Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-11-09
MEMPHIS & CHARLESTON r. r.
The Question Of Uniting II to the Fortunes
of the Pennsylvania GeatraL

Editors [ppeGt-Wm you allow me space TO
say a few words IN regard to the oldest and
most important OF your roads-the Memphis
commercial prosperity Of your city. The rap
ldtty with which st. Louis and other great
cities "a extending their railroad systems inn
poses a necessity upon Memphis of extending
her lines in order 10 avoid hopeless inferlority.
Numerous plans for new ROADS east and west
concentrating at your city are under discus
sion. Their Importance TO its growth is felt
and acknowledged. The sole question is, as to
means of building themi Not In any short
time, is the inevitable. answer.
The peoples are now taxed as much as they
can bear; there is no surplus capital in your
midst seeking Investment. IfyOu do not keep
pace with other cities in enlargtng your com
mercial facilities, you must decline instead Of
advancing. The State Is too deeply involved
in debt TO lend any aid the community Is
siUking under the load Of taxation, and the
legislature, instead Of fostering the roads which
It helped 70 build in former times, seemsm more
inclined to cripple and Cypress them.
1t is the tendency Of capital 10 accumulate
aud concentrate in lew hands. This is clearly
manifested in the case OF the railroads of the
United States. A few great corporations are
smaller and weaker roads, and reaching from
the lakes to the gulf, and rom one ocean TO
the other. Foremost among these is the great
Pennsylvania Central, controlling at this day
nearly, IL not quite, five thousand miles Of
completed railway, and welding q surplus
capital OF seventy or eighty millions of dol
lars. II mas recently acquired the East Tennes-
see and Virginia railroad. For what purpose?
Certainly not TO hold 1t as an nnK
In a long chain Of roads belonging to others,but
to make IL the basis of future Acquisitions 1t
Is but the entering wedge; twill cleave its way
20 the Pacific.
Various routes are open TO it. All things
considered, the Memphis and Charleston road
is better suited 10 q profitable extension OF the
vast Pennsylvania road than any other; but
then, US advantages are not 50 commanding as
claims TO consideration, and II the friends Of
Memphis and its road sit still, and rely on All
y9ssf sen OF natural al 16sI PG Soi on r aiSne' there Is
The management of this great corporation Is
full of energy and promptneSs. 1t is under
the control OF a single VIII that guides it with
no falteripg hesitation. If we do not exercise
these qualities, while We are ponoering other
schemes, or buying spades, and carts, and
Wheelbarrows, 10 commence work on SoIne
other connecting line of road, they will have
passed us by, and completed some other route.
The Memphis and Charleston road Will then
be confined to an Improbable local traffic, in
stead OF being one OF the great t~horoughfares
of the continent, carrying the peoples and the
products of every CLINE from one region to an
other. Al its-beginniDg, the object was 70
make IL the medium OF communication
between the Atlantic and the great in
land ocean which washes your bluff
a much wider held than then dawned upon
prophetic vision. Our views must be expand
ed TO meet the altered state OF things: and we |
must be willing 70 sink the individuality Of |
our road to become part OF one lar more com- |
prehensive, in order to realize the original
conception OF binding one ocean W announcer. /
That Will make our road part of a vast system, |
which will diffuse prosperity upon every
county and city through which 1t passes. lose
the opportunity, and we drop . century be-
hind pon the dial OF progress
am an original stockholder IN the Menu
phis and Charleston road. made so by the
thrilling eloauence of JONES'; and | doubt not,
If that voice could again be heard among us,
that IL would recommend the binding OF the
fortunes of the road, for which be Iabored so
earnestly and so web, 10 the wider and greater
fortunes OF the Pennsylvania Centrals and
thereby enlarge and expand the sphere OF tts
use, mliness, and the prosperity OF Inc city,
with whose destiny he linked ms own
TRUST, Ar. Editsr, that you VIII concur in
the opinions l have expressed, ana use your
i~niuenee for their adoption. We nlgntprefer
be made equally seryiceaDle; but Wnen the
IS one OF permanent nlerlorlty on one
side and Of progress and prosperity on the
yield TO the sober conclusions 81 tour gpaElnsnL