Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-04-05
DEVELOPERS TRAFFIC.
A New Era for Gemphis-The
Fuel Question Solved.
Courisr-Journal, SAL

Courier-Journal, 3d.
The era of consolidation, so far as
the Louisville & Nashville system is
concerned, is practically closed, and
its managers arc now using all their
energies in building up the traffic
along their lines. This requires rare
judgment and thorough familiarity
with the resources and necessities of
the territory penetrated by the road
and any ofits branches.
A few days ago the Courier. journal
mentioned that the Louisville & Nash
vile was making every effort to in
crease the business between the South
ern States and the West and North
west in early vegetables and fruits.
We have now to netice another move.
ment which is destined to develop into
something Of very much greater i'm
portance.
Next in Importance to the question
OF food is that Of fuel. Heretofore the
coal mines along the lines of the
Southern roads have developed slowly
and under very discouragiDg eircum.
stances. Louisville, Memphi', Nash
vile, indeed all the cities and towns
in the system, have been clamoring for
cheap coal without well understanding
how it was to be procured. The
Louisville & Nashville, whether or
not it has fully solved the problem,
has taken a very important step in
that direction, and has arranged to
put supply Of Kentucky coal 10
Memphis at ten cents during the
summer and thirteen during the win.
ter. From an advertisement in the
Memphis papers the following extract
is taken:
I'VE are erecting a scale at the
depot on which ali coal sold at retail
will be carefully weighed, and ten
barrels, or 1900 pounds, OF coal fur.
nished as a cart load. As soon as we
perfect our arrangements, tickets call.
ing for such loads will be placed on
sale at the company's ticket Office,
corner Main and Madison streets, also
cashiers Office at depot. The price
will for the present be: For ten bar
rels, or 1900 pounds Of merchantable
Kentucky lump coal, deliverable on
our cars at depot before September / i,
1882, $3.50. IL consumers wish TO
secure tickets for delivery beyond that
time and before May /, 1883, we will
sell such tickets for 1926. Our nut
coal, which is especially adapted for
steam and cooking purposes, we will
furnish at twenty-five cents per load
less. Special contracts will be made
with manufacturers, dealers or any
person wanting by the carload or more,
delivered on cars at any point accessi-
bic by rail in the city. For the pres
ent VIC do not propose to deliver by
cart or wagon, believing that we will
by this course build up lively com
petition in that line which will enable
consumers to procure very cheap cart
age. This company has adopted this
method Of placing this coal on your
market without any profit TO them
selves except such as may result from
a low rate of transportation"
This evidently means business, y
and is of inoalcuable benefit TO Mem
phis. No doubt the same arrange
ments will be made at Nashville and
Louisville in short time. The coal
mines from which we draw our supply
Of Kentucky coal are not located on
the l.. & N, but on the Il. d p, now
the Chesapeake, Ohio d Southwestern,
but we suppose arrangements can be
made by the two companies, or else
similar and independent arrangements
will be undertaken by the O., o. & s.
W., following the move Of their com
petitors. o. the Knoxville branch
new mines willundoubtedly be opened,
but whether or not these will be &C.
cessible TO Louisville We are not now
informed.
The movement is significant 10 every
aspect. 1t shows an intelligent com.
prehension Of the demands Of com
merce, and determination to meet
those demands, which are full Of hone
and promise for the future. 1t will
certainly have a happy influence on
mining, on manufacturing and on
commerce generally.
1t also indicates that the road is 10
be managed to create traffic" and