The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-04-12
Memphis and Knoxville Railroad.

As will be seen by reference to the
Memphis press, the Quarterly Corrt Of
Shelby county,at its April term. declined
for the present to submit any mtre rails
road taxes to the people. of that county
The Memphis and Knoxville Railroad
Company decided to make the appIica
ton at that time, not knowing that any
one else would apply, but as soon as it
was known that this road would apply
there were three other roads, or proposed
roads, who put in applications which
amounted in the aggregate to two mil
lion dollars, and this, too. at a tune when
the Nicholson pavement builders had
just obtained judgment against the city
of Memphis for half million dollars
We regret the result, but at the same
time we are not prepared to say that the
Quarterly Court did wrong under the cir
cumstanees.
This result, however, docs not by any
means defeat the construction Of the road
On the contrary, the corps of engineers
are now locating the line from Memphis
east, and VIC are reliably informed that
the grading Of the first section of thirty
miles will be let out as soon as the loea.
ton is complete. say within the next two
weeks The contractors are ready to.
begin the work Immediately on that sec
ton, and by the time that is fairly under
way the next section viii he really to let,
So that even if the Shelby County Court
eventually refuses to submit tax, the
road will nevertheless be built But our
readers may rest assured that the failure
Of the Court to submit tax on the first
Monday in April was solely on account
of the situation of affairs at that particu-
lar time, and that as soon as they get
breathing spell from the Nicholson pave
ment debt and the half million voted to
the Selma ROAD, they will gladly take
stock by a public subscription in this
road.
The private subscriptions in Shelby
county to this road is increasing with ra-
Pid1ty are informed that they have about
enough private subscriptions from Mem
phis to the Tennessee river to prepare
the whole road for the iron Indeed, the
delegates from Middle Tennessee also
bring assurances that they are ready to
bald and equip the road through that
portion of the State. so also the assur
ances from East Tennessee are eminent
ly encouraging.
AZ soon as the location sufficiently pro
crosses to have the graders at work on the
western end, the corps Of enIineer+ will
begin the survey to and across the Ten.
nessse river. through ,liddle and East
Tennessee. There never has been, with
in our knowledge Of railroads, failure
to build a road upon which work was be-
gun, and We confess that no railroad ever
had more solid and uumistakable evei>
dences Of that life, energy and m cans by
which railroads are speedily built than
the Memphis and Knoxville Railroad.
We are no enthusiast. We do not ex-
peet a great enterprise like this to be
built in day, or to escape the difhcul..
ties now and then which are common to
all railroads, and public enterprises; but
we do affirm that unless al past expert
ence is false that this road will surely be
built, and that, too in less time than any
road of its length has ever been built in
this state. 1t may, and doubtless will
have its checks, its difficulties, its en-
barrassments, bat these viii in the end
only demonstrate the life and energy of
this great road in overcoming them.