Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-21
THE RAILWAY WORLD.
E. Hubert, the Expert, on the
ErIanger System.
a Story that Reads Like a Fairy
Tale,
Hut is Hacked BY seemingly Un.
anSwerable Figures.
Cincinnati Commercial ]

Cincinnati OOhMeIctai 3
MI. L. Hubert, Of New Bedford,
Indiana, who was a delegate to the
first meeting ever held in the interest
of the present Cincinnati Southern
railway, and is an accepted authority
on railroad statistics, has addressed to
Mr. Fred Wolfe, as Financial Agent
of"The Erlanger System Of which
the road built by the city is now an
integral, q lengthy and interesting
communication on the systems rela-
tions to the future commerce of the
country. The letter, which is very
exhaustive on the subject of which it
treats, begins with facts and figures
showing that the harbor of Brunswick
is the best on the southeast coast Of
the United States, and equal to
Hampton Roads, Now York. Pbila.
delphia and Baltimore. The writer
then proceeds to argue that Bruins.
wick is by position and advantages
naturally the greatest cotton port OF
the world-being via the Albany 4
Brunswick railway, acquired by the
Erlanger system, nearer than is Sa.
vannah by any route to the cities of
the cotton belt. Albany, Columbus,
Chattanooga, Montgomery, Selma,
Meridian, Vicksburg, Shreveport,
New Orleans and Memphis, by from
forty-two to one hundred and eighty.
two miles. He then says:
Cincinnati, by the lease of the Gin
cinnati Southern railway to the Err
LANCER syndicate. becomes the North
ern port OF entry, so to speak, of the
central Western States, TO the cotton
States with their vast commerce, as
yet in its infancy, which, under the
stimulous of free labor and cheap
capital, are developing with a rapidity
never before experienced in their his
tory; this empire Of reciprocal trade
aud commerce is brought in connec-
ton with Cincinnati by the shortest
possible rail route. An immense new
field is opened up to her merchants
and manufacturers. one, which fully
improved, will give an impetus TO her
growth in population and wealth
scarcely dreamed OF by the most AN
guine Of her enterprising citizens.
The future commerce Of the South
ern States, based upon the great staple
that clothes the world, and which can
not be successfully grown in competi-
ton with them in any other part of
the world, the commerce flowing di-
rectly and indirectly from this worlds
necessity will, within the life of the
present generation, become the second
most valuable and far-reaching pro-
duotion in its wealth producing power
that the world has ever seen. Embr2c-
ing the necessities Of the whole human
family, its commercial power in the
near future will give to those control
ling it an influence in the monetary
world second only to that derived
from the control of breadstu6s. While
one feeds, the other clothes the
world.
The Erlanger system, by the extern
sion Of the Alabama Great Southern
from Meridian 70 New Orleans, gives
to Cincinnati a short north and south
line centrally through this cotton belt,
crossing the great cast and vest
Central Atlantic and Pacific route at
Meridian, at right angles, midway
between the Atlantic coast and the
western limit of cotton production.
This gives to Cincinnati a large share
in the future profits Of this great COM
modify.
Chattanooga is natures gateway
from the North and Northwest to
seven Of the wealthiest and most pow
erful Of the cotton States. Located
midway between the Ohio river on
the north and the Gulf CT Mexico on
the south, the Atlantic ocean on the
east and the Mississippi river on the
west, her central and commanding po-
sition has drawn to her the great rail-
way liaes Of a large portion of the
cotton belt. She is the natural rail
way center Of a vast productive en-
pire, asyet comparativel undeveloped.
Nature has so placed her barriers that
nowhere else is there a practicable
point OF central divergence covering
the cotton States. Her railways
radiate to all points Of the compass.
Standing at the point where the
Tennessee river breaks through the
great Cumberland range, her railways
spread out fan shaped. covering seven
States, on the east and southeast the
States Of Georgia, South Carolina and
Florida; on the south and southwest
the States, Of Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana, and on the west the
State Of Tennessee. These States con-
tain 10000 square miles OF territory,
as yet but comparatively developed,
and yet, in 1870, contained q popula-
ton Of 5,SS3,ll2 persons, and to-day.
1881, probably 6,500,000. The true
value Of their real and personal prop
erty at that date was 81, 1852, S96, 426,
and at this time may be safely esti.
mated at $500, 000,000.
The value Of their products at that
date was 1921 ,5j7 SOL, azd a. this
time, 1881, probably $1,000, 0JO, 600.
consisting mainly Of cotton, sugar, rice
and tobacco.
The States Of South Carolina. Geor
gia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana front and border coastwise
upon the West India Islands. the
Gulf Of Mexico, Central aud South
America, forming a semi-circle, COW
ering aud commanding through their
ports the traffic by the shortest routes
to- vast region, whose productions
form the most valuable and profitable
part of the commerce Of this cont.
nent.
The railway system Of these sever
States% embraces over 10000 milesin &C
tive operation. covering 330,0l0 SQUARE
miles Of territory, all conyergirg di
rectly, or by their connections. I,
chattanooga as a common center
The railway combination and city tina
Csncommand the shoi test line iron
Ohio, the central State OF the West
the center Of population on this con
tinent. will reap a golden harvest sue
as has never fallen to the lot Of an
city west. Of the Alleghanies. Tha
railway combination is the "Erlange
system" and that city is Cincinnati.
In pSint Of distance TO the heart q
the cotton, sugar and rice fields an.
trade centers Of the South, we fin
bat from Cincinnati and Louisville {
chattanooga, via the Cincinnati
Southern railway, is 335 miles, an,