Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-17
CONVERGING RAILS.
Three Roads that Will Act as Feeders
for the Trade of the Memphis
Merchants.
Progress of the Work on the Kansas
City Read-When the Selma Road
viii be Finished.

Mr.. r. T. Wilson Of New York, president
Of the Memphis and Vicksburg railroad, ha:
| been in Vicksburg perfecting arrangement;
| for the building of a railroad from New Or.
leans to Vicksburg His visit to Vicksbure
was also connected with his purpose to con
tinue the railroad to Memphis. The road
will start at New Orleans. 1t will run on
the east bank OF the Mississippi ria Baton
Rouge, thence along the line OF Deer Creek
in the Yazoo valley TO Memphis, with q
branch line to the Mississippi river at a
point opposite Arkansas City, ard also a
| branch from a point near Vicksburg 10
Yez0o City. Its gauge will be the standard
gauge and the corporate name of the road
will be the New Orleans and Mississippi Val
ley railroad. The work will begin as soon
as the right of way can be secured, and the
necessary surveys are made. Many OF the
planters are ready to grant a right of way
through their places. Mr.. Wilson estimates
that il will enable planters to get their Ia
borers cheaper, but greater than this will be
no doubt the facilities it will afford them to
mass a large number of men in case OF
breaks, thus enabling them TO prevent de-
structive overhows SO disastrous to their
places. OF course it viii give the popula-
ton living along the. river rapid
transportation for freight and travel,
and will open up the Yszoo
valley to settlers and increase the production
of cotton 100000 bales. This is perfectly
within the bounds of possibility, for there Is
M country in the world as rich as that sec
ton. The settlements sloDg the water
courses there are comparatively few, and a
railroad through it will open up TO pro-
ducers fields the equal of which can hardly
be found on the globe. This YszOo valley is
capable alone of producing as much cotton
as the present crop of the whole world, such
is its fertility. The road will traverse the
richest portions of the Mississippi valley.
The charter of the road is already in form,
and gives the road nearly 100000 acres OF
land, of which almost 100000 acres are in
the Yazoo section. Surveys have already
commenced, and Mr.. Wilson il president
Captain John A. Grant, formerly of the
Memphis and Charleston road, is the chief
engineer and vice president. Mr.. Eugene
Martin, OF Vicksburg, is also vice. presi-
dent, who will reside there, and Mr.. l. NJ
Edwards, of Macon, Ga. is the general man.
sger and superintendent. This road, when
completed to Memphis, viii be another link
to help the city in its efforts at progress.
THE KANSAS CITY.
Yesterday afternoon an APPEAL reporter
called on Mr. Newman Erb, the attorney OF
the Kansas City road here, 10 ascertain what
work was being done.
"The track from Springfield" said Mr..
a half day. At Springfield Us miles OF
steel rails have accumulated, the largest
amount ever collected at any one point.
These are intended to take US through Mis-.
souri, down into Arkansas and into Spring
river. We will commence, during June, lay
ing iron at Walnut Ridge, in the direction of
Springfield. Shortly after the work will begin
in this direction. The high water has him
dered US considerably. We expect soon to
have the road completed from here to the
ST. Francis river if there is no overflow"
GLOW is the work near the city progress
ing?"
"The culvert on Broadway is nearly COM
pleted. The road on the Horn Lake road is
almost finished. Men are at work in the
bottoms. There are probably 1000 men en-
gagged in work on the entire line. We are
building in most substantial way. For in
stance, we will raise our road-bed FIVE feet on
the original plan, increasing the cost some
100000, in order to be prepared for any
flood."
MEMPHIS AND SELMA.
Mr. J. c. Griffipg represents the Memphis.
Selma and Brunswick road here. Major
Minor Meriwether is the attorney for the
road, and is lending his advice as an able
engineer, besides. The Major has been pre-
pairing the specific atoms, which have been
printed and are being favoraby read by the
various contractors. By June 18th, Mr..
Griffing informed the APPEAL reporter, the
road would begin TO receive cross ties, and
the work would be completed by October LIST.
Specifications have been printed for grading,
cross-ties and pile-bridging.
"We have already been approached" said
Mr.. Grifing, "by several contr actors. Some
are willing to make bids for the whole thing /;
others want to bid for the several divisions"