Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-09
xxrENsIOSs OF TRADE
The New Trunk Line TO Tap
Memphis by June 18TH
Confessional, 6.

OVullvA7tVuLuaAt "
Within sixty days two new railroads
each of great importance to the city Of
Louisville, each projected years ago
and for years abandoned, viii be fin
ished and cars running through. One
Of these lines will connect Louisville
and Memphis; the other will connect
Louisville and st. Louis.
Either event would be of enough
importance to call for some special
recognition from the city of Louis
vile; coming together, they especially
demand attention, and our merchants
and men of business must, In some
marked way. send their greetings all
along the line. :.
1t is true that We now have railroad
connection with both Memphis and
st. Louis, and that these roads, as far
as these two cities are concerned, only
give us competing lines. This is much,
even in these days of pools and combi-
nations; indeed, it is more under this
new regime than ever before. 1t is
not statute law, it is not a written
agreement, it is not the edict of
the pools which dictates rates
lit is competition in one form or
another; so is competition between
river aud rail, or between river and
rail routes.
In this view Of affairs it is a matter
of considerable moment to secure
competition in all directions aud make
it as direct and close as possible, and
this is done South and West BY the
opening of the new lines to st. Louis
and Memphis.
The line from Louisville to Padu
cab has nominally been open for sew
eral years, but there has been no sys-
tematic effort to develop the traffic.
The opening Of the road through to
Memphis changes the whole aspect of
affairs, stimulates all kinds ofbusiness,
encourages the investment of capital
and secures to all enterprises ample
transportation facilities. The effect
will at once be apparent on what was
the old L. & P. road.
From Padueah the line to Memphis
runs in Kentucky through the coun-
ties of McOracken, Graves and a
corner of Hickman and Fulton; in
Tennessee it passes through 0bion,
Dyer, Lauderdale, Upton and Shelby.
This part of Tennessee should at once
be brought into closer commercial re-
Lotions with Louisville, and this can
be done if our merchants will bestir
themselves. Already trains are run
ming to Dyersburg, and the track is
laid for several miles beyond; by June
18th cars will be run through to Mem
phis.
When the Cincinnati Southern was
opened, Cincinnati gave grand ban
quet to the Southern merchants, and
the completion of the road was cele-
brated as an event of something more
than our localimportance. On scale
of equal magnitude Louisville should
celebrate the opening of these two
roads, and this celebration should
bring together the people of Kentucky
Tennessee, Illinois and Indiana. The
roads will gladly furnish transporta.
ton for all Louisville will or can en-
terrain. The Governors of Tennessee,
of Indiana, OF Missouri, Of Illinois and
Kentucky should be invited, and the
Mayors Of st. Louis, Memphis, Padu-
cab, Evansville and other towns. If
our people will take hold of this in the
right spirit With the proper determi-
nation more persons can be brought to
Louisville than have ever been here
before, men of character, men of
means, representative men, who are
united in building up the country
through which these roads run.