Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-28
ATLANTIC ENTERPRISE.

The history of the Pennsylvania Central
railroad under the management Of Col
Tom. Scott inspires confidence in the speedy
completion of the Southern Pacific road.
The Southern Railway Security Company,
now having control of the road from Mem
phis to Bristol, and Col. Scott having been
placed at the head of the Texas Pacific
Company the building of the Texas roads
now a foregone conclusion. 1t only re-
quires large capital and an energetic leader
to accomplish the result. Both
of these are united in Col. Scott, and the
success of his scheme is already assured.
The genius which has overcome all oppos-
lug obstacles lrilIvltV ,.->,,. 81 fIsf INT,
be subdued by the formidable nature or
the difficulties still to be met.
The Texas Pacific railroad commences at
Marshall, Harrison county, Texas, near the
Louisiana border. Hence it will run west
ward through the middle Of Texas TO FL
Paso, at the Mexican border, on the Rio
Del Norte. Hence westward through the
southern sections of New Mexico, Arizona
and California, having for its Pacific termi-
nus San Diego, 400 miles south Of San
Francisco, and short distance
north of the Lower California
boundary. The distance from Marshall to
San Diego is about 1900 miles. The Texas
Pacific company is entitled to a land grant
Of 13, 100000 acres, lying in one of the
richest sections of country on the CONT
nent, and to other grants sufficient TO pay
for the construction of the road.
The terrible snow storms which have
blocked the Union Pacific Railroad so fire.
quently during the present winter have 10
directly aided the Southern route. The
commercial community have been awaken
ed to the necessity of constructing a road
which viii be open the year round. De
lays are not only vexatious, but to com
mercial men, they are frequently
disastrous. Hence the Importance of hav-
ing reliable, quick route to the Pacific
coast, by which the traffic of Eastern Asia,
every year increasing in magnitude, can be
carried across the continent without dan
ger of delay. But even though the Union
Pacific were perfectly reliable route at all
seasons Of the year, a second route, and ere
long a third one, will be necessary to ac-
commodate the trans-continental trade.
The Southern Pacific Road is, therefore,
demanded by the necessities of Commerce,
and it is vel that it has been given over to
the control Of one whose genius and energy
will insure its speedy construction.
Since writing the above we see from an
extract from the Little Rock Republican
that the Memphis and Little Rock and Lit
tie Rock and Fort Saith roads have been
consolidated, and leased to the Southern
Railway Security Company. The Republi-
can says:
Mr.. Scott, on behalf of the Southern
Railway Security Company, of which he is
the controlling spirit, is to have a lease Of
the two roads for ninety-nine years from
January ], 1873. The stockholders Of the
Memphis and Charleston road have ratified
the lease of that important highway to Mr..
Scott for the same period. The first mort
gage bonds issued by the Fort Smith road,
amcuntingto about three and half million
dollars, and the same character Of bonds of
the Memphis road are 10 be retired, and
bonds of the consolidated railway issued in
their stead. The Fort Smith road and the
DevalPs Bluff and Pine Bluff branch Of the
Memphis road are to be built aid put in
frst-class condition by the first Of January
next, when the lease commences.
For the purpose Of raising means to do
this, the first mortgage bonds OF the con
sOlidated company are TO be issued, in
dorsed by the Southern Security Company,
which will make them as good in the
money markets Of the world as all first class
securities.
1t IS the intention of Mr.. Scott, who was
recently elected President Of the Texas
Pacific Railroad, TO push forward the Mem
phis and Shreveport road from Pine Bluff
and the Texas Pacific to the neighborhoOd
of Albuquerque. At the same time the
Forth Smith road will be built into the In
dian country, there cOnnec ing with the
Atlantic and Pacific, and following the line
of the thirty-fifth parallel until reaching the
point where the Texas Pacific crosses this
route (rear Albuquerque) where a junction
of the two roads will be formed and one
line be formed from there to the Pacific.
This consolidation will insure the com
pletion Of an unbrOken railroad to the In
dian Territory, distaT CO Of 2S2 miles, be-
fore the close of the year 1872. As a cOrOl-
larry from this consolidation will be the
building OF the branch road TO Pine Bluff
and thence to Shreveport and Jefferson
City.