Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-06-20
THE BOULEVARD.
Anrire WORTHY OF Memphis.

ADrive worthy of Memphis.
The suburbs of city are its chief at
traction, and city destitute of this me-
cessity is but an overgrown town. Proba-
bly, no city ON the continent has more
natural attractions in its suburbs than
Memphis beautiful country stretch
ing far into the distance, sufficiently
rolling to present the attractive features
of charming landscape; and yet no
thoroughfare, pike or macademized road
reaches out from the center of the city
into this charming region, which is
separated from us in summer by dusty
and bad roads, and in winter by an
ocean of mud. The Turnpike Company
first broke ground against this recog-
nized evil, and gave us boulevard
reaching out two miles from the terml-
nation of Poplar street. Already this
has become fashionable drive, and
popular in the extreme. But we need
more than this. We need something
that will circle around Memphis-take
in all the beauties Of the suburbs, and
form a splendid circular drive of at
least ten miles. The LEDGER has on
several occasions suggested this pub
lie improvement, and the sugges-
ton has been so far approved that
even now steps are being taken to
extend the boulevard from its eastern
terminus at Trezevant avenue south
ward to the Fair Grounds. An enter
prising citizen, in talking with the repre-
sentative of this journal, suggested
line of road which, if adopted and fin
ished, would be almost unequaled on
the continent as charming drive. To
extend the Poplar street turnpike out to
Trezevant avenue three miles,; thence
southwark on said avenue to the Fair
Grounds Zone milel; thence along the
line of the Memphis and Charleston
railway on the Railroad avenue to ellis
station; thence westward on McLemore
street to the river, or Horn Lake road, in
South Memphis, and from there up town
via Mississippi and Tennessee depot to
the center of the city. A splendid drive
of ten miles could in this manner be
obtained, taking in the natural and arti-
fetal attractions Of the route, which are
not to be ignored. The advantages of
this route in the sense o. construction
are as follows The gravel necessary
for the road comes over the Memphis
and Charleston railway, and could be
delivered within one mile of any given
point along the route. The Tishomingo
gravel forms concrete, and is superior
for road building. Tho cost has been
estimated at $1,000 per mile--a liberal
estimate The ten miles would cost about
100000. 1t can be built for this sum;
but outside of the recognized necessity
Of the road, will it pay2 We have even
Investigated this pecuniary phase of the
question, and can answer affirmatively.
The single toll-gate on the boulevard
pays already l6 per cent. ON the invest
nent at toll of FIVE cents. Place two
gates on the three miles of road out to
rrezevant aVenue--one on said avenue,
which extends one mile to the Fair
and two on the boulevard ex-
tension down McLemore street. Here
you have five gates, and the ten mile
lrive will cost you twenty-five cents, pay
ng at the ratio established by the pre-
sent gate, l6 per cent. on the investment
IF 100000. What other stock pays such
a per cent. on the capitalinvested2 The
mere statement places the investigation
within the reach of every enterprising
citizen, and we are confident the investi-
cation will bear out the assertion herein
made. So much for the paying point;
but when the splendid drive is taken into
and the benefits which
will accrue from it by making our city
attractive to strangers and inviting capt.
tai, to say nothing of the pleasure to be
enjoyed by our citizens for years to come
by having a delightful boulevard for
driving purposes, the happy thought of
building this circular roadway becomes
so apparent necessity that it requires
no prophet to predict that its compile
ton is already a foregone conclusion.
" Let us have a boulevard ten miles in
length as soon as possiblel" must ne
cessarily be the exclamation of all Mem
phians.
lMQlln MITE