Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-03
RAILROADS AND COUNTRY
PRODUCE.

| Editors Memphis Appeal:
| The Chamber of Commerce made q
| good move in their meeting on Wednes-
day, when they appointed committee
to confer with our railroads on the sub
ject of reducing freight on produce COM
ing to our city. It is hoped that the
com mittee will cal, the special attention
| of the several roads terminating here to
the proprie.y OF an immediate and large
reduction i'm freight on the small pro-
ducts of the country, such as wheat,
corn, peas, and all kinds Of garden vege-
tables, as well as poultry, eggs, butter
etc. It cannot be expected that our
farmers will raise these things in excess
of their own wants, when our railroads
keep in force tariff Of freights 50 high
as to almost consume their market value
to pay the transportation. We are in
formed hat large quantities Of the pro-
duets named are held in the country,
and perm tilted to decay because Of the
high rates of freight. Some farmers
who reside near our city have hauled
large quantities of potatoes in wagons,
and sold them at fair prices, and pur-
ehasers have sent them TO Chicago and
other large Northern cities, and made
LorGe profits on them. Farmers at more
remote points would do likewise, but for
the tariff Of freights on our railroads. It
is truly astonishing that they continue
such narrow sighted policy, and give so
little encouragement to the raising Of the
products named. 1t is far different with
railroads terminating in Northern cities.
There they carry, when the production
is in its infancy, IS it now is with Us, all
such articles at the actual cost of doing
the work, or eyeH less. The effect il, it
increases the production, and soon a
train becomes necessary to carry the
daily shipments, when q single car would
have answered the purpose few years
before. The result is, lands are raised
in value, because of remuneration for its
products; the country becomes more
densely populated, because new settlers
find that they can purchase such things,
at low prices, to sustain them until they
can raise a crop the many articles of
country produce consumed in the city
are made cheap; people are induced to
settle in the city because of its pleas
sntness and eheapness Of living; me-
chanics and artisans, as well as capital
lists, settle amongst Us manufactures
are built, and in few years our populs-
lion becomes prosperous and happy.
Add to the traffic and passenger trans
portation over our railroads, and sill be-
come prosperous together. Then the
railroad gets returns q hundred or a
thousand fold for the small loss she has
sustained for few years by encouraging
additional population and production in
our country. l sincerely hope the
roads, as well as our river packets,
will take this matter under immediate
consideration, and act on it st once, AMI
not wait to be demonstrated with by
committee. The good sense of their
officers cannot fail to see that they will
he the largest benefeiaries, in whatever
adds to the population and wealth Of
the country. Now is the time to make
the reduction in fFeights on country pro-
duce, to oae-hdlf or One-tbiTd the present
tariff, and show the people what can be
done by raising crops other than cotton,
and next year, or = year thereafter, the
railroads will be glad to take train Of
freight, at the rates which now entail
loss, when carrying only one or two
cars. What say you, Messrs. Railroad
Managers ? n.