Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-05-06
4 EASTERN


tie subject of the Texas and Pacific
railway by discussions in the Chamber
Of Commerce and through the Memphis
press. The people understand it much
better than they did a year or even six
months ago, and are prepared to act IN
derstsndiDgly and intelligently. The
LEDGER took the position from the first
that this should be considered q great
national enterprise, and that however
anxious we might be to secure the east
ern terminus 1t would be unfortunate to
antsgonize other localities by push
ing our claims too strongly. Our
advantages aud position will speak for
themselves when the right time
This view was not altogether acceptable
to some Of our more impulsive citizens at
FIRST, but public sentiment has gradually
undergone some modification, and but
few are to be found we believe to insist
that Memphis must be recognized in this
bin as the eastern terminus as a sine quo
non to our support. The chamber ST
commerce and the cotton exchange met
in Joint session, and sent on Colonel j.
W. Clapp to Washington to promote the
interests Of Memphis, and to report upon
the situation. He performed his
duty faithfully, aud came back
and =. made a report remarkable
for its conservative, cOnciliatory tone,
He had been for Memphis FIRST, last and
and all the time, aud against any other
point, but came back convinced that it
would require a united South to secure
any trans.coniiusntal road, and that our
true policy would be to work for such a
road, aud not hsmpsr the enterprise
with conditions pertaining to any par
ticular crossing Of the Mississippi. TIE
general benefit to the sonth would be so
great that a place like Memphis would
not be likely to suffer OF fall behind in
the competition with o'her points. We
published abOat the same time a long
and interesting letter, written from Pine
Bluff, by NJ. H. Redtord, a Memphis
business man, who had been travelling
in Arkansas and Texas for
some time He took substantially the
same ground, although he had not been
at Washington or heard Of Colonel
Clapp's report, for it had not been made.
And now we have the satisfaction Of pab-
fishing an interview had with Colonel
G. NJ. MeGhee, of the Memphis and
Charleston and the East Tennessee
roads. Neither he nor his associates
are interested pecunisrly in any road
south or west of Memphis. Their line
from Bristol to Memphis comprises the
biggest half of the great route from
Norfolk to Memphis, and, Of course, if
a Southern Pacific road is ever built it
will be important for them that Memphis
should have a terminus so as to give them
o connection westward. Col. McGhee is
every inch a business man, as be has
demonstrated since be took hold Of the
MeqRhis and Charleston railroad. He
is largely interested in that railroad,
but is SO well satisfied as to the CONNER.
cial and geographical advantages and
the future of Memphis that he is certain
this will be a terminus Of any transeon
tinental road which may be hull, 10 the
South. The views Of such a man, inter
ested and as well informed as he is, are
entitled to great weight, and we hope
will be carefully read by ell who are in.
terested in the extension of the Texas
and Pacific railway