Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-01
THE MEMPHIS AND Ell PASO
Pacific RAHROAD

Virginia and most of the Southern
States are interested. Later, we read
a lengthy article in the Press and
Times upon the same subject; one
that thoroughly upheld the position
taken by the APPEAL, before the adj
jOurnment of our Commercial Conven-
ton, upon the report made by that
body almost unanimously recon-
mending the location of the eastern
terminus of this road at a point where
our pre-eminence, if not utterly de
stroyed, would be so neutralized by
rival branches as to leave us little be-
yond local traffic out to a few miles
beyond Fort Smith. Since the arti-
cles of our Nashville contemporaries,
we have received the Little Rock pa
pers, among them the young and
ably edited Liberal, which, in an arti-
Gle upon the Southern Pacific Rail-
road" thus sustains the position we
have taken, and to which we adhere,
that the adoption of the report of the
Conventions of New Orleans and
Memphis, defeats our claims as the
eastern initial point of the great enter
prise. Read the forcible way in which
this is put:
This proposed route starts from San Di-
ego on the Pacific coast, runs eastward
along the line of the sd degree of paral-
lei To - soma aOnvnniant pO;u% ooet cF 4bo
BrazOs river and near the sd parallel. in
the State Of Texas" This convenient
point Will fall somewhere near Dallas or
Marshall, Texas, directly west of. and not
far TemOCed from Shreveport, in the State
OF louisiana
Itistruethat fromthis convenient point
or eastern terminus of the main trunk
line, are to run Z" feeder" or branch lines
leading respectively to Saint Louis, Cairo,
Memphis, Nicksburg and New Orleans.
But II IS very plain and palpable 10 any
mind At all familiar with this subject. that
the location Of this route on the sd paral-
lei, with eastern terminus at or near Dali
las, Texas, is not only adverse, but almost
fatal, TO he interests Of Memphis and
Norfolk, at least 50 far as their interests
may be affected by being cut off from a
large participation in the great benefits to
accrue from the opening up of this new
channel Of trans-cOntinental cOmmunica-
ton.
To strengthen the position thus
taken that the location of the eastern
terminus at Dallas, Texas, viii be
fatal to Us Of Memphis, the Liberal
goes on to show that from this
terminus, the new route to the Attain
tic coast lies along the path of the sd
Of parallel; and that along
that path is alreadyconstructed a con-
.tinuOus and almost unbroken line of
railroad from Shreveport to Savannah
N~icksburg on the Mississippi.
And, it continues,
II is a remarkable fact that this line of
from Shreveport 10 Savanna. lies
wholly between the sd and SD parallels
Of latitude, presenting less deviation from
a latitudinal straight line than the same
extent Of railroad in this or any other
country.
Memphis lies several degrees north of
he sd parallel, while Norfolk lies many
more degrees eastward of a longitudinal
inc from Savannah. The distance from
he proposed eastern terminus of this new
'oute TO Norfolk ria Memphis, bv STRAIGHT
ines, is to the distance between the same
6 EHA1N anu S1N AlAiAdll ttt ' lfkS- I
1urg, as about fourteen to twenty in favor
II Savannah
1t IS therefore very evident that this
route gives Savannah and
charleston great advantages over Norfolk
md places Nieksburg far in advance of
demphis.
This view of the case, from a party
d~isinterested so far as Mem
his is concerned, strengthening as it
Ices the position taken by u.s., is
worthy of especial consideration.
little Rock is certain to be benefited
the construction Of this road,
'hether Memphis or Dallas be the |
astern terminii. st. Louis and Cairo
ill both reach out their hands to the
outhern Pacific through that city, by
ne Fulton branch, and make for her,
erhaps, all that she could desire of
enefit from her connection with US as
q important way point on the high
'ay for which we contend; the high :
ay that, having its beginning at San
lego, on the Pacific coast, shall here ,
nd connection with the South, the
asst and the Northwest by branches 4
in working operation.
So much we present to sustain our
bors in behalf Of Memphis, and, as r
consequence, in behalf of Little 4
ock, Ark, and every town and city
at lies between Memphis and Nor
Tx. \
But it was not alone on account Of a
e location of the eastern terminus Of Of
e road at Dallas that we offered 'e
to the report of the S
invention. We conceived that
? first duty of the South was
concentrate its strength upon h
ne one road from the Mississippi, to SC,
which, Congress should be petit j
ned and pressed at its next session.
2 believed and do now believe that
location, at Dallas, of the eastern
minus Of the road, and the construc-
. o. branches, wonldle to the dk- u
ctiOn that always attendsthe efforts NJ
claimants, aud that between i
m all our section would lose what L:
ding papers at the North and lead
senators admit is her due. sh
we learned Loot ~ -