Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-06-17
Memphis and the West.
jackson Tribune and Sun,

Jackson Tribune and Sun.
The Iron Mountain railroad system
now control all the business from
Memphis west. 1t has a monopoly in
its ownership OF the Memphis & Lit
tie Rock railroad. But its advantage,
which it has used against Memphis
and in the interest of st. Louis, will
not much longer be enjoyed. The
road from Kansas City to Memphis is
being rapidly pushed forward to com
pletion. When finished it will be a
great road, and will pour into and
through Memphis to the world the
vast grain and stock products of the
West, Northwest, and will give Mem.
phis a new line West, and a short
line direct to the Pacific But this is
only part of the development now
in sight for Memphis to the West.
Huntingdon, who controls the South
ern Pacific road, now close on to com
pletion, also controls the Memphis.
chesapeake & Ohio railroad, from
Memphis via Paducah to Baltimore.
This road is now about finished, and
Huntingdon finds himself with wide
gap in his great system between Mem
phis and Texarkana, and the whole
at the mercy Of a rival system.
Therefore he must have a connecting
link under his own control between
Memphis and his Pacific road
and hence line from Memphis
to Texarkana is only a question
Of short time. There is also the
great Louisville & Nashville sys
TEN, with one gifts great arms thrown
out to Memphis and there cut off by
hostile systems from share in the
rich trade Of the Southwest, the Pa.
cific and the Orient. She, too, must
have a connection with the Texas ays.
tenn Of roads. Then there is the East
Tennessee & Virginia system with it:
Memphis 4 Charleston arm, thatmust
have a reliable Western connection
from Memphis, or suffer greatly il
finances. And thus we sec the neces
sity and certainty of a vast railroad
enterprise from Memphis, west, and
he is a poor reasoner that does not
also see for Memphis an extraO di.
nary future Of growth and wealth
This net work OF Western roads now
rendered necessary by commanding
position and circumstances, will poul
into Memphis a vast commerce. II
addition to her immense cotton trade
that will be doubled, she will o
necessity handle wheat and corn ant
stock, and become to the central
Mississippi valley what Chicago is t.
the Northwest.
But how will this railroad develop
ment west from Memphis and tn,
growth of Memphis affect West Ten
nessee. 1t will give this section
| splendid home market, magniicen
distributing reservoir, a great oentel
of enterprise, capital and traffic that
will quicken every industry, agricul.
tural and manufacturing, aud increase
them ten-fold. But it will do more
1t will make road from Nashville, OIL
some point on the Cincinnati Southern
through Jackson to Memphis, an en-
terprise of moment and so valuable
that capital will become interested 10
it and put it through. 1t will cause
the Evansville, Jackson Il New Or.
leans road to become a road of neoes
sity to great interests and connections
aud money will build it promptly
1t will cause manufacturers in wood
cotton and wool to cluster around at
an inferior railroad center like Jack.
son, and cause this city to wax stronc
in all the elements of wealth and
progress. In word, the wonderful
growth and commercial power oil
Memphis will communicate itself to
all the country around, stimulating
every industry and redoubling all en-
terprise.
We are Watching this matter, this
development Of Memphis commerce
West, With gt5at interest, and would
have our people do likewise and be
prepared to profit by the boom close
at hand for this favored section.