Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-25
MEMPHIS.
Her Present FlOurishing Condition
and Great Future.

A gentleman Of this city, invited TO at
tend the Commercial Convention 10 COM
mence at Louisville on the 18th inst.,-
sends to the COUTier-JOHT1ldL the follow
ing picture Of our present condition and
future prospects,, drawn, as all will admit,
with a steady and truthful hand. We
give it place because il is true and because
we desire to end0rs it to our readers
abroad, that they may know what we are
and will be from an independent source:
MEEPHIs, September q, 1859.
A sudden reproduction of business ac=
tivity, OfhOpe and confidence, has distin-
guished the two past months in the bust
ness annals of this city. When a balance
sheet for the year was made up by the
Chamber Of Commerce, and its facts went
abroad through the Prices Current and
found their way into local newspapers,
there followed renewed faith in the fu-
ture, and real property advanced in val
ne. The first important fact developed
by the statistics of the year showed that
Memphis, next after New Orleans and Sa-
yannah, sells more cotton han any city of
the South, and, a second fact, that the
course OF the cotton crop en- route to its
final destination has been reversed. in a
commercial sense the map of the country
has been turned upside down. The Mem
HAAlF AZ L4t441 FAA1F anu DtiA1 anu
Charleston roads, and the Mississippi and
Ohio rivers, constituting competent
freight lines, have reduced charges for
transportation 70 such an extent that the
cotton crop Of Western Tennessee, Nortlrs
ern Mississippi and Alabama, and of Ar
kansas finds its way to Eastern mills and
cities, through Memphis, over the routes
specified. Mobile has lost its attractive
ness a. a cotton market, and the
area of Memphis cotton trade In
the direction OF New Orleans has been
greatly widened. Through the past
winter, save during two or three weeks,
Memphis prices were from One-quarter to
one-haIf a cent higher than in Sew Or
leans. PraxiWity in time, distance, and
less cost of transfer to Eastern cities and
mills have brought about this reversal of
the course Of the cotton trade. The Mis-
sissippi river, the rivers Of Arkansas, the
Little Rock railway and that which con
meets Memphis and New Orleans, with
the Mississippi Central and Memphis and
Charleston roads, nave concentrated In
this city the agricultural wealth OF a wide
area Of the richest cotton growing dis
tricts Of the South. A popularity of this
market consists in the unequaled variety
Of - grades CT cotton - accumulated from
which manufacturer Of the finest or OF |
the c~oarsest fabrics may make SELECTIONS, |
The upland cotton of Mississippi and Ten
NfNNNN II k1IAA - AAAn \ ~ AAAATt kPtfAof |
Ehile the leyeed districts along the Mis-
sissippi ana Arkansas supply summers
and wenyers Who produce cOaTSer and
heavier fabrics from a cheaper raw mate
rial. The construction of the Memphis
and Iron Mountain road, o under con-
tract, along the western shore of the Mis-
sissippi, will redeem from OverfOws a
Ficnbf cotton producing country than any
district nov tribgta-g to the trade of this
city. The products 81 this region, ii other
c9nyerging roads did not accumulate line
gfsaf staple in this city aud thus attract
bIyers nam 81 quarters OF Europe and
America, would and 2 market in st.
Louis. But Norfolk, New cork, Man
chester and Amsterdam aFG nearer MeDl- /
pIis than st. Louis, and the e0mpetitiaa
of the Ohio bridge at Louisville, praeti-
gallv lessening distances and ObViating
t,ae necessity for breaking bulk between
Memphis an Sew York. will render the
diversion Of tRs eqttoH 81 Arkansas ut
terly Impossible.
Memphis becomes, IN fact, the most
prosperous city ia the central valley Of
Tho Mississippi, and railways and rivers
TenleT u the most ii%Ourishing suburb of
Louisville, fine %bFgFperitv of Memphis
euriches Louisville, aDd atthiE the next
decade Il double track railway will De 20.
CURED 10 accommodate the growing trade
and trayei hei.yeen the two cities. Atthls
NtEN lDnI kAfIt kIt Huts "a AtsflhNU uplldINa !
worth Of goods from Louisville aDd tile
East heapsd mp at Memphis, Which have
gathered teEe fnore rapidly than steamers
ana Southern Faii& aEsfRn distributethem
throughout Arkansas aGd aiesissippi.
daTiag three or toqr weeks, beealtse
OF taats stated, RaitoH a~cEpmanded, during
the past EInteF, fFGni ibF III = cents more
In this market than in Sew Orleans;
Spectators who bought herB for resale IN
the Crescent City, lost heavily. Therefore
the efforts OF cotton planters of the Valley
oftle Tas0o aad Big Black rivers 10 build
a railway 70 Memphis, AID, therefore, the
anxiety Of Holly Springs 9nd Dountiea IN
Mississippi ca have the Memphis
and Selma road finished aJ once, ElgVen
counties in Mississippi, which in 1860 pro-
dueed One-eleventh or the whole cotton
the United States, Will be pene-
traJed by his rqad. which bisects the Mis-
Central Eoag q Holly Springs,
and the Mobile and Chic, II LkalQEa, All
these roads are mere extensions 81 fle
70 Louisville, through which city,
when your bridge is finished, will be emp.
led, as through a funnel, all the wealth
.pd ttagel which may be gathered in
Memphis.
The people Of Western Missouri have
only an iron way to the ocean. TIE dis
for heavy freights, is too great.
Prom Kansas city to Memphis the pro-
|FNNN0 OdAA q fsnz@ AlIutiAn u country |
rich in mineral and agrieIlltnra raj resources.
IheseVeral counties penetrated viii grade I
The road and furnish crGss-ties, whep [
mortgages and borrowed wealth will sup
ply he spperstruetgFe, The Memphis {
Charleston. Memphis and Selma,
Memphis and New Orleans, Memphis and
Little Rock, or Pacific, Memphis and KAN
sas City, Memphis and PadUcah and Mem !
Dhis and Louisville are seven great trunk
Ines, which, within five years, will all be
finished. Converging at this city, they \
Will WELD wealth enough to span the Mis-
iissippl with an aF9hway of iron, and !
Memphis becomes the mightiest ialapd
emporium in the lower valley OF the great i
liver. This Is no dream of Wild enthgsi- !
lsm. Men act on the assumption that ]
hese ends will be achieved, and at this s
lour, especially since crazed Radiealism {
las been overwhelmed, thoughtful mon {
# wealth have profounder faith han ever ]
1sfore in tho future greatness OF Memphis.
IVhateverour prosperity Il iHures tOthe adj
Of Louisville. The two cities ara
nsepaEably linked together, and their a
commercial fortunes are each day and h
our more closely interviewer. II Is bet q
eT for this city that yours should know a
Memphis will probably receive, sell, r
nd export within the next six months ii
lfty millions of dollars worth of cotton ~
for the transfer of his wealth to the /,
Cast and Europe, Memphis has a banking =
apital of only two millions and twenty
hOusaud dollars; that these banks, to ae-
omBiish their hercglean task, so hoard y
heir wealth that currency now COM
hands i've per cent. per month Ia Mem 81
his; and, I NAV add, that While the an O
expenditures OF Tennessee exceed "
avenues by one million dollars, that faith