The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-04-30
memphis 8 Knoxville R. Il.

counts OF most enthusiastic cOnNen-
ton OF the friends OF the Memphis &
Knoxville Railroad at Memphis on We'd
nesday and Thursday of last week.
Delegates were present from Shelby,
Fayette, Hardeman, Madison and Nc
Marry counties on the West side Of the
Tennessee River, and from, Lincoln
county in Middle Tennessee A dis
patch was read from Gov. Brown from
Giles, stating that high waters prevent
ed him from being present, and that he
''wished the convention the utmost sue
cess"
Col. Holman of Lincoln county, was
made president, and NJ. r. Parish of
Hardeman and T. Jones, of Fayette,
Secretaries, with Vice Presidents from
each county. A committee on TesOlu-
tions reported a very able and conelu-
sive address, and prepared forcible resO-
buttons which were unanimously adopt
/ ed. The convention requested all news
papers on the proposed line to publish
the address and the proceedings of the
convention, but they are too voluminous
for our paper, filing as they do, six col
umns of the Memphis appeal. We give
a portion of the address and the resoiu-
tions. The speeches were short and
pointed, and meant business. The
speech of Col. Clapp was especially in
teresting, and therefore we give brief
report which we understand is far from
doing him justice. 1t Will be seen that
they recommended the Pulaski and
Fayetteville route. VIII our people
meet them in the same spirit of liberal
ity they manifested? Here follow the
resolutions:
First-That we deem the construction
/ of the Memphis & Knoxville narrow
gauge railroad a matter of immediate
necessity.
Second-Railroads eheaply built and
operated, with cheap rates of freight /
charges, are especially desirable, not on !
| ly because these States were sparsely |
| populated, but because we would turn |
backward toward our own cities the tide |
of traffic and travel now forced into re-
mOteF centers of trade and population. |
Third-We recommend the appoint |
ment of an active agent to canvass for |
subscriptions in land, money and other |
available property, and that we secure |
the aid of committee in each civil dis /
trict along the route of the contempIa- |
ted road.
Fourth-That merchants of Memphis |
and other cities and towns be requested |
to subscribe money, goods and merchan- /
disc, such as the company may utilize. |
Ftfth-Although we now propose to /
build this road to Fayetteville without /
delay, il is our purpose to extend it |
aChen oar resources justify it, to Knox
vile, and even to the Atlantic coast.
Sixth-That the Memphis Cham Der of /
Commerce be requested to select a COM
mittee to secure subscriptions in behalf
OF this road, payable in installments af-
ter the first OF September next.
Seventh-That Memphis and other
newspapers be requested to publish this
report.
Col. Topp then offered the following
resolutions which we're unanimously /
adopted:
Resolged, That, in the opinion of this
convention, the proposed line of rail-
way from Memphis to Knoxville, if |
constructed, would prove a highway OF
high magnitude to the people of the |
State; of deep interest to the people on |
the immediate line of road, and in every /
way of great interest to Memphis.
ResOlUed, That so regarding this en-
terp-ise, the citizens of Memphis hereby |
pledge themselves to subscribe a sum |
sufficient to construct the road within /
Shelby county; and for the purpose of |
accomplishing this object, the following |
named gentlemen-tO-wit: E. NJ. APP |
person, W. w. Guy, J. R. Goodwin, J. |
staff, J. G. Nicely, jerome Hill, w. p. |
Proudfit, j. w. Moons, and II. NJ James /
are hereby appointed a committee /
charged with the duty of suggesting |
some plan to raise the sum necessary to |
construct the road within the limits of |
this county, with the utmost energy pos |
sible.
ResoIced, That the delegates present |
from the counties east of Shelby be re-
quested to assure our fellOW-citizens of |
the counties beyond, on and near the /
line of the proposed road, that we feel /
deeply identified with them, and will do /
our share.
Most Tennessee railways have been |
profitless, as investments. They cost |
too much per lineal mile for the density |
of population per square mile. The |
gross earnings of the Nashville and |
Chattanooga railroad per mile, in 1870, /
were $9,127 II; of the Memphis and |
Charleston, for 1870, $685. II. Despite !
these great gross earnings the net earn !
ings were very small, and for the reason I
that operating expenses of broad-gauge |
roads are enormous. A road through 4
the rich counties of which we have
spoken, from Memphis to Fayetteville, |
would make as much as the Nashville q /
Chattanooga or the Memphis & Charles |
ton railroad. The gross earnings would |
therefore be $685. IL per mile on cap |
| ital of $2,S56,0O0 (the narrow gauge |
costing $4,000 per mile.) Fifty per
cent of gross earnings pays all costs and
| expenses of narrow-gauge roads. The
earnings to Pulaski would be 1851 ,025, |
after operating expenses are deducted. |
Ten per cent upon the entire cost of the |
road would be only S2S5,000; and thus if |
this road should only do half the bust /
ness of the Memphis s. Charleston, its
net earnings would be $270,5l2, or more
than nine per cent. on its entire cost.
Col. Clapp said he thought the mer-
/ chants of Memphis should be aroused to |
/ the importance of the enterprise. There /
was no country in the world possessing
more advantages than the country
/ through which the road would run.
/ Memphis might be made great manu-
| featuring city, without which no city
could build itself up. No city could
maintain itself as a distributing point
merely. He heard men crOaking, saying
Memphis was overdone. This was un-
| true nothing could crush Memphis, al
| though her onward march might be re-
tarded materially. There were TARA
pins who never looked beyond their
! shells, who never would aid railroads.
! These men could only be reached by tax
alton. He favored railroad subscrip-
lions, and knew the Selma railroad was
of great Importance. 1t was impossible
/ to place all railroads upon the same i'm
/ portance or make them of the same
/ gauge. Both gauges subseTve certain
purposes. He thought Col. Goodwin
right, as he had proved his faith by his
works. While an unpretending citizen,
he would subscribe five hundred dollars
to the road.
For the CTIzES.