Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-10-29
THE RALEIGH RAILROAD.
Correspondents Opposed 10 the County
Subsidy 60 the Contemplated Mar
Esw-GauEe Highway.

Editors AppedE-It will not be long be-
fore the voters of Shelby county will Re
called on to vote on the question of rstih-
cation OF the appropriation of $50, 600 made
by the county court in aid of the con-
struction of the above named road to
Raleigh. 1t is proposed, in this article, to
point out some of the reasons why the
people should vote against the PROPOSE
tioni
First-It will not bring one dollar, in
any way, to Memphis that viii not come
here anyhow.
Seoond-It will not be OF any additional
benefit 20 any person outside Of Memphis.
except the people Of Raleigh, and 3 few
who own lands between here and Raleigh,
for there Is already a railroad running
from here 70 iCith;1 tsO0 miles Of Raleigh, B,
and It will not pay to run parallel rail
roads in so thinly settled country.
Third--Ho thinking man will vote to tax
his or his peighbor's property to build q
road that does not extend to even the
center of the county, and cannot be ex-
tended to the county line without crossing
another railroad tWiee-es this would
cross the Memphis and Louisville road il
It Is extended toward Somerville, Fsyette
county.
Fourth-The people OF Fayetts county
do not desire to connect with a road upon
which they will have to make 30 circuit
ous q route, as to 20 by Rsleieh, to get to
Memphis, nor will the counties beyond
aid in such enterprise.
Fifth-The people of Fsyette and those
living beyond Somerville will not sub
scribe their money to build any but an
air line road from Scmerville to Memphis.
and they will get q charter for the air line
road, even II the road to Raleigh Is built,
and thus refuse to connect with the Rs
leigh road At all.
Those interested In the proposed road
from the East through Somerville to
Memphis assert that thsy sOsJ not connect
with the Raleigh road at all. but intend to
act independently of it. Now, suppose
the road to Raleigh should be extended 10
Someryille, and themes to Jackson, then in
going from Memphis to Jackson you make
an elbow ST Raleigh, and again at SomeY-
Vile; and II you will put one end of line
at Raleigh. and the other at jackson, Won
will find that tbs Memphis and Louisville
railroad TSgas NTH your line from q point q
few miles from Rartlett to within eighteen
miles OF jackson; and Is Il supposshle
even thGt Madison county or Fayette will
subscribe money 70 build such road
We are called on now TO give $4,000 TO
build 1t to Raleigh, and after q while
they will ssk as to give more to
extend it to the county line, 30 as
70 meet Fayette county at our border.
Ano II tno peopie vote IN IaVOr OF giving
the $50 900 now, you will sometime here
after De urged to give in order to extend,
and the old argument will be poked at you
in this way: "YOu have already given
S50,0 900; now give $50 900 more TO save
what you have given already" Charters
are being applied for 10 build . railroad
from Memphis 70 Someryille via Fisher
vile and Macon, and from Somerville it
Is probable there will be two roads built
to scnnect With it-one 20 Nashville via
Jackson, and one TO Knoxville, Fennes-
see, via Bolivar, Purdy, Savannah, Co
lumbia, etc. Now does any sane man
suppose that the passengers and produce
from al that country east of Somerville
win be dragged ssoqnd BY Raleigh, when
Il can be brought to Memphis in eomparass
lively straight line, psseing through or
near Macon and FIsherville. For these
and other reasons, we call upon the voters
Of shelby to vote down the appropriation
Of $50 90 10 build the rosd to Raleigh.