Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-23
IMpoRTANT.
Cur Railroad System--lts Present cOndl-
tIGn ard Prospects.
Address by the President Of the Chamber
of Commerce.

meTce and Citizens Of Memphis:
In view of the official position which I
occupy, by the suffrage of a large portion
OF the merchants OF Memphis, members OF
the Chamber Of Commerce, I hope | wi |
be p~ardoned, and not considered ofticious
by them, nor other citizens interested in
the prosperity Of our city, when ! offer a
few suggestions in regard to the several
contemplated lines of railroad which, If
completed. will add 90 much TO our wealth
and prosperity. As a general rule, mer-
chants are seldom backward in giving
material aid to public improvements.
This was particularly applicable to the.
merchants of Memphis, III days gone by,
and | doubt not bose who are now
here. and controlling the commercial af-
fans of our city, will not show a spirit of
less nberality than in other days. Wheth-
er the real estate " ners will shew, or
have shown the same spirit in encourag-
ing public improvements, Is at least a
matter of doubt, and l almost venture to
say they have not. am glad to say that
there are some honorable exceptions.
Some have responded with a liberal hand
when Memphis was to be the beneficiary.
Oilers have been quiet loOkers-on, and
lone nothing, but realized the same adj
vantage as their more liberal n~eighbors.
The question arises, who is most deeply
Interested in the ultimate pros perity OF
Memphis? Is it the merchant or real
estate owners2 | venture to as
sert that not more than one business
firm of every twenty, the
house in which they do business. Why
do some Of them pay rent of five thous-
and or more dollars for a tirsb-class BUSH
ness hOuse2 1t is simply because the
share Of business which they get, justihes
the rate of rents. Now, If the trade of
! our city, which is near or quite fifty mil
lions dollars, should be redHced TO half
that sum, would the same sum be realized
| by property-owners from rents? Would
even half the sum be realized, as now IL
would more likely be reduced 70 Oae-taird,
and the market value of the property re-
duced in the same proportion.
Now on the other hand, if our trade is
increased from fifty millions to a larger
sum, would not rents and value OF real
estate increase in the anne proportion? 1t
certainly would. If the present market
value of q landlords property is one hun
| dred thousand dollars, and it IS increased
to two hundred h}usIul, by IN rease OF
the general prosperity and higher rents,
I would like 10 know if he has not made
HUNDRED thousand thereby, and II the
result was not the same to hiuA, as though
be had made the SAINT SUM by Speculation
or otherwise? When he dies his property
goes to his heirs, and is estimated by liz
market value without regard 70 the cause
which increased or reduced it. | presume
no one will assert that this position Is not
true. Then the question naturally arises,
how are propersy-Owners 10 make money
bv increase of values, and what is the duty
to themselves? The first question | will
I undertake to answer;s the other they can
determine. The Little Rock II abroad has
been in course of construction tor so long
a time as seriously to try the pa
thence of our people. l do not pre-
Tend to say hat the parties who
have had the management of II could
have completed before this time. know
they nave had many losses and difficulties
to encounter. Still those things have not
! Iessened the raPidity of its completion,
nor paid the losses of our people for the
/ delay. do not pretend TO say whether
the old Board should retire, or the new
Board have possession. But | DO say that
Memphis wants the road completed, and
wants it bddig, to increase her trade and
raise the value Of her real estate. There
fore | hope no time will be lost in COM
pleting The road throughout its length
either by the Old Board or the ne1O. Let
Que or the other go ahead and finish the
work, or get out of the way for others
who will do it,.
Next in anticipation, from which early
benefit will arise, is the completion OF the
River Railroad." l have been assured
by II Of the most active of The Board OF
Directors, that negotiations have been
made in New York in the last four days
which insures the completion of the entire
rO1d within eighteen monthsr Two NOM
hers OF tho Finance COMMITTEE, u
/ ,Messrs. GrecnIaw and Lacey leave here
to-day 10 close the negotiations made by
/ President Mitchell, who is now in New
York This truly promises well for Mem
phiG.
For some cause whisl+H do not 0nmPTe-
/ hcnd, proper importance has itQt been
given To the bench ; which would arIse u
Us from The completion of he Momphi-
and selma Road, which is % stretching
towards Us from its eastern terminus, 10y
the liberdlity of the peuPla Of Alabama,
and the determination 70 succeed, and
good management Of its President, Gen.
I Forrest. That road when completed,
would, in my humble judgements, add as
much 10 the pVnsrerity OF Memphis a. any
1 road now completed, or in contemplation,
II ~iii peGetIlre one Of the most produc-
tive and pCpul0Hs aEFirqllBrai reglOps d
the South, 10 say nothing Of It's
nexhdustabIe iron and coal fields,
and its extensive connections with several
lines of railroads now building or couple
ted through middle Alabama. The people
of that region want TO trade with US,
They want our pork, beef, corn, Hour,
wheat, agricultural Implements. dry
/ goods. etc, and want TO pay for them by
sending gs their cotton and having it sold
in this, the BEST market in h United
States. That trade is too vaiHahla to be
overlooked or treated with Indifference
They want a connection with some point
which can supply their necessities, aud
thew intend 20 have il without much de
Law. Louisville and Nashville are already
penetrating that region with a line ofroad.
Cincinnati IL bidding for their trade
though her contemplated road to Chatta.
noOyB. New Orleans is uOw building q
road to the Same region, and st. Louis
would be glad TO sec our road come no
further than Okolona. She could then
supply Middle Alabama, over the Mobile
and ohio Road, which has ever been our
enemy, and refused, except at eXOrOitant
rates, to carry produce from or bring cot
ton 10 COrinth, when its destination was
Memphis. Alabama will buiid the road
/ 20 OkOlona without u assistance. Mem
phis must not permit it TO stop there.
Neither must it stop at Holly Springs OF
any other point of the Mississippi Central
Road. Il must come TO Memphis, and
or merchants and property-owuers must
show q united front, aud each contribute
his share, and all he can, to that end,
Complete that road, and the building
oC the Memphis, Springfield aud Kansas
J Wy AAV1l - a 1aAA& A9AA-NANNA 49, ~
we viii have pork aud b~eetIaeking
houses, flour mills, and the various Kinds
OF manufactures to supply the wants OF
trade.
It is believed that the completion of The
Northern Pacific road, last summer, viii
demonstrate that il ann lie operated
with safety to passengers apd freight dur
ing the winter months, and thai another
line connecting California with the States
cast is absolutely necessary. The trade
between the W. sections Is too intimate
and important 10 be interrupted by SHOWS
and other difficulties of the Northern
route. Hence another route further south
is demanded, and will be built, either by
Public attention IS directed 10 Memphis
as The route. Several stems
may be built from some
point in Texas, tapping the Mississippi
/ river at three or more places, but one OF
them must come to Memphis, and over it
must pass q majority of passengers, and
the freight for New York and other North
ern cities, az well as European freight,
which will find its natural outlet at Nor
folk.
II we but put our shoulders to the
wheel" make . united and strong effort,
and every merchant and property owner
in our city will do all that be can, every
project named in this communication, rs
affecting Memphis, will be oonSummSted
in less thar five years, and by that time
our population will have increased from
is present number to w hundred thou
sand souls. Respectfully.
r. A. NELSON.
PERSONAL.