The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-02-07
STATE MAY BUILD A LINE FROM Pc
TROS TO OLIVER SPRINGS.
This Would Solve the Coal Car Shortage at
the State Mines Enhance the Value of
the Stainls prnnnrfv and Girn lnn.

NV UNIV y AuPNAAJ HhN WV NVh J
neCtiOn with Three Railroads.
A solution has been proposed for the
car shortage problem at Petros, where
are located the state mines, which may
meet with favor at the hands of the /
present legislature. 1t is in substance
that the convicts now kept at Petros,
and who are idle because of the car
famine, should be put to grading line
of road to run from Petros to Oliver
Springs, there to connect with the
Louisville e. Nashville and the South
ern railways. This road, it has been
suggested, should be under the control
of the state and would afford market
in the Carolinas for the state coal or an
opportunity to reach points on either
the L. N. or the Southern in the
southeast, which they are now largely
prevented from reaching.
A. II. Wood, of Hartman, who an.
peared before the committee of the leg
isJature in the investigation of the car
shortage at the state mines, is credited
with suggesting the above plan for the
employment of the convicts, and it is
stated that it is meeting with favor. An
interview with Mr.. Woods, which has
appeared in the Nashville American on
this subject, is as follows:
"The state mines, as well as the in
, dependent operators, have been dam
) aged great many thousand dollars
within the past year by the failure of
the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas
Pacific to perform its plain duty. 1t is
evident that some relief must be had.
3 Two plans are suggested, both of which
, can probably be carried out to advant-
age. First, it is proposed that the state
q grade line of railroad from Petros to
q Oliver Springs, eleven miles distant,
f where connection can oe had with both
q the Louisville & Nashville and South
q ern railway systems. This line has
"a been surveyed, is practical, can be built
with the convicts while idle, due to the
shortage Of cars, and will make the
# states property at Petros worth $500,
re 900 more than it is now. Besides, the
70 road will pay good interest on the mo
m ney, and put the states property a
:. Petros, which is now estimated at beins
i. worth in excess of 81, 200, 900, in an in
dependent position, giving it connec
ton with three lines of railroad.
. The second plan proposed is til
v construction of line of railroad fron
III the Nashville, Chattanooga II st. Loui
u railroad to the Herbert Domain, so a
a' to develop this property recently pur
nc chased by the state. 1t will of cours
n0 require number of months approx
10 mating two years before the Herbe1
au Domain can he brought in as produC
W ing mine of much capacity. The cor
le' struction of railroad, building of pris
'ss ons, developing of the mine, all COZ
NJ sumo much time, as is we'll known
ga mining men. The work should b
Oh provided for at this session of the les
ne islature, and the work undertaken
he the spring. This plan would max
III possible the employment of all tt
ablebodied short term convicts of tt
state at the two mining plants at til
~ Herbert Domain and at Petros at tt
expiration of present contracts with ii
p, main prison contractors, which expil
in March, 1909. Operation of thet
~ two mining plants under favorab
= conditions should give the state larg
90 net revenue and would enable them
addition to supply all the state lnstit1
40 tons with their own coal.
70 "The serious mistake that was mac
w in not buying, the Hartman Northeas
~ ern railroad when the state first deve
'0I oped the mines at Petros is now full
NN realized, and there is but one methC
of correcting this mistake so as
n,7 maintain and enhance the value an
earning capacity of, that large and va
9" liable plant, and that is to build IL
W line to be under their complete contr
"' to connect with the Southern and tt
= Louisville aud Nashville systems
Oliver Springs. This would also ope
to this state the markets of the Carol
mas, which are now closed to them, an
in addition thereto would enable the
20 to market coal in East Tennessee. 4
y present the state can not deliver co.
- to any point in Tennessee except @
no the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texs
Pacific from Hartman to Chattanooga
90 1t can not deliver coal to any state il
~ stitution owing to adverse rates M
In
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