Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-29
WILL MEMPHIS GROW

tOfy Will surety cTo"u Oui ch0ito'
WILL MEMPHIS GROW?
Memphis has naturally line geo.
graphical position, is the center of an i'm
mense and fertile region, which, without
the use of railroads in the interest OF re-
mote cities, must forever pay her tribute.
But the Mississippi Central and the
Mobile and Ohio railroads carry millions
of trade from our very doors. The
Northwestern road, which connects
Hickman, Kentucky, on the Mississippi
river, with Nashville, aud is the CONNER
cial highway between st. Louis and
Georgia and the Csrolinas, also carries
away tons of freight every day which
was formerly handled on eur levee
and then distributed over the Mem
phis and Charleston railroad. The
cities of Mobile, New Orleans, st.
Louis, Cincinnati and Louisville have
all reached out their iron arms to gather
in a trade which onea was controlled and
still of right Belongs to Memphis. When
Paducah is connected with the Missis-
sippi Central railroad, as she will be
sooner or later, one of the greatest thor
oughfares on the continent will run al
most within hearing of Memphis without
stopping.
The river trade is likewise so managed
as to seriously damage the merchants OF
our city. Freigbts are Carried SO cheap
between St. Louis and Vicksburg that the
merchants of Grenada, Holly Springs
Water Valley, and even of Grand
junction, can better afford to bring
their goods by that route and up
the Central road than to have them
landed at Memphis, and re-shipped by
the Memphis and Charleston and
Mississippi and Tennessee railroads.
Likewise the merchants of Tuscumbia,
Huntsville, Decatur, and other towns 10
that region, who formerly bought goods
| in St. Louis, and shipped them by boat
to Memphis, and thence to North Ala
bama by rail, find it cheaper now to ship
to Hickman by boat, and thence over the
Northwestern road. This 10 serious
question for Memphis merchants, and
might be greatly enlarged upon. Bat
without making it too bad or the future
too unfavorable, we wish to consider some
means to Offset these ruinous influences
which have combined against Memphis
Various projects are on foot for the
good of Memphis: the Selma road, for
instance, the Yazoo Valley, the Little
Rock and tbs Mississippi River rail-
roads, and the great Southern Pacific
line, all Of which are certain to be com
pleted sometime, but al present are doing
us no practical good. In fact, some Of
them do not even pay their officers coed
salaries. That we have the best cotton
market in the South. New Orleans mo-
excepted, has been fully demonstrated
this season, and by another year we will
perceive the good results Of such name
But as mere cotton mart, Memphis can
not become great city. We need some
thing else to stimulate the growth Of thu
place. What is il2 We woull say thu
hum Of factories on Wolf river, the bur
ring sound of mills and the wheels o
machinery. These are likewise, we fear
afar of. But we want 70 see henphi
made commercial center, as well as
good geographical bluff, so that tn
merchants of West Tennessee, Northern
Alabams and Mississippi, aud of all Al
kansas will fad il cheaper to buy her
than elsewhere.
Nothing cut cheap freights can brin
this about.
To make Memphis depot Of supple
fer the surrounding country, we MAJ
have cheap Jreights.
: St. Louis is the frat grand depot abov
i us, and we can only compete with thu
enterprising city by bringing the West
ern produce and other goods that we bu
u there down tha river for nearly no,hinI
The quickest way this oan be done, i
our opinion, is the establishment Of Q &c
u line Of barges-ihe cheapest way oftranI
Is portation known. We throw out the
suggestions for the present, hoping til
the business men Of the city, who expe
to stay here, will consider the subieS
e and we will be glad to hear from any
It them.
VI tits said that there was project s