Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-03-30
Rip vans Dream.


= virgin pen and dot down, in humbl
prose, few of the ideas, great and small
!. that float, in may mist, through my ever
working brain But here arises the ques
7 ton: would write for the scrap-baske
or the editors hook2 Most likely tn
former; for virgin efforts are mostly fu
: tile. But, then, if some intelligent edi
] tor would read my paper carefully owe
} before consigning it to that very conve
nient receptacle under the table, SHOULD
be content; because, then, some, at least
of my ideas would fasten themselves
upon his sensitive brain, and, without his
intending, or even knowing it, they would
find themselves in borrowed clothes in
bold, unblushing print, and so live for
ever. Their appearing under the name
and patronage of a step-father would moi
necessarily suggest their illegitimacy.
Well, for some of the ideas, There is
q vast field for thought and speculation.
There is world of errors and abuses in
all the vast and varied ramifications OF
the social fahric-in law, in commerce, IN
morals. in religion, in everything. These
things we pigmies can ponder upon, and
mourn over, but are impotent to correct.
/ The giant intellects of the land-those
born to command-should grapple these
monsters and eradicate them. But, alas |!
in this ultra democratic age, it is mo-
bodys business. True, there is an army
of reformers, so-called, y in the ZELDA
host of names suggest themselves-but l
imagine they would not look well on pa
per. so shall not write them. | can
only say for them-to use homely ex-
pression---they were not got up for
the business they mistake their calling.
They are disorganizers, continually COM
plicating the evils they vaingloriously
imagine themselves appointed to correct.
AS am Just setting out, as already
intimated, my earliest plnions to try,
| shall merely soar over this field OF for
biding aspect, however ripe 1t may be
for the sickle of the philisophic philan-
thropist, and, contenting myself with
the birds eye view already given, de-
scend to matters Of practical import that
lie within my reacn.
am one of those who have but little
use for the past, except to try to profit
by its experiences, and TO cherish its
pleasant memories; while | stand ever
ready to grapple with the present, and
love to while away an idle moment now
and then inpondering upon what IS to be,
for coming events cast their shadows
before. In this view my mind some
times runs upon
FIFTY YEARS FROM NOW.
( I shall not be in the flesh TO see that
time; or. if | am, we'll nigh hundred
SHOWS will have whitened my locks-my
limbs refuse their Office, my eye will have
lost its luster, and misty, shadowy forms
will be but dimly reflected therein. Rath-
err would | pass to the other side in the
vigorous manhood of three-score years
and ten.
Notwithstanding the errors and abuses
the clogs and lock-chains to prosper
ity limited at in my opening sentences,
the destiny of this country and nation is
onward and upward Many mutations
and changes may occur-we may make
many retrogade movements, but we
must still go on. Whether as Empire or
Republic, this country must hold its
teemng millions.
Then for some of the ideas suggested
BY fifty years from nowl Many things
now In vogue and fashion will have be-
come obsolete and many others not now
thought of will come into use, and will be
considered indispensable aids to the arts,
manufactures, commerce, the carrying
trade, etc, Even an outline of this ex-
tensive field of thought would require
volume of no small size. ] will glance
at one or two of the most prominent OBJ
ieets. The carrying trade is one Of them.
Great changes will have been made in
railroads aal railroading. While the
aggregate number OF miles of track
throughout the country viii be eight or
ten times more than at present, all the
leading routes viii be double track, laid
with steel rails on broad cast-iron ties,
with some ingenious lock or key fastep-
ing that viii be quickly adjusted, durable
and safe. Grades and curves will be re-
duced; road-beds balasted and solidited
Sc az 10 bring the surface of the rails to
fundamentally straight and unyield-
ing line; machinery and rolling stock
will be improved upon friction and re-
sistance reduced until the power now re-
uuired 10 haul forty cars Of eight tons each
will then haHl ono hundred cars of twelve
tons each. Lumber, coal, etc., will be
hauled at the rate Of fifty cents per ton
per hundred miles-that is, what would
be an equivalent of fifty cents of our
money now Il mean COIN, for money
may greatly change in its relative value
by that time, Both freight and passen-
ger trains will run fdSter and sloi0erthan
now. The principle that speed costs
power. and power costs money, will be
fully understood and appreciated by that
time. And those who must travel fast
/ land it will be fifty miles per hour will
/ have to pay well for the fun; while those
I who are content 10 :" 90 slow can travel
very cheap. Eight miles per hour will
be considered fast for the heavy burthen
trains. Collisions and smash.ups Will
hardly be thought Of
Here, at the little city of Memphis,
with o population Of not more than
100000 the Mississippi viii be spanned
by a magnificent iron BRIDGE aud the
gentleman Of leisure, the merchant
prince and the rich farmer, can take his
place in a splendid hotel ear at Norfolk,
where five thousand ton steamships will
receive and discharge their cargoes, and
after rolling at his ease, eating his roast
beef, slipping his wine and smoking his
mild cigar for three days and a half, step
out in superbly built city of 100000
inhabitants, euphoniousy styled San
Francisco
Santa Mariai what an idea.