Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-14
FSTABLISHED 1910.
COTTON.
Course Of the estt8a Trade-HOw Memphis
Suffers Wealth 70 Escape lts 6rasp
Sublime Folly Of a HsF-
camille Community,

The Holly Springs Reporter furnish
es US invaluable statistics, showing
how Memphis loses sources OF wealth
in the enjoyment OF which this city
was recently without rival. In iact
Marshall, Tippah, Iishomlngoi Al
corn. PoutOtOC and adjacent counties
of Eastern Mississippi laid the fOun-
datiOn stones Of Memphis prosperity.
Shipmeuts Of cotton from holly
Springs for the month of February
amounted TO 2S0l bales, of which SIS
Qess than Oue-thirdJ came to Mem
phis. From q table which we publish
II will be seen that, for the six months
ending February 18th. the shipments
from Holly Springs aggregate 1895
bales. and less than one third came TO
Memphis. Memphis is the natural
market OF Holly Springs, much nearer
than any other cotton mart, being
fOrty-One miles in a direct line, and
there must be some strong inducement
held out to shippers to cause them 50
largely to ship to other markets.
What is it9
The Reporter says: We do not
know that attention has been drawn
to the fact heretofore, but il is un-
dOubtedly true that there is grow
lug tendency in trade to follow
straight lines, particularly when
transportation is by means of rail
roads. The cost, risk, delays and an
nOvances Of transfers and additional
landings may partially account for
this. But the competition Of railroad
routes in the matter Of freights, par
ticulsrly the disposition to cheaper
through ireights, mot only upon sin
gle lines, but by grand combinations
of lines, whereby freights are carried
great distances for q nominal advance
on the charge for short distances), is
doubtless the main cause Of this trade
tendency. For instance, our present
route 10 Memphis is over two rail
roads. whose interests are to sOEne eX-
tent autagOnistiC; and there must be
a transfer, perhaps delay, if not risk
and additional handling, Ofall freights
st Grand Junction. On this route,
too. the Mississippi Central road, after
loading, billing, etc, carries our
freight only twenty-five miles, leaving
ifCy miles for the Memphis and
Charleston. If we ship to New
Orleans our freight passes over
a continuous line Of road, under
one management, for three
hundred and seventy miles, without
any transfer. If we ship to New
York il is by some of the organized
through freight lines, and the
Mississippi Central is paid for our
freight 10 Jackson, Tennessee, a
distance OF seventy-tWO miles,
without any transfer, and having
the locked cars cared for by the
freighting company. As a result, we
pay for freight on a bale Of cotton to
New York, ten days distant, s. 80; to
New Orleans, three days distant, So 70;
to Memphis, now two days distant,
the sum Of s. 80. Thus we see that
the railroads, in their selfish manage
meut, discriminate largely against
Memphis, which of course is a dis
CriLuinatiOn against US. The same is
true OF all the other ireights and other
routes. For instance, the freight on a
carload Of -four from st. Louis to this
Mace. four DAYS distant, is 800 So
From Memphis it is $48. The same
state of facts exists as to all points on
the Mississippi Central and Mobile
and Ohio railroads, excepting, of
course, Grenada, COrinth and Grand
Junction. With such places as Pom
tUtOc and New Albany, in Missis-
sipUi, and Clinton, Pickensville and
Greensboro, Alabama, of the lines Of
railroad altogether, Memphis labOrs
under vet greater disadvantages.
The evil iE growing greater every
dav, and the blows at Memphis inter
ests are becoming more and more ef-
fsctive. What is the remedy? Evil
dentIy to send out q railroad into tnat
region in Mississippi and Alabama,
which is naturally tributary to her;
in other words, to complete at an early
dav the Memphis and Selma railroad.
What will be theresult? Take Holly
Springs and its trade for Illustration
We viii ship this season about 2J,OOJ
Bales OF cotton. At present, to ship
30 Memphis &c costs 8 30 per bale. by
the new road, by which we would diml-
uSsb our time and distance from Mem
phis more than three -f0urths, avoid
an transfers OF freight, and have the
Of composition, the freight
would not be more than One-haif Of
the present price. Return freights
would be diminished in a like ratio.
Wh0doubts that Memphis would soon
regain her ascendancy over the traffic
Of the whole region lying between
Selma and the Bluff City2 Instead Of
receiving less than One-third of our
cotton, she would receive nearly all.
Instead Of selling less to US than st.
IyOuis. Louisville or New Orleans, she
would be able to underbid those cities,
and we would begin once mere to
regard Memphis as not only our nat
HraI market but as our cheapest and
UOst desirable market.
Ou the 18th of Mach instant, the
cit. .veng oi Memphis will vote upon
~ "a yf,7ti0E OF subscribing $500, 600 to
ne estifs stock 0f the Selma railroad. /
No mild n merely TO Holly Springs
would mHke such q subscription
nrofitsble. Beyond computation will |
Be the increased trade OF the city,
when we shall have straight trunk
line running out into the fertile and
ulidlands Of Alabama and
a large portion Of which
region Is now a terra i1cOgylttd 10 |
Memphis, but not less fertile or |
than those regions through /
which her Little Rock road has its /
route. That Memphians have that /
lust appreciation Of the future Of their !
beautiful city which viii make them /
cheerfully vote this subscription, we /
do hope and believe. And we are the 1
more anxious on the subject, because /
we are aware that at no distant day q 4
vote lor the same purpose will be Ia |
ken In this county; and we feel that /
the action Of Memphis in the premises |
will largely influence the votes of our /
citizens. AT the proper time we will |
show the immense advantages 70 ac- |
srue to Marshall county by the build /
ing of this road.
The following table from the Re
porter should be carefully studied by /
every merchant and prOperty-hOlder |
Of this city and county. It shows the |
amount and direction Of cotton ship |
ments from Holly Springs, for Six /
months from September J. 1870, to |
February q, 1871: