Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-24
THE L.rrLE ROCK RA1LneAp.


We are glad to learn, as we do from
competent authority, that considerable
progress has been made of late In the
construction OF this road. Fourteen miles
Of grading has been completed the other
side Of the St. Francis river, and the
bridge over that stream ard iron for the
graded portion has been provided for.
While this is very gratifying to those
st all interested Ia the enterprise, it is not
all that the people Of Memphis have e
right to expect, nor those of ATKsnsss,
to whom, ss much as ourselves, this rail-
rOsd is TO be a positive benefit. Why it
hss been 80 lorg under construction, a0d
why we of Memphis have been SO lorg
without any profit from the immense
outlay Of our city and OF individual capt
~talists, it will not psynow to stop and ask.
We know that il is so. And we know
that it has been mOoted ard suggested by
many parties that Memphis, in order to
get out Of the difficulties in which she
is involved by the so-far failure to COM
plete this really magnificent project,
should advance still more, (even as much
as 500 coo, while Arkansas, the whole
State OF Arkansas, with the fact Of
prospective benefits and rapid interoom-
munication with the world in view, re-
fuses to lend her State aid to a corpora
lion, every mile of whose iron is within
reach not only of her present avs but of
future legislation. Memphis, who has
sunk, first and last, about 81 ,O00, coo In
the enterprise, whose best piece of pub
lie property is to-day pledged and threat
ened with sale for the non-psyment
Of the interest of the bonds of
this railroad, is asked to "gIve, give"
when she has already expended a wealth
Of energy, money and elcquence, and sll
for forty miles Of railroad, ending-ln
the woods.
We want the Little Rock Railroad ;
completed. We realizs fully its future T
Importance. We know what it's value q
viii be to Memphis. We know that ;
t will bring into our city fifty ?
thousand bales Of cotton, or more, that Il
finds a market in New Orleans 9
II elsewhere. We know that its COM h,
will give an impetus to the con- a
t~ruction Of the Fort Smith road and d
generally aid largely the development of II
hat grand system Of public highways,
which It is in vain that the
lanters Of Arkansas seek to Compete
nth their brethren Of other and more
avored States. We know alI thip, and Y
ill do anything in reason to urge Oh .,
!, q consumnnation of such glorious re- ca
lite. But we do not think it fai- that Sc
lr friends in Arkansas, for any fIncied n
otions, or urged by any pet theories, or Il
cause certain msn and not certain II
her men have hold OF this road, should
ithhold their aid and ask as TO venture r,
very dollar necessary to tie building of "a
We havedone our snare. Let the pee "a
OF Arkansas come up and DO theirs. -
they will vote 81, 800 O0j as asked ia
and that is not snficie for the pu
lrpose OF construction, we will then co
me up with 100000, if that SIM, eli
lould be necessary. Before Mempbis
yes any more, the merchants aud bust
sss public Of our city demand that the
shall do something toward J
9lpiDg themselves. If the s. 1900 900 sn[
ked for is voted by the people of Ar thu
lnsas, the Little Rock Railroad can be pa
mpleted, as we understand, by July S 6iI
If not God knows when, a. from ser