The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-10-20
Cheap Railways.-Their Advsnt iges-
Road TO Memphis.

gard to the system of cheap : ilroads
which are now becoming 50 common
throughout Europe, snd wi.;uh have
recently been introduced i ID this
country. They have been tininent-
ly successful wherever tiry have
been tried. They not oIly cost
less than the present railr1a Il, but
they are capable of doing mu"h more
business than is now done on any
railroad in the United STATS, with
much less cost. This is owing to the
small amount Of dead or unnecessary
weight which they carry, it being
Only one-third as much as carried on
our present roads.
They are-also much safe, owing
to their manner of construction and
the nearness they run to the ground.
They can with proper mana cement
be made equally as comfortable for
passengers. When the roads come
into general use the charges on
freight will be reduced ne-third,
and perhaps one-half, and Tie price
for transporting passengers will not
exceed three cents per mic if it
would be that much. The great in
ducement that will be of1ei Ell for
building them will be that they will
pay stockholders, which the present
roads are not doing. They will do
this, because they can be built and
run much cheaper, and therefore
must be profitable if built in the
right direction and through q good
country.
There Is no doubt that road from
Knoxville to Memphis. through this
place, would only cost in its con-
struction and equipment $4,000 per-
mile, and would be very probable to
its stockholders. 1t would in the pro-
jeeted road to Cincinnati, form the
nearest and most advantageous road
from that city to Memphis, as well as
to all parts of Mississippi. 1t would
connect the coal regions of the Cum
berland Mountains, with the iron ore
of the Tennessee River, and would
bring east, middle, and west Tennes-
see close together. II would be a
Tennessee road, penetrating the rich
est agricultural and the best money
districts Of the State. The idea of
Cincinnati going by huntsville and
Decatur to reach Memphis, is to say
the least of it, a novel Ole. Those
who believe In the eXpediency Of
such route must know very little
of the geography of the country.
The direct route from Cincinnati to
Memphis must pass either through
or near Nashville, or Columbia, We
think by Columbia, the most direct
route. Cincinnati; is north orcn OF
Nashville, and Decatur is forty miles
south of Memphis. THIS shows that
the route from Cincinnati to Mem
phis cannot lie over the Memphis and
Charleston railroad. The route, how
ever, from Cincinnati to South west
Georgia, and Southeastern Alabama,
would be through Huntsville. 1t is
Idle to think of making the travel
from Sparta and McMinnvilIe, Ten
nessee, bound for Memphis, pass
for many years through Huntsville
and Decatur. Tennessee must and
will have more direct road, con.
Meeting her great commercial city
with Middle and East Tennessee.
That road, we think and hope will
pass through Columbia. 1t is IN
necessary for US to act until we see
what is going to be done in West
Tennessee. We will be ready to
connect either with the route by
Jackson or by Bolivar. The people
OF West Tennessee, must determine
the route through West Tennessee
themselves, and when they build their
road from Memphis to the Tennessee
River, we will be ready to act in
harmony with them. We would urge
upon them the necessity of prompt
action, and we can assure them that
they will meet with ready co-opeTa-
ton in Middle Tennessee. This is
to be the great central road of the
State, binding with links of steel the
three grand divisions Of Tennessee.