Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-28
WHAT MEMPHIS CAN DO.

WHAT MEMPHIS CAN Do
We alluded yesterday to an en-
terprise on foot for building a broad
gauge railroad from Co~llierville to
Holly Springs, adistance of twenty
five miles, and it is just twenty-five
miles from here to Co%llierville.
Memphis cannot build great rail-
roads west of the Mississippi river,
such as are contemplated, but she
can strengthen her position on this
side, and make it such a railroad
center that whatever t%ransconti-
mental railroads may hereafter be
built will have reference to Mem
phis, if not make this the main or
only eastern terminus on the Mis-
sissippi river. -Four trunk lines
come here now from the east side
of the river. One of them, the
Memphis and Paducah, is un-
finished, but we understand will
soon be pushed forward go as to
make Northern connections. On
the west we have but one road, the
Memphis and Little Rock, which
taps an unfriendly line, the Iron
Mountain railway, run in the
interest of st. Louis, but connects
on a straight line with the Little
Rock and Fort Smith railroad,
which is run as much for the benefit
and in the interest of Memphis az
any other place. The lines from
here to Fort Smith viii doubtless
be consolidated in time, and per-
haps extended westward Indefinite
". In this direction We have already
agOOd field for enterprise, but south
of Little Rock Memphis is cut OF
by the determinations of the Iron
Mountain railway in favor Of st.
Louis. That is the situation on
the other side Of the river, and we
cannot change it. a line from
DevalFs Bluff to T~exarkana, Jefer-
son or LongTiew, would give us an
open field in Texas, but we cannot
build it now, and must wait until
the commercial necessities of the
country force such an opening. If
the Texas and Pacific railway comes
east to Memphis we are all right,
but we should not sit idly waiting
for outside relief. The true policy
Is to 60 to work for ourselves and
do what we can. That is the
way to draw capital and emmi-
grafton here. We can build up
local enterprises, and show to the
world that we are alive to our in
t%erestS, and at least on the defen-
sive, if not on the aggressive.
When the Memphisa and Charleston
railroad was projected the Holly
Springs people claimed that it
should pass through that place and
we are not certain but what it
should have been located a little
farther south or north than it was.
Colonel J. W. Clapp then living in
Holly Springs took an active inter
est in behalf OF his town, even as
he does now for Memphis. He
caused james F. Cooper, chief en-.
gineer Of the Memphis and Charles.
ton road in 1852, to survey the
route from Collieryille to Holly
Springs, and Of course is partial tC
his old route. Mr.. Cooper reported
that the grading and masonry
could be done for $500, the en-.
tire distance, or $500 a mile. L
is estimated now that the iroI
sidings can be laid down for $780,.
600, and that depots, cross ties
extensions and other expenses
would foot up $62,0OO-makine
the total cost of the road from
Collierville to Holly Springs $3.50,
900. This would be practically an
extension, or rather a branch Of the
Memphis and Charleston railroad,
and could be operated under its
management very cheaply. There
would be no necessity for new ma.
chine shops, rolling stock or officers
salaries. The road would connect