Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1874-05-07
The Memphis Railroad
Convention.
The Report and Resolutions.
Col. d. w. Holman's Speech.

hCllptliS anu AUOHNllle NaTTOW-
Gauge r rilroad. Delegates were
present from Shelby, Fayette, Har.
deman, Madison and McNairy
counties on the West side of the
Tennessee River, and from Lin
coln county 10 Middle Tennessee.
Col. D. W. Holman, Of this place,
was made President, with Vice
Presidents from each County. A
committee on resolutions reported
verj able and conclusive address,
a I'd prepared forcibIe resolutions,
which were unanimously adopted.
Wegive portion of the address
and resolutions. The speeches
were short and meant business =
They recommended the Pulaski
and Fayetteville route. Here
follow the resolutions
First-That we deem tie con.
struction of the Memphis & Knox.
vile narrow gauge railroad a mat
ter of Immediate necessity.
Second--RailroadS cheapIy built
and operated, with cheap rates of
freight. charges, are especially de-
slrable, not only because tn sc
States were sparSely populated,
but because we would turn back
ward toward our own cities the
tide of traffic and travel now foyct
into remoter centers of trade and
population.
Third We recommend the ap
poiutment of an active agent tC
canvass for subscriptions i'll land
money and all other available
property, and that we secure the
aid of committee in each civil
district along the route of the con
tepplated road.
Fourth-That merchants of
Memphis and other cities ant
towns be requested to SubScribe
money, goods and merchandise
such as the company may utilize
Ffth-Although we now pro
pose To build this road TO Foyette
Vile withou: delay, it is our pur
pose to extend it lChep oar re5our.
ceS justify it, to Knoxville, anC
even to the Atlantic coast.
SiXth-That the Memphis
Chamber of Commerce be reques
ted to select a committee to secure
subscriptions in behalf of thi
Yoad, payable in installments altel
the first of September next.
Seventh--That Memphis ant
other newspapers be requested t.
publish this report.
Col. Topp then offered the fol
lowing revolutions which were u
unanimously adopted :
ReSoIced, That, in the opinion
of this convention, the propose,
line of railway from Memphis It
Knoxville, if constructed, would
prove a highway of high magni
tude to the people of the State
OF deep interest to the people OIL
the immediate line of road, ant
in every way of great interest Il
Memphis.
ReSoIred, That so regardin;
this enterprise, the citizens OF
Memphis hereby pledge themselve
to subscribe sum sufficient to con
structthe road within Shelby coun
ty; for the purpose of accomplishing
this object, the following named
gentlemen to-wit: K. NJ. APP
person, W. w. Guy, J. r. Good
win, J. ~. CIapp. w. r. Moore
A. D. Langstaff, j. e. Neeley, Je
gome Hill. w. z. Proudfit, j. w
Moores and IL. NJ. James-arc
hereby sPpoia;ed a COMMITTEES
charged With the duty of sugges'
iing some plan TO raise the sun
necessary 10 construct the roa(
withju the limits Of this county
with the utmost euergy possible
ReSolred, That the delegate
present from the counties east of
Shelby be requested to assure ouI
ielInw-citizens Of the counties be
yohd, on and near the line of the
proposed road, that we feel deeply
identified with them, and will d.
our share
Most Tennessee railways have
been proitless, as investments. =
They cost too much per Inca
mile for the density of population
per square mile. The gross ear
nings of the Nashville and Chat
tanooga railroad per mile, ii
1870, were S9,l27 II; of the
Memphis and Charleston, for 1870
$685. IL. Despite these great
gross earnings the net earning,
were very small, and for the rea.
son that operating expenses of
broad gaugs roads are enormous.
4 road through the rich counties