Library OF THE University of NortK Carolina THE LINDSAY PATTERSON COLLECTION Given as a memorial by his wife 0-f>3&5- I -A8SL OA-f- £. ATLANTIC, TENNESSEE AND OHIO A- A Bill was introduced before the Legislature of North Carolina, during the session of 1852, for the purpose of chartering the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road company. This road was designed to extend from the Central Rail Road in North Carolina to the State line, upon the Wa- tauga River, in the direction of Jouesborough, Tennessee; and was inten- ded to connect both with Charlotte and Salisbury. Beyond the limits of North Carolina, companies had been already chartered in other States, to provide for the extension of this Road to the Ohio River. In our State, though a naked charter without any appropriation was all that was asked, it was refused, and the bill was defeated. I propose to show that the re- fusal of North Carolina to grant this charter was unjust and unwise. It was argued in favor of refusing the charter, that if the Atlantic, Ten- nessee and Ohio Rail Road were made, the counties through which it would pass would trade over it to Charleston, S. C. and would not trade over the Central Rail Road to the seaports of North Carolina ; and that thus the prosperity of the seaports of North Carolina would be retarded, and the tolls upon the Central Rail Rroad would be diminished, so as to render it less profitable to the State. I hope to show that it is not true, that the construction of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road would retard the prosperity of the seaports of North Carolina, or render the Central Rail Road less profitable to the state. But suppose it to be true, and true for the reason alleged, that the counties through which it would pass would trade over it to Charleston, ami would not trade over the Central Rail Road. Then, would it be just to those counties to refuse them the charter for this reason ? The Ea-t and Centre, in urging this argument upon those counties, are in effect saying to them : " It is plain that the Central Rail Road, which opens to us the natural channel of our trade, and connects us with our own adjacent seaports, is intended for our especial benefit. And it is equally plain to us that it is not intended for your especial benefit; for though the Central Rail Road would connect Salisbury and Charlotte with our own seaports, yet we are forced by our present argument to admit that, if the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road were made, you would trade over that, to Charleston, and would not trade over the Central Rail Road. But, though we wanted the Central Rail Road for our especial benefit, we were unable, or unwill- ing, to bear the burden of constructing more than one-third of it ; and we asked the State to bear the burden of constructing the other two-thirds. " With becoming State pride and patriotism, you generally sustained us ; and consented that, in addition to the other large sums expended in the East and Centre for internal improvements, the State should incur a debt of two million of dollars, in aid of the Central Rail Road, for the payment of which you were to be taxed equally with us. For this we owe you a debt of gratitude, redeemable, not in empty thanks and idle declamation, but in State bonds, issued to aid in the construction of a Rail Road. " But. though this is true, yet if we aid you in the construction of the % Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road ; nay, if we even allow you, un- aided by us, to make it yourselves, you will trade over it to Charleston. Fou would, indeed, do that for your own benefit. Bat what of that! You would cease to trade over the Central Rail Road; and tbus it wou 1 } be- come less profitable to the State. It is true that, as tax-payers, you bear, equally with us, your full share of the burden of this Cei.tral Rail ..toad, intended for our especial benefit. But we want more of you. We wish to prevent you from trading to Charleston, which, we are forced by our argument to admit, is your natural market; and to secure your trade upon the Central Rail Road, to your disadvantage, as we in effect admit, u or- der that, at your expense, its tolls may be increased, and the prosperity of our seaports promoted. " Thus you will not only, as tax-payers, bear your full share of the bur- den of the Central Rail Road, which we admit, by our argument, to have been intended for our especial benefit ; but you will, as toll payer, also, relieve us as much as we can make you, of our part of the btrden By this arrangement we will secure to ourselves the big end of the profit, while you will have to carry the heavy end of the burden. " This is so obvious to our intelligence, and so tempting \o our eup dity, that, although we owe you a debt of gratitude redeemable in a Rail ..load, yet we would not only refuse to aid you in the construction of the Atlan- tic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, if you had the temerity to ask it; but we will deny you even a naked Charter for it. We will not even Let you build your own Road with your own money. We will force you to .rade over the Central Rail Road." Such is the argument, in a different dress, but in substrnce uneha lged. If, in