4



Columbia, in South Carolina, and are preparing to place the whole
road under contract, as far as the extreme western limits of the State
of South Carolina, during the present year, and it is also understood
that the road from Knoxville, in the State of Tennessee, will be put
under contract as far as the North Carolina line, througllthe course
of the year, and that out of funds furnished by North and South Car-
olina, the road will be opened with the least possible delay, across
North Carolina, so as to connect Knoxville and Charleston by a di-
rect rail road route, and thus give to East Tennessee a communica-
tion to the Atlantic Ocean, and West Tennessee, a route by rail road
and river communication to Charleston. It should also be borne in
mind, that the High-wassee rail road is now in a state of progress
and will shortly be completed, so as to connect Knoxville and Wegt
Tennessee by that route, with the Atlantic at Savannah, and the
whole interior of Georgia, by and through her rail roads constructed
and being constructed. It should be further borne in mind, that it is
in contemplation, by a lateral or branch rail road, from the main trunk
of the Charleston rail road, to connect that road with the rail road
improvements now being constructed or contemplated by North Car-
olina, that are to connect with those made and making in the State
of Virginia; so that it is bjlieved that the construction of the main
trunk of the road from Knoxville to Charleston, will not only connect
Knoxville, by rail roads, with Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, but
with North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia also. In order
that the reader may more fully comprehend the subject, and what is to
be our condition if we are still idle and do nothing to forward the open-
ing of the road, he should be informed that Georgia has decided upon
constructing, from the city of Savannah, a great rail way westwardly,
so as to strike the Tennessee river where it enters and breaks through
the Cumberland mountains, from whence it is intended to be c06tin-'
ued, by a company or by the States of Alabama and Tennessee, to
the Mississippi, so as to communicate, by that river, with the city of
St. Louis, and the Sates of Illinois and Missouri, as well as the other
western States. It is also understood, that the city of Nashville in-
tends connecting herself, by a rail road to be extended from that city
to the point where the Tennessee river passes the Cumberland moun-
tain, with both the cities of Savannah and Charleston. First, by the
great Georgia rail road, which is to lead directly to Savannah; and
secondly, by the branch from that road which is to pass through Au-