Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-01-14
MEMPHIS ANDLouIsVILLE
Probable Consolidation OF All the Lines
Of Railroad Between this City
and L0nisvils.

On Thursday last the initial step was
taken toward q merging of the Memphis
and Ohio and the Memphis and Clarks-
vile railroads with the Louisville line, so
as to make a grand trunk railroad be-
tween the two ~citiss-one on the Ohio.
1857, when the officers Of the Ohio road
were compelled to lease their line to the
Louisville road, in order to ssve it from
sale by the State, it was agreed that, at
any time in the future, whenever &c
might be deemed advisable and in
the interest of both companies, they
should be consolidated and, IL Necessary,
the name be changed to the more
definite and more digniied title
of Memphis and Louisville railroad.U
Such a movement was Contemplated in
the charter Of the Ohio company, granted
by the Tennessee Legislature in 1852.
Indeed the very name now and so loug
in use as the designation of this road,
Memphis and OhtO) would imply that IL
was always intended the northern ter
minus Of It should be upon the banks of
the Ohio river. Where better than in
LOuisville2 BY the terms of the agree
ment of consolidation the stockholders
will be benefited, since the Ohio stock
now worth only ten to thirteen cents will
be taken for twenty-five on the dollar for
Louisville stock, the value of which is in
just proportion to the standing OF a rail-
road second to none in the UnIsed States.
The State bondsOf g., 400, goo will be paid an
upward of 5000 be expended in Mem
phis and the vicinity in the erection of ma
chine shops, a depot and freight sheds
and, perhaps, something additional for
a union depot, should the other railroads
realize il to their interest to share in the
establishment of so desirable a public
work. Mr.. Newcomb, the President of
the Louisville railroad, who, with Judge
Houston, of his road, and President
Adams and Mr.. Woodruff, of the Ohio
road, has been q prime mover in this
grand scheme of consolidation a smoothing
to do with McCombs and the Mississippi
Central railroad, as has been reported On
the streets. He is not a member Of the
Southern Railroad Association; has in
terests, if not -antagOnistic, at least in an
opposing groove, and he intends in good
faith to consolidate the Louis
vile and the Ohio railroads
with a view to the interests OF Memphis,
from which point he expects to carry this
year more than so. 900 bales of cotton. He
proposes to increase the efficiency of the
through line, which caunOt be done under
the management of several sets Of officers,
each working in the interests Of their OWL
corporations, and he hopes TO make the
Memphis and Louisville railroad, in time,
the 6lual VI blo 0uuoyAFEuld NcubIdly VI
any other OF the staunch and we'll
equipped dOuble-track railroad lines OF
the North. From all the lights before US,
we believe this movement of railroad
consolidation to be q good One-One that
will result beneicislly to she stock
holders Of both lines, and to the
public Of Memphis, for whom
the APPEAL is most concerned; and
we say "amen" to it. We are not afraid
of the result. We are not afraid of Louis
vile. We can and will hold our own.
A trunk line to Louisville can only be in
the interest of Memphis, to whom the
quick handling and movement Of cotton
and other freights is scarcely second to
the banking capital by which our crops
are moved. We long for the day when
on every railroad there will be a perma-
nent freight schedule making tims as
fast as the passenger trains. Anything
that looks that way the APPEAL sp-
proves.