its new dress, its injustice seems somewhat more glaring, it is no more gross. But how can it be true, as urged in this argument agairst the Atlantic, Tennnessee and Ohio Rail Ptoad, that its construction woui.1 tend to divert the trade of those counties through which it would pass, from the Seaboard of North Carolina to the City of Charleston ? Charlotte and Salisbury are already, by means of the Charlotte and Columbia Rail Road and the Cen- tral Rail Road, in connexion with Charleston as well as wibh our own sea- board. The people of the counties through which the Atlautic Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road would pass, already trade to Charlotte and Salisbury, with which it proposes to connect them. Arrived at those points, they find themselves in connexion by Rail Road with Charleston, as well as with our own seaboard, and possessed of the entire liberty of trading with either. If they find it to their interest to trade to the seaboard of North Carolina, they may do so. If on the other hand, they find it to their interest to >ade to Charleston, they may do so. The Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road would nearly enable them to arrive at Salisbury and Charlotte with great- er facility ; but those places would be made no nearer to, or more closely connected with Charleston, and no further from our seaboard than they are now. It is clear, then, that the construction of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road would not tend to divert the trade of the counties th ough which it would pass, from the seaboard of North Carolin to the C.ty of Charleston ; but that its effect, on the contrary, would be raorely to facili- tate the trade of those counties to the towns of Salisbury and Cha: lotte, where they already find themselves in connection by Rail Road both with our own seaboard and with Charleston j connections which have been ef- fected through the previous Legislation of our own State, the one with Charleston, first. it is assumed, as a fundamental principle, in this argument against the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, that ic is injurious to North Car- olina to connect interior portions of the State by Rail Road with seaports in adjacent States, so as to facilitate the trade between them. Is this principle true ? If so, North Carolina owes a heavy debt of gratitude to the opponents of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, for expo-ing an error which has hitherto affected much of her Legislation on the subject of Rail Roads. She Las heretofore chartered the North and South Carolina R. Road, the Raleigh and Columbia II. Road, the Louisville, Cincinnati and Charleston R. Road, the Tennessee River R. Road, the Charleston, Blue Ridge and Chatta- nooga R. Road, &c.} all designed to connect interior portions of the State with Charleston. And she has with equal facility granted Charters for R Roads to be extended across her northern boundary to the seaports of Virginia. If ull this Legislation is erroneous, then truly North Carolina has adhered very blindly to the error of her ways ; until at length the opponents of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Hail Road have enlightened her councils. And if this Legislation is erroneous for the reason alleged, there would •seem to he a similar error of equal magnitude involved in much of the same Legislation^ to wit, the error of permitting rail roads to be extended from the seaports of adjoining States, across our territory, to the interior of oth- er States. It is apparent, for example, that Charleston is endeavoring to extend her rail road connections to the Ohio, and to secure a portion of the vast commerce of the North West. But so much of this commerce as finds its way through the Cumberland Gap, the great gate way of the Cumberland Mountains, in order to reach Charleston by rail road, is now forced for want of a direct rail road through North Carolina, to make an awkard bend towards the South West, and pour its full tide down the val- ley of the East Tennessee and across the wide domain of Georgia. And yet when it was proposed by the Charter of the Charleston, Blue Ridge and Chattanooga Rail Road, to open a more direct channel for the rich tide of this commerce, by the Hiwassee River and Rabun Gap route, North Carolina was blind enough, in the estimation of the opponents of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, to grant the Charter. And when it was proposed, by the Tennessee River Rail Road, to open for this com- merce a channel further East, and still more direct ; North Carolina still grants a Charter. And when the friends of this commerce come still fur- ther East and ask permission to stretch the Louisville, Cincinnati and Charleston Rail Road, by the French Broad route, across a still larger por- tion of our State ; even this does not open the eyes of North Carolina ; and the Charter is granted. It is only when, by the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, this vast and growing commerce at length seeks a transit across the whole width of our State by a route which is by nature the most favorable for the construction of a rail road, is the most direct be- tween Charleston and the Ohio River, and at the same