Page:Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia 1849.djvu/22

Rh from him containing the gratifying intelligence, that by extraordinary and almost unparalleled efforts, the faithful and efficient contractors succeeded on the first ultimo, in pushing the heading of the tunnel entirely through the mountain. This achievement, being the first of the kind in the South, will stand as a monument or Georgia enterprise. The mountains have yielded to our industry and perseverance, and the chief obstacle to the accomplishment of this great work, is now overcome. Before your adjournment, the completion of the Road may be looked to with infallible certainty. The entire grading is finished, the track laid within seven miles, or less, of Chattanooga, and the two remaining unfinished bridges so far advanced, as to cause but a few days' delay in laying the rail. This work being finished, the duty will devolve upon you of enacting such laws, constituting an organized and authoritative system, for its government, which this new state of things may, in your judgment require. Heretofore, it has been the policy of Georgia to make the Executive the head and responsible functionary to the people, for the faithful management of your Asylums, your Penitentiary, and lately your Public Works. The accumulation of labor, mental and physical, to say nothing of the responsibility inseparably incident to the increased duties, may, in your estimation, deserve a passing notice. Experience and observation have satisfied me that your Rail Road will be managed with efficiency and impartiality in proportion as you reduce the number with whom responsibility is to be divided. Among the objections to constituting a Board of Directors, may be mentioned the want of unity of action—the total absence of that spirit-moving promptness indispensable to efficiency, and the indolence and inattention to public duties which result from the division of responsibility. Whether it is safe and proper to trust so great an interest in the hands of one man, does not become me to say. It is to be expected that your attention will be directed to the subject, with the hope that it will undergo a thorough investigation, and such change be made for its government as will best advance its interests. Connected with the adjustment of a system for the government of the Western and Atlantic Rail Road, may be considered the propriety of detailing a portion of the convicts, and placing them at Atlanta, or some convenient and suitable point on the Road, for the purpose of manufacturing freight carsy repairing engines, and performing generally such work, as the Road may require. If this suggestion is followed, provision should be made by law for the construction, at the point selected, of suitable buildings for workshops and cells for confinement. While