The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1904-07-07
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING
Citizens of Columbus Endorse the Columbus,
Memphis and Pensacola Railroad. Sub
scribe to the Stock and Pledge Their
Support to the Enterprise.

have manifested is any augury at
success then the road iS assured
In response TO the call of the
Progressive Union for meeting
of the citizens of Columbus at
the City Hall last Thursday
evening to hear this enterprise
fol mally presented to the pc ople
of this city a large gathering of
represt ntahve business men and
citizens asst mt,led in the city
II an auditorium. The band was
In att. ndal.ce IL discourse music
and the assembly was character
lied by great enthusiasm for the
cause it represented.
In the al sepce of tie president
of the union The meeting was
called to order by the Secretary,
Mr.. Forrest Runnels. who ex-
planned it's object and purpose.
Nominations for chairman were
called for and Hon. j. T. Gunter
name was presented, his election
being unanimous and he assumed
the chair. Mr. Runnells was
requested to act as secretary.
MavOr Gunter stated that he be-
| lieved it was pretty we'll under
stood what the meeting was for
and he called upon Hon. Newman
Cayce, as president of the road,
to formally present TIE project
to the assembly. Judge Cayce
was greeted by applause as he
assembled the stand, and he i'm
mediately launched into the sub
iect before him.
He began by paying a glowing
tribute to the Progressive Union,
under whose auspices the meet
ing was held, and said it had done
a great work for Columbus in
uniting the sentiment for i'm
proyement and enterprise here
and directing it in channels
where it had accomplished a
great amount of good. He then
addressed himself to the railroad
project stating that this meeting
was for the purpose of bringingit
before the people of Columbus in
a formal way that they might be
apprised of the work which had
been done, the advancement
which had been made and the
prospects for the building of the
line The purpose in doing this
was to inspire confidence in the
undertaking and to ask of the
Colum bus people their endorse
ment of it. Judge Cayce review
ed at some length the advantages
of such a line to Columbus. He
touched upon the great necessity
for relief here from diScrimi-
native rates in freIghts and cited
the great systems which the
building of the Columbus, Mem
phis e Pensacola road would
bring to Columbus. The advan-
tages of the route were pointed
out. the ease with which the new
| line could be constructed was
touched upon and he spoke of the
encouragement and support
which had been extended the
enterprise from the country be-
low us through to Amory OF
the 80 miles of line between this
city and Amory right of way for
over half the distance has been
secured, while of the proposed
line south of US right of way had
been secured for ten or twelve
miles southeast of us on the line
of the old Forrest railroad. A
statement which was surprising
indeed was made by Judge Cayce
to the effect that the grading of
the line from this city to Amory
would not average $4,000 per
mile. After stating that Amory
had agreed to give them right
of way and terminal facilities and
help to secure the right of way
through their county he came to-
the question of the support
which Columbus would be ex-
pected TO give.
Judge Cayce stated that, first.
the directors OF the road desired
the endorsement of the under
taking by the people of Column
bus; that they wished TO secure
subscriptions to the common
stock of the company; that they
desired the Council to give them