time connects most admirably with our own system of rail roads, and our own seaboards ; that the scales of error at length fall from our eyes, and we suddenly become wise enough, guided by these sage counsellors, to refuse the Charter. The human mind is so constituted, that it would not be unparralled, if some of the many authors and promoters of these various Charters should still contend that the error was not in granting them, but in refusing to grant the Charter of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road. Without carrying further the language of irony, it is surely manifest, from the examples cited, that North Carolina had not, before the refusal to Char- ter fcha Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail R-oad, acted npoo the policy of 4 prohibiting her Sister States from extending their rail road connections in- to and across her territory. Has any such prohibitory policy been adop- ted in the other States ? In the State of New York, a rail road and canal extend from Lake Erie to Albany, commanding the immense commerce of the lakes. Albany is no nearer to the city of New York, than to the rival city of Boston, in the adjoining State of Massachusetts. The State of New York might have prohibited to Boston a connection at Albany with her great Western canal and rail road, and a participation in the vast commerce which pours over them. Pid she avail herself of this power of prohibition? By no means. But on the contrary, she invited Boston, through the breadth of a single county east of the Hudson, to unite herself with Albany, her interior, and the West. A neck of the territory of Pennsylvania extends to lake Erie. New York could not connect herself by rail road with the west without crossing this neck. Does Penns3'lvania, under this strong temptation, a- dopt the prohibitory policy ? No. But, on the contrary, she permits New York to extend her rail road into the west, along the shore of Lake Erie, across the breadth of a single county. Massachusetts is webbed by rail roads running from the seaports of adjoining States. The little state of Connecticut has six rail roads, a navigable river, and a canal, all running from her own seaboard across the whole width of her territory from South to North. Yet she permits two rail roads running between Boston and New York seaports, in adjoining States, to cross the entire length of her territory from East to West, one along her coast, and one through the cen- tre of the State. New Hampshire has connected Portsmouth with Mon- treal by rail road ; and yet permits Maine and Massachusetts, through opposite corners of her territory, to accomplish the same connection. Geor- gia, after a gigantic struggle to reach the Ohio and the North West, yet opens the way across a siugle county on the North East corner of her ter- ritory, that Charleston may streteh a parallel and rival road through the Rabun Gap to the Ohio and the North West. And it would be easy to multiply examples of the same spirit of mutual comity existing throughout the Union. And the mutual prosperity which has invariably flowed from the exercise of this enlightened liberality, proves that the States which are actuated by it are as wise as they are generous. Yet there have sprung up in North Carolina a race of small politicians, who stand up with their eyes shut in all this blaze of light, aud exciaiin, that, if we connect our railroads with the seaports of Virginia and South Carolina, we tap the wealth of the Stace ; we open her arteries, and draw forth the life blood of her prosperity; we draiu her of her treasures, and pour them into the laps of Virginia aud South Carolina; and so forth. But sure- ly the people of North Carolina have intelligence enough to distinguish such light chaff from wheat ; and to know that the benefits o;' commei ce are mu- tual. It requires but little progress in mechanical philosophy, to know that action is accompanied with re-action; and it needs but little knowledge of the laws of political economy, to .comprehend thai the commerce between States is beneficial to each. It might be well, too, for the advocates of this jramj if shutfast, to re- member that it is a game that two can play at. He does not deserve the name of North Carolinian, who does not hope thai we, too, will build up cities on our coast, and extend their commerce, and their rail road connec- tions, over the Union. But how will Beaufort and Wilmington reach the North West and the South West, without crossing the territory of Virginia on the one hand, and of South Carolina on the other? It would seem a waste of time to combat the fallacy of a policy so absurd, if there were not to b» found io North Carolina, many parsons who advocate it. 5 There are also many persons in North Carolina who fall into an error equally fallacious, in believing that it would be disastrous to build rail roads in North Carolina, for the reason that there would not be business upon them enough to sustain them, and that their competition would render unprofitable the roads already made or in progress. And some may have joined in the opposition to the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road from fears of this nature. But to such persons we ask leave respectful^ to sug- gest that they