| From the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph |
| |
| October 27, 1860 |
| |
| From the Hawkinsville Times |
| Railroad Meeting and Barbacue |
| A large number of citizens of
Pulaski, Houston, Wilcox, Dooly and Telfair counties assembled in
Hawkinsville, Wednesday, Oct. the 17th, for the purpose of hearing the
addresses upon the subject of building a Branch Road from this point to
the Macon & Brunswick Road. The meeting was an enthusiastic one, and
remarkably orderly and well behaved, and the result of the meeting quite
satisfactory. |
| Judge Cochrane gave us a most
excellent address, taking up and combatting successfully as we think all
the objections that have been or can be urged to the building of the
road, and presenting the advantages to be derived from it in a very
clear and happy manner. He had an attentive audience, and we know all
were well pleased with his plan, and practical handling of the subject. |
| Judge Cochrane says the Macon
& Brunswick Road would willingly build the Branch Road but have not the
funds to do so, and that the policy of the road is to build no further
than they can pay for. They however offer us most liberal inducements to
assist them in the enterprise, making the stock that we subscribe to the
Branch Road a part of the general stock, and entitled to a share of the
general dividend should the road declare any, upon being built, and
giving us in addition, from fourteen months to two years advantage
subscription, ie from 16 to 17 per cent upon dividends of the Road.
These terms are certainly most liberal ones, and we ought heartily
to respond to them. |
| Judge Cochran in his address
paid the citizens of Hawkinsville a high compliment upon their liberal
subscription, and says that if the people of different sections will
only do as well in proportion to the interest they have, or should have
in the road, that much more than the requisite amount for its full
completion will readily be raised. |
| Hawkinsville has certainly a
large interest in the Road and should subscribe liberally, for it will
be a point to which the cotton not only of Pulaski will come, but also a
large portion of Houston, Dooly, and Wilcox will make it their market,
and we will find the annual receipts of cotton falling not short of
25,000 bales within one year after the road is in operation. |
| The Macon & Brunswick Road
presents many advantages that justly entitles it to a favorable
reception by the people of this section, and it should receive from them
a warm support. It will cost less than the Central Road, and can
therefore transport goods for less, or for same rates; it can do with
three Engines as much as the Central Road can with four, and the route
from Macon to Savannah upon the completion of the Road will be five
miles nearer than the Central Road. It runs through one of the finest
pine sections in the world, and thus throws an important item upon the
market, it has a fair chance to compete successfully with the Central
Road for the transportation of freight, passengers, &c., and the road
terminate at a point which have all the advantages necessary to make it
a great commercial town. |
| Judge Cochrane reviewed in a
very able manner and at length the prospects of the business of the road
and says he has no doubt of its ultimate success. Has taken stock in it
himself, and is willing to back his judgment with his money, feeling
confident that it is judiciously invested. Judge Cochrane concluded with
an appeal to the citizens present to "go and do likewise." |
| Col. Samuel T. Bailey, of
Macon, was next introduced, and we were again favored with an excellent
address. Col. Bailey heartily endorsed all that Judge Cochrane had said,
and expressed himself to be a warm advocate of the Macon & Brunswick
Road. He presented the advantages and claims of Brunswick as a sea-port
town in a very pleasant and interesting manner, and compared its fine
harbor with the mud flats of Savannah, showing its marked superiority.
Col. Bailey thinks the Macon & Brunswick Road will be one of the best
paying roads in Georgia, and that stock taken in it will pay a fine
premium immediately upon the road's reaching Brunswick, and feels
confident that it will be completed at no far distant date. |
| At the conclusion of Col.
Bailey's address, those desirous and willing to take stock in the road
were requested to come forward and subscribe their names. Stock to the
amount of five thousand dollars was taken in less than half an hour, and
there is a fine prospect that this sum will be increased to ten thousand
dollars, as others that did not then subscribe have subsequently
promised so to do. The total amount of Stock now taken will not fall far
short of one hundred and ten thousand dollars. With this sum, Judge
Cochrane proposes entering upon the work, and will commence the survey
of the route in a few weeks. More money is still needed but it is
confidently expected that it can be raised without much difficulty. |
|