
a business point.
"There will BE- station about where
Kobe now stands which will almost
destroy Palma and Briensburg as bust
ness points.
There may be another station be-
tween Kobe and Gilbertsville, but 1t
will not amount to much.
"Mayrield will then be the main
business point between Louisville and
Memphis. This will greatly benefit