are perhaps behind the times ; they are not posted up in their account of the progress of the age. North Carolina was stunned into a Rip Van Winkle slumber, in the shock of 1837 ; and it may be that these per- sons have not yet shaken off the drowsy influence of that stun. If so, it is hi^h time that they should awake. Let these North Carolinians of little faith look around them, and observe the gigantic strides of rail road enter- prise in the United States, for the last few years. And then let them com- pare the condition, and statistics, and resources of North Carolina, with the condition, and statistics, and resources of the sections where those strides have been made, and are making; and they will learn to entertain a more exalted opinion of the good old North State. Their doubts will begin to disappear; their hopes will grow bright; and they will learn to believe that the euergetid aud devoted patriotism of her sons may yet achieve for North Carolina a future of glorious prosperity. To encourage them in the effort, we will invite their attention to the consideration of a few facts and figures illustrative of the ability of North Carolina to construct and maintain a general system of rail roads. The coast of New England, south of Portland, Maine, is of less extent than the coast of North Carolina. The interior is by nature less produc- tive than the interior of North Carolina. The principal part of the com- merce of this section of course centers at Boston. The commerce with the other seaports upon the coast, to borrow a few phrases from the opposers of the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, besides being overshad- owed by the vicinity of Boston, is tapped and drained, indeed, it might be thought altogether sucked dry, by the system of rail roads ramifying into every part of it from the great commercial emporium of the adjacent State of New York. Yet upGn this portion of the coast of New England alone, besides canals and navigable streams., and in addition to all rail road ter- _mini at the great city of Boston, there are more than twenty-five other ter- mini. Every county in Massachusetts and Connecticut can show within its borders, portions of two. three, four, or more railroads. The American coast of Lake Erie is much less extensive than the coast of North Carolina. Yet their is a rail road along this coast, and nine rail roads and four canals, with their various ramification?, running from this mere lake coast into the interior. Yet it has bean less than thirty years since the first mile of rail road was laid in the United States ; and these vast systems of rail roads, the un- paralleled rapid development ef which is the wonder and glory of the age, were commenced when rail roads were in their infancy and their success an experiment; and when the population, wealth and resources of the States over which they extend, were no greater, in proportion to the extent of their territory, than are the population, wealth and resources of North Carolina. These facts illustrate the creative power of rail roads; and show that, instead of weakening each other, they build up, strengthen and sustain each other. And they prove to a reflecting North Carolinian that we, too, require aud can sustain a system of rail roads which will extend its rami- fications into every portion of the State, and send into her remotest ex- 6 tremities the life-giving flow of eommecial prosperity. If the people of the North and West could do all this, commencing poorer than we are, and in the infancy of rail roads ; why should North Carolina tit upon the stool of do nothing, ringing her hands in despair? We will now compare some of the leading statistics of North Carolina, under the census of 1850, with those of the adjoining States of South Caro- lina, Georgia and Tennessee, which are webbing themselves with rail roads running into every portion of their territory. We v\ ill add Illinois, so near- ly equal to North Carolina in population and area, and now rapidly devel- oping a magnificent system of rail roads. We will also add Missouri, which has lately commenced a general system of rail roads-, and Iowa, infant frontier, and without a large city, a seacoast, or a lake coast, yet already commencing a number of parallel rail roads across her territory. O^CH t-3 < < S3 «'OOro^ £ - M O H C i- zs C ~ — 3 o O w < f -. 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J— 00 CO "o To "on "o CO CO o c> op is © .© ►fc. © CO CO © CO IO © © tO Cn On© 00 _ 5'-'CO -J t- 1 OO ii CO On CC tO CO -J! iO *-■ *~ © JO jO £. © © © h- CO JO *.*». jb- if*. - © Onto'cototn *»©t-iTs) "oo ©CO © ^^©^-.©iccococneo-j ©i C0C3 co OHoauui^e cx^oi co »oe» co 7 In tins taWe, the statistics of the fisheries, and of the turpentine and lumber business, three important sources of the products of North Carolina, in each of which she would surpass all of the States with which she has been compared, are omitted, not being acces-ible to the writer: And .North Carolina is here compared with States, some of which have already ad- vanced far in the work of internal improvement; and have received, in re- turn, the increase made by the creative power of those improvements. Yet, even under these disadvantages, how do the statistics of North Carolina, appear, in comparison with the statistics of those States ? With the smallest territory of any in the number, except South Carolina and Tennessee, she is third in the number of inhabitants; second in the number of acres of improved land ; third in the aggregate value of real and personal estate; third in manufactures; foremost, and most rapidly increasing, in the all important interest of shipping; high above the aver- age in the general result; re.