Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-02-03
Address OF the COmInfasiOners OF
the Jackson and Memphis Rail-
road Company.

direct connection with Nashville. It
is also proposed TO build q road from
Evansville Indiana, to Jackson, thus
giving another northern connection.
Ii is hoped that the people east of
Jackson viii see the Importance OF
building the road from Jackson &c
NcAIinville or Knoxville at an early
day. 1t is not proposed, under this
organization, TO build the road any
farther than Jackson, for the reason
that a short road with good cOnnec-
tions is most valuable in the COM
mencement OF the narrOw-gauge
system. The road from Memphis
to Jackson will cost 81, $50, 600; eight
per cent. upon this amount will be
100000. This road with its branch
es will be about one-third of the
length of the Memphis and Charles
ton road and will make fully one
third as much money. The gross
earnings OF that road were, last
year, 81, Az, AL 900 $3.50 per mile.
The profits of the road after deduct
ing operating expenses were $522,-
9l9 II, or Sl93S per mile. SuppOs-
ing the gross earnings of this road
to be as much as those Of the Mem
phis and Charleston road, it world
give $4lS, 400 as the gross earnings
per year.
The operating expenses on this
road would not be more than half Of
the gross earrings. This would give
as the net earnings SOS, 200 per an
mum. 1t is Well-known that the
best paying portion of the Memphis
and Charleston road is between
Memphis and Corinth. The Jack
son and Memphis road, with the
connections IL would form at Jack
son, would do fully as much busi-
ness between Memphis and jackson
as the Memphis and Charleston does
between Memphis and Corinth--
The operating expenses of the Jack
son and Memphis road would also
be much less per mile than those of
the Memphis and Charleston rail-
road. But suppose the Jackson and
Memphis road should only make as
much after paying operating expen-
ses as the Memphis and Charleston
road per mile, that would give $l54,-
$40 as the earnings of the jackson
and Memphis road after paying the
expenses of running. This would
be ten per cent. upon the cost OF ST.
547, 400.
The Mississippi and Tennessee
road, from Memphis TO Grenada,
had as gross RECEIPTS last aer, S4SS,-
$50 65, or $4sS4 per mile. This road
is ninety-nine miles in length, and
runs through no better country than
that through which the Jackson and
Memphis road will run. At the
same rates the Jackson and Men,
phis road viii make SS9O,72O gross
earnings. One-half for expenses,
and there will be left S195, $50. This
would be ten per cent upon Sl,S5S,
600.
We have taken these two roads,
because they both run to Memphis,
and through the same description OF
country. 1t is very Important 70
build a road that VIII pay at least
eight per cent upon its cost, and,
therefore, q short road is TO be pre-
ferred, with good connecting roads
at its termini.
We have not alluded to the bene-
fits this road would confer upon the
country by cheapening the cost OF
transportation and thereby increas-
ing the value of land along its line,
as well as offering immediate COM
forts and conYeniences to the pub
lie, because these matters have been
so often discussed that they must
be understood. We would only re-
mark that in many instances rail-
roads in our State have added five
or six dollars per acre in value to
counties through which they run; in
some instances the value of land in
whole counties has been doubled by
railroads. OF course the land near
the roads has increased much more
in proportion. AS in the country,
so ii is in towns. Jackson has now
three times greater wealth and po-
pulation than before her railroads
were built. Corinth, Meridian and
Vicksburg, Mississippi, aud Hum
boldt, Brownsville and Jackson, in
West Tennessee, are striking exam
pies of the effetcs of railroads in i'm
proving towns, to say nothing OF
Atlanta, Chattanooga and Memphis.
With this road completed, in con-
nection with a road to Huntingdon,
and with a road through Lexington
TO the Tennessee river, to be extern
ded through middle into east Ten
nessee, SomerVille and Jackson will
in few years more than double
their present wealth and population.
This road would form a part of the
short line from Memphis 20 Nash
vile, and before very lo1g do an
amount of business surpassed by no
road in the State. We believe, and
the facts warrant us in the belief,
that if this company should borrow
money to build the whole road the
profits would be sufficient to pay
the interest and create q sinking
fund TO pay the principal.
But the object is to build the road
with as little borrowed money as pos
sible, in order that the people along
the line may own and control the
road, and enjoy the profits. Every
citizen, along or near the line, should
promote the purposes of the com
pany by taking stock himself, and
by inducing others to do so. All
should contribute according TO their
ability. 1t is not only ungenerOus
but unjust for few to expect 9TH
ers to do everything while they do
nothing in forwarding this great
enterprise. We look with conf
dence and hope to the people, whose
interests are so much involved.