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Governor's Message |
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Executive Department |
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Tallahassee, November 17, 1862 |
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| Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of
Representatives |
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***** |
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Rail Roads |
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There are no means of transportation more
safe and expeditious than Railroads prudently and wisely conducted,
whether for the purposes of commerce in peace, or for the
concentration of troops, &c., in war. |
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The Rail Road Companies of this State
have been liberally aided by Government patronage. Frequent
complaints, however, have been made, that by mismanagement, they
have failed to afford to the military forces as well as the
citizens, the prompt, safe and expeditious means of transportation,
which of right reasonably have been expected. |
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Assembled from the respective counties of
the respective counties of the State, your honorable body have the
intelligence necessary to determine the justice of these complaints,
and if true, the power to correct the evils complained of. |
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In connection with the military defences
of the State, after mature reflection, I still entertain the opinion
expressed a year ago, that the completion of the Pensacola & Georgia
Rail Road to Chattahoochee, on the river of that name, is a
military, political and commercial necessity. It has been time and
again urged, that it is equally if not more important, to make the
connection at Houston or Monticello, with the
{Savannah,} Albany & Gulf Railroad, leading from Savannah by
Thomasville and Bainbridge to the River. The reasons why I do not
yield to the latter opinion are: |
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First. That if it is a military necessity to connect with
the river, it is a pressing necessity; that to connect with the
Albany & Gulf Rail Road and complete it to the river, a distance of
70 miles has yet to be spanned, while the distance is only 22 miles
from Quincy to Chattahoochee. |
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Second. That the Albany & Gulf Road is liable to
incursions on the part of the enemy, at various points between
Savannah and the proposed points of connection, while the route by
Quincy could only be interrupted at its terminus by a large force
ascending the river, provided the means of defense of the Military
Department should be adequate, which would require a much less force
than would be necessary to protect the various points on the Albany
&Gulf Road, which is much more exposed to the enemy. |
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Third. When at Chattahoochee the road will be extended in
the direction originally designed, and required by the charter and
necessary to the political, commercial and social relations of the
State. |
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Fourth. If the connection should be made with the Albany
& Gulf Road, and it extended to the river, the Pensacola & Georgia
Railroad will be entirely supplanted, and the receipts for
transportation upon it will not equal the expenses which will
necessarily have to be incurred to keep it up, and the consequences
will be ruinous to the stockholders, and to the best interests of
the State, and will demand for the relief of the State, the
forfeiture of all rights to lands which were promised to the Company
upon their good faith and undertaking to complete the road. |
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Already West Florida complains reasonably and rightfully
at the immunities granted to the Road upon conditions not complied
with, and which have debarred the citizens from ownership,
occupation and cultivation of valuable lands. Important parts of
West Florida have not even mail facilities with the Capitol of the
State, except by a route through Georgia, and the only important
political right which the citizens enjoy, is the right of
representation for taxation to support the State Government. The
consequence is, much dissatisfaction and serious complaints, which
end strongly and defiantly to the connection of that portion of the
State, with the State of Alabama. |
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***** |
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I have the honor to be, respectfully, |
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Your fellow citizen, |
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John Milton |
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