Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-04-22
CHARTER FOR
new RAILROAD
Tennessee, Alabama &
Kentucky System.
LOUISVILLE TO CHATTANOOGA
viii Develop One of the Largest Coal
Areas In the State.

A charter for a new railroad was
filed in Nashville last week, the incor-
porators being Rutledge Smith, o. r.
Holiday, r. L. Farley, J. N. Cox
and s. b. Anderson. Louisville and
Chattanooga are given as the objective
points. b.
The following statement was given
to the Nashville Banner by Rutledge
Smith, promoter of tho.new line
In looking over field for exploita-
tion and development, the rich coal
fields of Van Buren, County, attracted
my attention and gave careful, sys-
tematic study to their merits, with the
result that | became convinced that
this county had perhaps the largest
area Of high grade coal of any county
in the state. There is no railroad in
che county, and the transportation pro-
blem therefore became the first matter
of importance This readily presented
itself in the construction of line
crossing the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis at Sparta, the Tennes-
see Central at Cookeville and to the
Cumberland River at either Gaines
boro or Celina.
II brought to the attention of East
ern capitalists the wonderful possibil-
tiles for developing these great natur-
Aha tbut
of them became interested, and it is
our purpose to have careful and ex'
haustive study made of the extent OF
coal deposits on certain properties now
held for purchase. In the event that
the report is favorable as we have
reason to believe it will be, the Ten
nessee, Alabama and Kentucky Rail
way will be built at once. We have
arranged for preliminary topographic
survey to be made within the next
thirty days by Maj. R. j. Moscrip,
formerly Chief Engineer of the N. &
= Ks, and late OF the Kansas City South
ern. He is one of the best locating en-
gineers in the county and will proba
bly, be the Chief Engineer of the Ten
>~nessee, Alabama & Kentucky"
The Banner further says:
.'From a glance at the names on tn
charter it is readily seen that MI
Smith has also interested some of tn
strongest local men in the enterprise
Mr.. Smith has himself been Cashie
and President of the Peoples Bank
Cookeville; r. L.. Farley is Cashier
the Bank of OOokeyille, which is th
largest state bank in Tennessee outsid
of the four large cities S. B. Andel
son is Cashier of the Bank of Celina
j. N. Cox is General Manager of tn
Gainsboro Telephone Company, an
o. K. Holladay is a lawyer of abilit
and Senator from the Tenth Distric
author of the Holiday prohibition bi
and Vice President of the People
Bank at Cookeville Mr.. Smith wi
be the President and Senator Hollada
General Counsel. The offices will
at Cookeville.
This line will probably strike tn
valley about Pikeville in order to S
cure some of the business of the ne
mines to be opened by the slate Q
Herbert Domain, and perhaps may III
leave the plateau at all but circle ii
head Of the valley and continue dow
\ Walden's ridge and thence on to Cha
tanooga. This will give the much d
sired cross line over the lines of Il
! N. c., &. st. L. Ry, traversing tn
section from southwest to northeas
and give relief from the tight grip
has on the business of the sectio
There is another road planned for tn
section, viz. the electric line fro
Nashville to Chattanooga, which WI
pass up Little Sequachee Cove and pc
haps the incorporators of the Tenne
see, Alabama and Kentucky R'y vi
cooperate with the officials of the Mas
vile q Chattanooga Electric R'y al
secure their right of way, In th
event Sequachee would be the game
and the development so long delay,
would result.