Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-04
RAILROAD INTEREsTs.
Important Meeting st the Chamber
OF Commerce Last Evening.
The Memphis, Holly springs, ONO
Iona and selma Railroad Pro-
M feet Consfdered.

In the Chamber Of Commerce last even
ing, with view to considering the project
Of establishing q connection be-
tween this city and Selma, Ala
bama, by line Of railway passing
through Holly Springs, Okolona and
Aberdeen, tapping the rich section Of
country lying in the range of counties
north Of the center of Mississippi
Mr.. James Elder was called to the
chair and W. r. Moore, Esq, requested
to otficiate as secretary.
The Chair, after briefly stating the OBJ
jects Of the meeting as set forth in the
call, introduced Maj. W. J. Sykes, of
Aberdeen, who delivered an able address
upon the subject He dwelt upon the
great benefits derived by Cincinnati,
Chicago, St. Louis and other cities from
the extension Of their railroad connec-
tons, and asked why Memphis did not
initiate their example. 1t was railroad
and water connections that in creased the
trade of cities. What, asked the speaker,
would Memphis be to-day without her
lines Of railroad, which had increased
her value from ten millions in 1852 to
thirty. five millions at present, although
four years of war had interviewed to work
her ipjury2 By the proper system of
railway extensions this value can be in
creased to one hundred millions in few
years. he argued that in few years
the West would manufacture all the
cotton of the South, which had plenty OF
labor and capital. Then would Louis
vile, Memphis and Cincinnati become
the great cities of the country. Memphis
stands between the great Northern cities
and the Gulf States, and is therefore GER
tain to be one of the three thus spoken
of. 1t is five hundred miles from Mont
gomery to St. Louis, but the distance
from Memphis to Montgomery is only
three hundred and Fifty miles. Cotton
from the latter would naturally come
to Memphis to be- shipped north
ward. In few words, Major Sykes
demonstrated that all the trade of Oko-
Iona, Aberdeen, Columbus and Holly
Springs would end its way to Memphis
with the building of the road, and argued
that Memphis would thus be placed on
the high road between the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. Yet all these advantages
might be lost if Memphis merchants and
capitalists did not exert themselves to
gain and retain them.
Memphis must protect her trade, which
is stopped at every point. She must ex-
tend her railroads if she would extend
her trade beyond twenty-five miles. He
showed that Memphis is the center
Of trade for Northern Mississippi
and Northern Alabama. The road
would open =, the finest cotton
country in the United States. Fifty thou
sand bales from Okolona at FIVE dollars
per bale would be commission of $780,
900, aside from the profit on goods sold
to the cotton raisers. Planters would
purchase here instead of going to st
Louis, and thus build up Memphis to be
great city. Crackers would never
do any thing The people of the
South had been too dependent on others.
They must work; grow cotton, grain and
stock, and not depend alone on one
staple. Too many dislike labor among
both eolors. If the people raise their
own supplies, they may have fifty mil
lions of dollars surplus for build
ing railroads and manufactures. They
did not want funds to build the
road now, but wanted land subscribed;
and if farmers would give one-fourth or
even one-half their lands, the remainder
would be greatly enhanced in value.
The Illinois Central railroad was built
on this plan, and it was quickly
settled on both sides. Land thus
subscribed would bring prosperity to
all. Memphis ought to subscribe one
million dollars to the road. Ifbuilt soon
it would bring trade and wealth to the
city Memphis must strike for suprem-
acy along this line by subscribing liber-
ally.
Major Sykes was also followed by Hon.
J. W. Clapp and Judge 81. G. Smith, both
of whom made forcible arguments in IA
vor of the project, and were listened to
with marked interest and attention.
THE DRAY TAX QUEsr1os.-We are
pleased to see disposition on the part OF
the County Commissioners to relieve, so
far as lays in their power, the draymen
of the city from the burthensome taxa
ton imposed upon them by prior legisla-
ton. In the Board, this morning, the
following resolution, affirmed by Com
missioner White, was unanimously
adopted:
Resolued, That the County Clerk be
directed to suspend the collection OF the
tax on drays, wagons and carts, so far
as the county is concerned, until further
report is received from the County At
torney relative thereto.
ATTENTION, SALOON KEEPERS. "A
meeting Of all the saloon keepers in the
city is called to meet at the Exchange
Building this evening at eight o'clock,
for the purpose Of resisting the payment
Of the extra saloon tax on privileges.