From the Clarksville Chronicle
{Clarksville, Ten.} |
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February 15, 1861 |
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One of the advantages
resulting from railroads to towns and cities through which they pass, is
that they afford employment to hundreds of laborers and artisans, in
keeping the road in repair, building and mending machinery, &c. It has
always been hoped that Clarksville would be benefitted thus by our road
{Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville RR},
but, so far, we have not to any great extent -- that is since the road
was finished about here. |
The great desideratum now for
the benefit of Clarksville is the establishment of a machine shop at
this point. It would bring into our midst a large number of mechanic who
would become permanent citizens, and would not only retain to this
community thousands of dollars annually that are now sent away to pay
for work brought here, but would bring thousands here from elsewhere to
pay for work done here. Clarksville is an admirable point for such an
establishment, too Fuel, even now, can be had moderately cheap, and the
furnaces and rolling-mill within two hours travel by the railroad, and
four or five only by river, afford as good iron as there is in the
world. Besides, we have here already an iron and brass foundry that can
do any work in those metals and turn out any kind of castings necessary
to railroad equipment; so that we need only now the establishment of a
shop for the wood-work, in order to make here everything needed in
supplying and keeping up the rolling-stock of our road Messrs.
Whitfield, Bradley & Co. proprietors of our foundry, deserve much credit
for their enterprise in establishing and sustaining it here. They are
now doing full work notwithstanding the hard times, and are turning out
daily most excellent work of all kinds, from plain dog-irons to complete
steam engines. |
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