Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-01
Ma, HuNrINGrOas PLANS.
Cars to Run From Memphis to New
port News by April i,
ON From Memphis 60 shreve-
port and Texas.

Courior-iournAl, 0J.l
MI. Q. p. Huntington, General
Echols and General Wickam, VI tho
Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, were reg
isterod at the Gait House last night.
These gentlemen have come to Louis
vile to SEQ what arrangements can be
made to enter the city with their road.
Mr.. Huntington was asked last night
ii he could not state to the public
something Of his plans concerning
Louisville, the Lexington road and the
Cecilia branch, etc.
Il have come said he, to see
what facilities for doing business /
can obtain here. My original inten-
ton was to strike the Ohio at Louis
vile. just how much business We
will do here will depend on how much
il will cost to do that business. If it
costs two or three cents more TO do
business here than elsewhere, we will
be forced to do what We can elsewhere.
w will within a few days be running
through cars from Louisville and
from Cincinnati to Newport News.
The Means tunnel is finished, and
the last rail will be laid within q
short tine. BY April l we will be
running cars from Memphis to New
port News, as the lease Of the Cecilia
branch has been agreed on, and we
will change the gauge from here to
Memphis within the next four weeks
to four feet eight inches. W. will
have free use OF the line from here to
Lexington. We hope to build a line
between Louisville and Lexington
before very long. Within twelve
months the transcontinental line from
San francisco to Newport News will
be finished.
"The tendency of rates is contin-
uously to a lower level; every obstacle
that enhances the cost of %transporta-
ton is a misfortune, and every means
will be used to avoid it. At Cincin-
natl we have made arrangements with
the i. & N. to cross on the bridge
they use, paying our portion Of the
rental. Between New York and San
Francisco last year we carried thou
sands Of tons of grapes at the rate of
four tcnths of a cent q mile, we ex-
pect to carry grain from California to
New Orleans, and will be glad to get
half a cent a mile. 1t will be seer
from these figures how necessary it is
that terminal charges should be re-
duced to the lowest possible point. /
am told the bridge toll here is some
where between three and five dollars a
car, while grain has been carried from
Chicago to New York for thirteen
dollars. Such terminal charges mean
bankruptcy. Commerce cannot pay
such a tax permanently and flourish.
to add to this another arbitrary by
giving exclusive privileges to a belt
road on the wharf would be the height
of folly. The Chesapeake & Ohio
wants to get to the wharf either above
or below, and it does not wish to be
cut off from the other end. Isaw Mr.
j. G. Barrett in New York, and asked
him what his company intended to dc
with its franchises. You do not,
said l., intend to build any road but
for these few squares?' No, said he
You do not intend to spend AM
money in rolling stock?' No Their
you only intend to stand there levyinl
tribute on every carload of freigh
that passes through your gates?' Yes,
said he, but we will treat every on
alike No doubt OF that said /; 8
do not suppose you will allow a singl
pound to pass on whichthis extra TART
has not been paid This is an equalit
against which | protest. 1t is equa
privileges, not equal disabilities, whic'
We ask"
He said also that be would 500
begin the laying Of lis road into Texal
as he was certain he had the bcs
grant in that country. AS to tn
profits of railroad. building in tina
country, he was not sanguine. II
would willingly agree to take thre
per cent for the next ten years on tn
money invested in Mexico, locking
the future for their profits.
When asked il lie had secured
connection with st. Louis, he said b
had not YET, but he thought to secuI
one before very long. His bushes
for New Orleans from the East woult
for the present, be done over the Jacl
son route; but be expected to bull
and secure a line from Memphis, pei
haps in the direction Of Shreveport.