Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-20
PROM MEMPHIS 10 SHIP BLAND.

PROM MEMPHIS TO SHIP ISLAND.
The Mississippi legislature, as
we have heretofore stated, at its
last session passed an important act
to encourage and facilitate the
building of the "Ship Island, Rip
ley and Kentucky Railroad" This
was originally chartered simply as
the Ripley Railroad Company, and
the road was built as a narrow
gauge from Middleton, on the
Memphis and Charleston railroad,
to Ripley, a distance Of twenty-five
miles, and is in successful opera
ton. Thus far it has proved a
paying enterprise, but there is not
enough Of it, and a powerful effort
is to be made at once to extend it as
far as Pontotoc by next November,
or in time to bring the next cotton
crop of that rich section to Memphis,
and within three years to build the
road through to Ship Island on the
coast, where there is a splendid
harbor, already an important point
for shipping lumber. Under the
recent act Of the legislature the
officers and agents Of the road are
authorized to enter all the vacant
lands belonging to the State Of Mis-
sissippi, and it is estimated that
there are one million acres Of such
lands, some of them very rich.
There are proper restrictions Of
course, and among other provisions
is one hat if the road is not ex-
tended the lands shall revert to the
State. 1t is further provided that
lands forfeited for taxes to the State
within ten miles of the road may
be bought by the company alta nom.
inal price. The most important Of
all is hat the authorities of the
company may contract with the
lesSees Of the penitentiary for
a. many convict hands as can be adj
vantageouSly employed on the road.
This contract has already been
made and two hundred able-bodied
hands are ready aud waiting at the
penitentiary to be conveyed to the
line Of the road and put to work.
To give the company the benefit of
this law and its advantageous terms
the work Of extension must be com
menced within six months from its
passage. The road is to run through
the center Of the State about mid
way between the Mobile and Ohio
and the Mississippi railroads, at an
average distance Of about thirty or
thirty-three miles from each. The
counties of PontOtoc, Chickasaw
aud Winston, first crossed from this
end of the line, produce fine crops
Of cotton, which would natur-
ally come to Memphis. These
counties, it is estimated, would
send fifty thousand bales to
this market. Heretofore this cot
ton has been hauled to the nearest
depotS on the Mobile and Ohio and
on the Mississippi Central railroads,
by which it was carried to Mobile
or New Orleans. The distances in
which we are most interested at
present are as follows: Memphis to
Middleton, on the Memphis and
Charleston railroad, GO miles; Mid.
dleton to Ripley, rs miles Ripley
to New Albany, Is miles; New AL,
bany to Pontotoc, in PontotoC
county, IS miles ; New Albany tc
Houston, in Chickasaw county, %
miles. Total distance from Mem.
phis to Houston, 1853 miles. Dis.
lance from Memphis to Ship Island.
378 miles. The bondholders of the
Ripley road agree to surrender theil
bonds and take new ones instead
which are to be issued at the tate 0.
$4,000 a mile, which with such Other
aid as may reasonably be expected
will be sufficient to build the road
Memphis is deeply interested in
this enterprise, but will not be
asked for any heavy subscription
We understand that General Faux