Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-27
ANEW ROUTE PROPOSED FROM MIN
PHIs TO CALIFORNIA.
The Tarned (Kan.1 Press of the

ANEW ROUTE PROPOSED FROM MEN
PHIs TO CALIFORNIA.
The Larned Kan Press Of the
2lst inst. has the following:
The A. 7. and S. F. Z. R. is now being
pushed with energy from its presen, ter
minus at Pueblo 10 q junction with the
Southern Pacific road at or near Fort
Yuma. Fifty teams are now at work on
sne Of the passes Of the mountains, and
Others are on their way there. The Den
yer Tribune ssys:
As nearly as can be learned, it is the
intention Of the AtehisOn, Topeka and
Santa Ee Company to push their road
through Immediately to ajuneton with
the Southern Pacific railroad, nov past
Fort Yuus on its way through SOuthsrn
Arizona to Tucson. This connection
being made, the eastern end Of the road
will Be extended from Wiehits, Kansas.
TO Memphis, Tennessee, forni7gs south
err route 70 California foil three hun
dred miles shorter than Colonel Ton
Scots proposed line. A number Of
Boston capitalists have formed 8 pool Of
S5.OO0O00 to give this great enterprise 3
start; and Ihst pcriioa Of the work "
ing between The Atchison, Topeka and
santa Re road and Tucson. Arizons,
viii be pushed forward With sll the Tigor
that skilled engineering and plenty Of
money can give. Where the new eKtea-
sion viii leave the present line Of the
road has not yet been decided, but nor
likely At some point between La Junta
and Pueblo"
When completed. these lines will open
to the public two routes to the South and
East as we'll as TO the Pacific coast.
The through line viii pass through Los
Veigs, Santa Fe, AlbuqusTqu, and the
principal towns Of New Mexico and
Arizona, and will be finished at the ear
Hest possible moment.
This may be a feasible route and
one that would open up a great
deal of new and undeveloped trade
as we'll as territory. But this will
not altogether answer the purposes
and wants of the South. 1t is not
our only object to get across the
continent to California; besides this
route would be tapped by a St.
Louis road SO long before it gets to
=
Memphis that it would not be of
such great benefit to Memphis or the
people east and south of this point.
We hope the road will be built
speedily, but not as a substitute for
q Southern Pacific railroad. We
want communication through
Southern Arkansas, with Texas and
and the border of Mexico as well
as with Arizona, New Mexico
and California. We are not for
Tom SCOTS road, as it is called, be-
cause Scott has anything to do with
it, for he is no friend of Memphis
or OF anybody but Tom Scott; but
the enterprise with which he'll con-
nected promises more for this Sec
ton than any other which has been
proposed, and We are for taking
care Of ourselves and making the
best of the situation. Notwith-
standing the many drawbacks and
Encouragement which Memphis
has sustained in the last few years
from local Encouragement and
otherwise, the place has more than
held its own, and has grown to such
importance that no Southern trans.
continental railway can be contem-
plated without taking into conside.
ration the claims and advantages 0
this place as the eastern terminus
on the Mississippi river. Tit
road referred to above il
coming here some time doubles
without an effort on our part to Sc.
cure it Perhaps many of our mer
chants never heard of such a roaC
before. It's projectors will bring i
here, by way of Fort Smith, becaus
it is to their interest to do 30, an,
not to accommodate our local in
terests. The distance to Fort Smit
is 301 miles via Little Rock. The tw
roads from here TO Fort Smith ar
in fine running order and doing
good business. Our merchants al
ready draw a handsome trade fror
the rich region between Little Roc.
and Fort Smith, recently opene
to railway communication. A cor
solidation Of these two lines woul
be a very fortunate event for Mem
phis, and the above mentioned 30,
ton capitalists may in time find
to their interest to make an efol
in this direction.