Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-21

its distribution at Memphis by laGd O
water, that the greater portion Of thi'
crop viii hod here its frs5 market In
der systems OF Industry now established
other agricultural prodoets viii be hardly
less valuable than the cotton crop, and
whatever ia sold or bought BY farmers
made prosperous by easy intercourse
with the markets Of the world, must pay
tribute TO the enterprise ana energy Of
this railwRy-buildlng city. Merchants
OF Memphis, having choice Of modes Ol
transportation, can gather goods or dis
tribute agricultural products, by river or
railroads. as ehesply as tradesmen OF any
other city. 10 fact, the completion O.
this Selma rosd, drawing hither by re-
sisJless force other lines, from the North
aud North west, will Tuake Mem
pnis tue great emporium of trade
| for the central valley OF Missis
! sjppi. The present assesses value
nf Memphis real estate greatly lesseHed
I because when made there was an UMPIRE
cedenied stringeney in the money msr-
ket, IL thlrIy-twO million dollars. Wnen
ever he Mississippi Central and Mob le
| and OHIO roads are Oiseeted the frat 81
! Holly Springs and the second a. OzolY-
ns, by this Selma road, the trade or this
| city will be aGQmeutsd wi b IFS properly
| vaiues by nearly or quite One-baK Ghe
| NJ. nphis aud Charleston road, which
ensve Us no trade beyond huntsville,
RIA and penetrates no rieh crGatry
| save narrow district 10 the valley OF
| the Tennessee, doubled the wealth of
Memphis. If the city lost It's stock sub
| scriptiou of half million, there would
still Ss credited not leas than ten mil
! lions, in its account with the city, tn the
! Memphis and Charleston railroad. Even
more benehcsnt results will How from
/ the construction Of the Selma road. II
| touches no unproduetive region till il
| enters the c0alfields of Alabama. 40
miles southeast OF Memphis. II fact the
mineral and agricultural wealth Of dis
tTicts Of country tributary to this read is
unequalled, even as it viii give greater
wealth and prosperity to Memphis than
any possible high way OK traffic save that
which may make the sun OF Memphis'
glory reverse It's course and rise from the
western instead of the eastern ocean.
IMPERATIVE DUTY OF MEMPHIS.
Whether this Selma road may be- built
depends almost wholly upon the action
OF the people OF Memphls. Properly
enough, farming populations and int
rinr towns aud villages measure the
galue OF public works by the estimate in
which they are held by thoughtful, sc-
tive, INTEL gent business c1mmaniliea
Here wealth sad thGught alike are con-
centTated, anu il this city a9d county
fail to demonstrate their faith in the
scheme by Undertaking sction, farmers
Of the interior will hardly transfer iands
to the capital sock OF the Company.
Whenever Memphis acts we are assured
that the people every ywhere in the iHte-
with the city. Memphis, the terminus
and great beneficiary OF the cOnLem-
plated road, must bear share OF bur- I
dens while mOnopol sing to SUCH an in-
caloulabie extent the ben5 factions of the
read. Our shops, f0undries, mechanics, /
mii!ers, tradesmen, aud lab0rsrs will alb /
sorb q large portion OF the mOneyed |
wealth applied 90 this great WORK, and it !
becomes our province To share alike the |
burdens and blessings Of the enterprise. |
We must be aXsd somewhat that We |
may receive contributions or i0eRlcula-
ble wealth, drawn by this high way Of /
commerce from broad, rich districts Of I
adjacent States.
WHAT MEMPHIS SHOULD SUBSCRIBE.
we would not state the SUN which /
Memphis aad Shelby county should sub
scribe to the capital stock OF the COM
pRDy. No sum lass than q million dol
lars would bs denied the enterprise 10y
any citizen of Msmphis who has ira
veIsed the counties which this road will
penetrate. Tue little village of OkOl0na,
in Mississippi, its real estate valued at
two hundred and fifty Thousand dollars,
has subscribed $40 Q0l, OT One-ifih Of ita
whole wealth. Aberdeen, whose real
ssi ate is assessed at one million dollars, !
has subscribed sl00 600 or One-tenth Of
the whole wealth of that beautiful little
city. II Memphis invested her weslth
as literally ana wisely as Aberdeen sDd
DkOlona, and The necessities of the rail-
way corporation demanded it, the sub
'crpiiOn OF this city would be three nail
iOus. II the city invest a million dol
ars, larger sum, before the completion
If-the ROAD, will be expended in tbs ciiy
lp the company. Our own people would
n fact u-s the money on which the city
Jays tbU UJo annual IosoresE--Iz ~..8s-ss-
words, tue city will have borrowed a mil
ion dollars to ba i1aOed or distributed
among It's own citizens. But we do not
lsk for anything Ike so large sum.
MEMPHIS HAS EVERYTHING To GAIN
AND CAN LOSE NOTHING.
The government or eiTy, having the
lFsa and population Of Memphis, cost
almost as much es that Of a mighty me-
rop0lis. All the machinery aud ad
uucts Of municipal legislation aTs here
a full operation, ca1-iDg expenditures
almost az great SO Ia 81. Louis or Chica
70. II municipal affairs be honestly ad-
ainisteTed, the city would be ia infin- /
tely hstter condition, with It's present
public debt doubled, It's real estate as
essed st seventy-f1ve or one hucdred !
instead OF thirty two millions,
md its ceDsus showing population in
ressed Ia the same ratio Such will be
ne condition Of Memphis soon after the I
di the Selma road. The
ame relative augmentation Of property
Ialues and OF population would adect the
ounty Of Shelby and the wealth OF 5otn
ne city and county would ou;gFow aud
pubic inde6tednogs.
PRo4PT ACTION REQUIRED.
II the road to Selma be not built, and
peedily, the several counties, towns and
istrlcls, the cotton growing districts OF
entral Alabama, It's coal fields and pine
Jrests, with the richest Counties If Mis-
issppi, will seek outlets for their pro. {
uodOns over other llaes. Tho CONNER
ial wealth Of central Alabama already
eeks its way 10 Southeastern a lsniie
tiles, aud it is not impossible that C AS
ern Mississippi may cause the system of
Dads which slFeeGY connects Southern
lsorSia with Alabama 70 be extended
D Mississippi. If the Memphis End
elma road be built, It constitutes for two !
birds Of sts length, q part of the shortest r
ossible line from Memphis to Savannah a
nd Brunswick; il gives "a control OF 3
Mighty cotton field It furnishes the best '
ituminous coal 1t ten cents per bushel {