Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-30
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
mEMW nW~ETE

MON MOAAhaAA 4b1N " DNAANf rEfN
site Columbus, Ky.-thus making that
route the great through-line from st.
Iouis to New Orleans and Mobile.
should this project succeed, and all other
projects fail, its influence would be,
undoubtedly, 20 make of Memphis a
very secondary distributing point for
the exchange Of the productions Of the
great orth-W est for those Of the extreme
South and Southeast, and would, by di-
verting the stream Of travel TO a line
some fifty or ninety miles east Of her,
very considerably damage her future as
one of the great points in the Mississippi
Valley.
But. luckily, there are other projects
besides this, which have within them all
the elements Of vitality and success. The
extension Of the Iron Mountain road
through Northeastern Arkansas, to
Hopefeld, opposite Memphis, is one Of
them: while the p~rolongation of a de-
pendancy Of the same ~thoroughfare down
Crawley's Ridge 10 Helena, with a posi-
BE intersection Of its extension through
the bottom on the east side of the Missis-
sippi River, with the New Orleans or the
Mississippi Central, is another. Both
had existence before the war; but it Is
only Of the frst-the HOpefeld or Mem
pbis extensioE-that We propose now TO
speak.
Before the breaking out Of the late
Civil War, this project hsd been matured
into consistency and substance by-if we
mistake not-the grant Of a charter by
the State Of Arkansas, the preliminary
examination and, probably, survey Of
the route, and the pledge Of a very large
amount Of the stOck-interest necessary
70 build il. The intervention Ofthe war,
however, put a stop to all efforts for its
prosecution. Some Of those who were
concerned in il, have gone to their long
account, while others who were, and
would have Been most efficient promoters
Of il, have been whelmed in the
common ruin which has overtaken
the participants in the late unsuc-
cessful attempt at revolution. The
projected enterprise, however, still awaits
prosecution by other more fortunate en-
ergies.-preseuting the same attractions,
The same advantages, urged by the same
necessities common to Memphis and st.
Louis. Theseattractions, these advanta-
ges, thisnecessity consist in the tactthat it
Is the nearest 10 an absolute airline route
Of railroad transit between St Louis and
New Orleans, and that it runs through a
region e which travel will not be
subject TO interruption from any Of the
ordinary vieissitudes Of the seasons. To
81. Louis the completion Of this line of
railroad il the most desirable Of results,
because il isthe shortest within her reach;
while to Memphis Il is a positive neces-
Sitv, not Of her preservation and progress,
but for that rapid f%uifilReat Of
her destiny which it is within the power
Of her people 70 decree She shall accom-
plish, without any stay or hindrance
from rival interests, or from Jealous ami
mosities. The effort making u other
quarters 10 extend the Iron Mountain
rosd 70 Columbus. and so TO divert the
stream OF trade and travel from the
North-W W to New OrieansfO the Mobile
and Ohio, and the MississiPPa Central
roads, instead Of passing through Mem
phis, makes it imperativeIy necessary +.
that her citizens should be up and doing
To eheck-mate this movement, by a pros
eo1tiOn Of the .HOpedeld extension with
corresponding energy. II n a necessity
OF our position, Influenced, as il is, by
these outside and Unfriendly rival in
zerests.
And this leads us TO say a few words
upon the subject Of Railroad Influences, /
and the ~jealousies which are awakened
by them. Rivalries between competing
routes, far from deserving 70 be depre-
Gated, should be, in the inteEeS Of the
country and the people at large, encour-
aged. These railroads are the mostpotent
agencies Of modern civilization. They /
are, indeed, the sum Of all civilization, /
which does and did consist, essentially, /
in the iRtercgEmunication Of the differ
LTlDEH anu LAENN % A4N cal III int bAE Il
with the other, thus generating, in the
interchange of ideas, progress sgd devel-
opment Of latent capabilities. The rail-
road, being the most perfect means
Of ion-e0ncentratin
in a few days OF hours the toll
some efforts Of years, heretofore, and in
creasing the capabilities ofhuman action
many foh-has been seized upon by the
genius Of modern enterprise as the most
powerful agency known 10 society,
through which 20 build up great
centers Of trade. 10 the selfish
ness and shOrt-sightedness Of hui
man nature, this powerful agency is
often brought into play by passions Of
ant&gonism-those who employ it imag-
lining hey are luilding up themselves At
the expense Of their neighbors or rivals.
But the truth is, thatthere is, and there
can be no real a~utagonism in that which
is, in its very nature, generative and CO.
operative. Let US illustrate - +,
The prolongation Of the Mobile and {
Ohio railroad through ennessee was, in I
iisputably, greatly promoted 10y a feel &
.ng, on the part Of those who were most {
Instrumental in prosecuting il TO success, ,
of hostility 20 Memphis. Our jackson
taking umbrage because the
Memphis aud Charleston road was not de-
OF 10 that very pleasant town, I
readily embraced a project which offered
them Mobile on one Land, and the whole q
ooundiess North on the other. In the I
heat OF the enterprise, our Madison q
county friends were firmly persuaded S
that, in building the Mobile and Ohio o
road, they were striking a death blow At \
Memphis; and ii wa difficult 10 m.la /;
them believe that Memphis was mot in /,
deadly hostility to the project The =
thoughtful mind Of Memphis WAS aotl \
hostile 20 this enterprise, for il knew that h
3 certain per cent. Of the increased trade o
which the Railroad would develope \
would come 70 Memphis, and be 50 much n
slear gain; but 81 awakened Memphis to r
he perception Of the eoaateracting in 4
auences il was necessary for her 10 en- I
Dlov-and 30, out Of this imaginary an r
.agonism of interests, was generated and
BORN the Memphis and Ohio Railroad.
While Mobile was benefited, aud pleas y
little Jackson grew apaoe, Memphis d
,ro,re on with increased rapidity of a
r-ou,th.. Our good friends over at Holly e
.,r;n~ too,-taking up the same faIla- h
io5g jdea Of emancipating themselves Il
~. dom nation which Nature has b
built, o. helped to build the Il
U-ssisippi Central road-another line c
-birh. running east q ~ was to dry up il
Il lew fauntains Of our prosperity, and 4
Tru theu or North and sopt1, 70 fer a
- otber towns and cities, The Mi=- v