Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1851-10-24
THOMAS A. FALCoNER, PUBLISHER.


the Circuit Court, of Convention compo-
sed of delegates from the various counties
of North Mississippi interested in the loca-
ton of the road The Convention met, as
you are aware and was numerously atten-
ded, and adopted as the result of its action
an elaborate Report, which was printed in
pamphlet form for distribution, and series
of Resolutions declarative of the views
and purposes of the Convention. The re-
solutions were as follows =
Resotced, 1st. That this Convention is
dissatisfied with the location of the Mem
phis and Charleston Railroad made by the
Board of Directors at Huntsville, on the
. 18th January last, and believe that said
( location is neither in accordance with the
interests of the Stockholders in said Road,
nor with the interests of the great body of
the citizens of North Mississippi
End. That in the judgment of this
Convention, justice has not been done, by
the experimental survey which has been
made of the Southern route, and that it is
important to those interested, and proper
and necessary step, that re- survey should
be made of route conforming to the pro-
visions of the Charter ofthe Holly Springs
Rail Road Company, as soon as practicable,
by a competent and reliable engineer.
3rd. That in order to effect this object,
in the most speedy and satisfactory man
ner, the Commissioners of the Holly Springs
Rail Road Company be requested to open
books for subscription for SO much of the
capital stock of that company as viii raise
a sufficient fund TO defray the expense of a
re-survey, and organize said Company so
as to locate the road upon that survey.
4th. That, if after said re-survey, it shall
be made satisfactorily TO appear, that it is
impracticable to locate the road upon said
route, or that the road will thereby be rem
dered Improbable to the Stock holders by
reason of an increase in distance and cost
over the LaGrange route, without any re-
Eunerating increase of traffic and income
TO the road, then We recommend to the
people of North Mississippi to acquiesce
in the action of the Board of Directors In
the location Of the same.
5th. That if such satisfactory reasons
do not appear for the location of the road
upon the LaGrange route, then we recon-
mend to the counties represeatedIn In this Cor
vention, To insist upon a location of the
road In pursuance of the provisions of the
Mississippi Charter, and that we invoke the
aid of our sister counties in opposing any
change in the provisions of sad charter BY
our Legislature andif any such change
should be made, contrary to our present
expectations, and adverse to our interests,
that We then direct our attention and efforts
towards ehectIng 2 means of transport for
our products to the markets of Mobile and
New Orleans. and withhold, as far as pos
sible our business and patronage from those
who manifest so little sympathy with our
interests, and SO little regard for our pros
perity.
9th. That if the road should be located
upon the Southern route, we believe a We
ry large and liberal subscription for stock
will be made in North Mississippi-partic-
ulsrly in the Counties of Marshall, Tippah,
and Tisherningo; and we hereby pledge
ourselves to use our best efforts to promote
that result, and to secure the certain and
speedy construction of the road
Shortly after the sitting of the Ripley
Convention and before any organization of
the Holly Springs Rail Road Company as
contemplated in the Sd Resolution was eff
fected, further efforts were made by con-
ference and discussion at Memphis and
Holly Springs to bring about satisfactory
adjustment of the controversy, and the re-
suit of the discussion was a conviction in
the minds OF all that in the then, and present
posture of affairs, re-survey of our route
would only involve additional expense,
without in any manner tending to the ac-
Di,eI, of I, Il,
result of that survey might be since. in
consequence Of contract made by the
Board with the old Lagrange Company, it
would be utterly impossible for us to obtain
a Just and fair competition. We were re-
quired to show that we had tfhe nearest
cheapest and best route" and if we failed in
any one of those three requisites, we were
to forfeit all claim to the location. At the
same time, we were given to understand that
the Board had entered into binding con-
tract TO construct the road to LaGrange up
on the old grade, and that in the compare
tive estimate between the two routes, our
route would have to be taxed with the cost of
constructing the road from the point where
it diverged from the old grade east of Mem
phis to LaGrange, a sum amounting per-
haps to some $780, OO0 1t was most ap-
parent, then, that although we might be
able TO meet two of the requisites and pre-
sent the nearest and best route, we could not
at the same time shoulder the contract of
the Board with the LaGrange Company,
and show also the cheapest route
| state the fact upon this point in detail
as learn that it is represented for the pur-
pose of effect, that the offer was made to
us TO locate the road upon the nearest
cheapest and best route, and that we re-
jected the offer, thereby admitting the su-
peTIor advantages of the LAGRANGE route !;
but when the qualification which was ae-
tached to this offer is known, the PROPOSE
ton can deceive no one, and it will be seen at
glance that its acceptance by US would
have betrayed the most consummate folly,
and have been equivalent to an absolute
surrender on our part.
The facts which have above stated, and
which were elected in the discussions refer
red to. were not without their weight upon
unprejudiced minds, and resulted in pre-
dominant feeling in Memphis in our favor as
attested by their public meetings, and the ci-
ty press Another meeting of the Board of
Directors was convened at Florence, Ala
in July last, and encouraged by the popu-
lar indications in favor of our route, anoth-
er effort was made to bring about an ami
cable termination of the contest. A pro-
position was submitted to the Board in be-
half of Marshall and Tippan Counties, and