-pectable in every item ; and hindmost in noth- ing, unless it be in the small cost of her government, and the lightness of her state debt. If we study her undeveloped resources, they are magnificent. Her soil is rich; and, being abundantly supplied with well distributed and inex- haustible deposits of rich manures and fertilizers, it is inexhaustible, and capable of the highest cultivation. Her geni-il and comprehen- sive climate produces in perfection the staples of all the other States. Beneath her surface are already discovered exhaustless mines of gold, cop- per, iron and coal. On the slope between her lofty mountains and her seaboard, streams, larger than the Merrimac, flow over rapids where man- utacturing cities may flourish. And their many tributaries in their rapid courses offer thousands of choice cites tor manufacturing towns and villages. At Beaufort, on her coast, is a harbor of the first class, admitted to be the best in the Union south of the Chesapeake, and possessing a rare combina- tion of advantages. Now, how are these States, with which North Carolina compares in sta- tistics so favorably, progressing in the construction of rail roads ? Though they all have extensive inland navigation, they are all in the full career of constructing a general system of rail roads. South Carolina has a success- ful rail road in operation in nearly every district, and is taking steps for the construction of perhaps as many more. Georgia has nearly a thousand miles of rail road in successful operation, and is yet agitating so many more, that her system seems but to have commenced. Tennessee and Illinois are each webbing themselves with mighty systems of rail roads, which, when completed, will extend their ramifications into every county; and the construction of which is rapidly advancing. Missouri has caught the same spirit; and, at the last session of her legislature, voted millions for the construction of rail roads. Even infant Iowa has commenced the work of constructing, across the whole width of her virgin soil, three or four pioneer rail roads, to carry the locomotive in advance of the inarch of civilization. How does the prosperity of North Carolina compare with the prosperity of these rail road m .king States? As the the luxuriant vegetation of na- ture seems dwarfed, when placed by the products of a high cultivation; or as a stately ship, pressing forward with full sails, appears to retrogade, when passed by the more rapid motion of a swift ocean steamer; so North Carolina, though marching forward in her strength, and growing great, seems in comparison with the more rapid progress of her sister States, to recede and dwindle. Yet North Carolina has reason to be proud of her statistics. They prove that, though she may be sleeping, she is a sleeping giant. Though underval- ued at home and derided abroad, yet she is richly endowed by nature with the elements of prosperity; and, by the energy and perseverance of her sons, may yefc be placed side by side with the foremost States in the Union. Who, after comparing the statistics of North Carolina with those of South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri, can auy longer doubt that North Carolina, too, can construct and maintain a general system of rail road's ? Nay, who can doubt that, in this age of progress and enter- prise, when the success of rail roads is no longer a matter of doubt, and when the cost of their construction has been so much reduced, and so great improvements have been made in their operation; and now that the rail roads of North Carolina would be fed and strengthened on eve- ry hand, by their numerous connections with the rail roads of South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia ; and when North Carolina, from her lack of internal navigation, is forced by necessity to build rail roads ; who, in view of all this, can hesitate to believe that North Carolina can sustain, and will certainly construct, a general sy*tem of rail roads ; that the spirit and progress of the age will inevitably force through its construction, in spite of every opposing obstacle'/ Taking it for granted, then, that a general system of rail roads, extend- ing into every part of the State, must and will be constructed in North Carolina, let us now revert to the subject more immediately under our con- sideration, and view the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Kail Road as a part of the general system of rail roads in North Carolina. Were those who opposed the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Railroad, be- cause it was proposed to give it a terminus at Charlotte, aware that Carlotte is nearer to Wilmington, on our own seaboard, than to Charles- ton ? Yet such is the fact. The distance in a straight line from Charlotte to Charleston, would, if