Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-04

In the New York Herald, of Sunday, we
find the following letter, to the editor of
which paper it was addressed:
LITTLE Rock, ARK, May "a, 1879.
Will you be kind enough to publish the fol-
lowing reply to the venomous attack made by
an anonymous correspondent upon the Men,
phis and Little Rock railroad in your issue of
the twentieth instant. In letter dated Nash
willie, Tennessee, May 18th, headed "Condi-
tco of Arkansas"
as murderers and "desperadoes," he says:
The story of brutally hunting down the two
clergymen you published is of little signi6-
canoe when compared with the slaughtenng
that has been done on the railroad passing
Brinkiey, Arkansas mean the Memphis
and Little Rock railroad. / have passed over
that road often ever since it was fairly IN op-
Grafton, but just as often l have had the
pleasure of seeing an engine In mourning
mourning for the killed 10 the latest accident.
These engines are in mourning for three days
only, until the dead are buried; but the fun
NEST of it is that they never get out of
mourning, because there is always an acct
dent, etc. l have been connected with the
Memphis and Little Rock railroad since De-
cembcr Is, 1873, and know that from that
time up to date no passenger has been killed
or injured and that the trains have run with
as much regularity as on any other road in
the country. The following correspondence
will give an idea as to the slaughter COM
united on the road during the past ten
years:
LITTLE ROCK May %, 1879.
Captain W. Z. Smith, Superintendent, Memphis:
letter-writer in the New York Herald,
Of the twentieth instant, says that the Mem
phis and Little Rock railroad slaughters pas
sengers by tbs wholesale. Doyou remember
any accident in which passenger was killedP
How long have you been connected with this
roadP RUDOLPH FINK.
. MEMPHIS, May %, 1879.
Z. Fink. Little Rock
In answer to your telegram. would say that
/ have been connected with the Memphis and
Little Rock railroad since the fall of 1869.
and am positive since that time only one pas
senger has been killed on the road, and this
happened in November, 1876. Ii was not
certain that this one died from the effects of
injuries received on the road, as he was a
man In bad health at the time the accident
happened, and lived sometime afterward.
W. Z. SMITH, Superintendent.
Why sane man should "pass over that
road often" is not easily explained If one be-
lieves your correspondents other statements,
unless he really takes delight in witnessing
human slaughter, as might be inferred from
his remarks above quoted, In which case he
proves himself much greater fiend than he
has attempted to represent the people of Ar
kansas to be. But the fact is, your CORE
spondent is an unmitigated liar, In whom
there is but little truth, if any, and it is
therefore improbable to reason from any of
his statements. However, he may have trav-
eled often over the Memphis and Little Rock
railroad, because it is the shortest line be-
tween the east and southeast and Texas,
which saves to travellers much time and
money. 1t is also as safe as any other route,
it Is free from dust, coal smoke and cinders,
runs elegant Pullman sleeping-cars between
Little Rock and Louisville without change,
furnishes all comforts and conveniences
known to modern travel, and never, or
"hardly ever, misses a connection. Respect
fully yours,