drawn in the direction of Wilmington, extend far into the Atlantic ocean. The diiference in the distance by rail road would be still greater, in favor of Wilmington. For the rail road connection be- tween Charlotte and Charleston is crooked and indirect, while the connec- tion between Charlotte and Wilmington would be unusually straight and di- rect. By a fortunate conformation of its natural route, the Wilmington and Manchester Railroad already extends from Wilmington to Whitesville, in Columbus county, on the direct route to Charlotte. And from Wnites- ville to Charlotte, through the tine counties of Robeson, Richmond, Anson, Union and Mecklenburg, there is a direct and very favorable route for a rail road. It is obvious, then, that, in the future development of the rail road sys- tem of North Carolina, one of the first and most important rail roads which will be constructed will be a rail road from Charlotte to Whitesville. This rail road will meet the Central Railroad at right angles, and will connect the most wealthy and prosperous portion of our interior with Wilmington, our most flourishing seaport. And North Carolina may well afford to fos- ter the interests of Wilmington with an affectiouate hand ; for Wilmington deserves well of the State. Wilmington has done more to promote the improvement of North Carolina than all the other towns in the State ; aud, in proportion to her wealth and population, is, without any exception, the most liberal and enterprising city in the Union. Wilmington is not only nearer to Charlotte than Charleston is ; but it is a fact equally significant that Wilmington is nearer to Cincin- nati than Charleston is; and is also nearer to Cincinnati than New York is. The Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Railroad would open a direct com- munication between Wilmington and Cincinnati; so direct, in fact, that it would be called an air line, or bee line rail road between those points. And, while South Carolina is lavishing millions to connect Charleston with 9 Cincinnati, North Carolina, thanks to the opposers of the Atlantic, Tennes- see and Ohio _Rj.il .Road, stands in the attitude of having refused a naked charter to a rail road stretching its whole length directly between Wilming- ton and Cincinnati. It may be supposed by some persons that, although North Carolina is able to sustain a general system of rail roads, yet it would be useless to charter the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Kail .Road, or a rail road from Charlotte to Whitesville, because the particular sections of the State through which they would pass would be unable to sustain a rail road. The state- ment of a few plain facts will be sufficient to refute such a supposition. There are eighty-two counties in North Carolina, the average popula- tion of which is 10,596. The counties of Columbus, Robeson, Richmond, Ansotij Union and Mecklenburg, through which a rail road from Charlotte to Whiter ville would pass, have an average population of 11,000. The counties of Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Catawba, Rowan, Iredell, Alexander, Caldwell and Watauga, through which the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road, including a connection with Salisbury, would pass, have an av- erage population of 9,2.56 ; which, in proportion to their area, is more than the general average of the State, mo.t of those being among the smallest counties in the State. And these counties will be found to compare as fa- vorably with the rest of the State in other statistics as they do in population. In Illinois, the twenty-two counties through which the great Central Rail Road from Galena to Cairo passes, have an average population of on- ly 7,158. It thus appears that the section of the State through which the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road would pass, is superior in population and resources. This section of the State, also, owing to the variety of its soil and climate, exhibits, at each step, varying productions and mutual de- pendencies. The Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Rail Road would unite the tine regions through which it would pass, with their natural outlets upon the coast; would combine harmoniously with the other rail roads of the State ; would penetrate the mountains by the most available pass, and would form the great channel of communication between our seaboard and the North West. In short, it would combine all the great advantages which men propose to attain by the construction of rail roads. Beyond the limits of North Carolina, both in South Carolina and in the West, the liveliest interest is manifested in the success of the Atlantic, Ten- nessee and Ohio Rail Road. Tennessee has made an appropriation, to aid in constructing the portion of it which will be upon her soil, of eight thou- sand dollars per mile. The East Tennessee and Virginia Rail Road com- pany have even gone so far as to cause a reconnoissance to be made of that portion of it, in North Carolina, which lies west of the Blue Ridge. And the very able engineer in their employment has officially reported that it can be constructed at a cost per mile not exceeding that of lha East Tennessee and Virginia Rail Road. From the Central Rail Ro