The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-26
The Gulf and ship Island Railro.,


RIPLEY, Miss, May %, 1883
EDrToB TUPELo JoURNAL-DEAR =.
think l have just cause to c,rnnIa.
lat you have done Inc and nv associa aia
great injustice by the publication ot e
allowing article in your paper: 'ae
THE GULF AND SHIP IsLANDR
The Gulf and Ship Island Rail-,
ubble bursted sooner than was ernaa,d d9
y those wEo were not in position ~ w eo
lance at the true inwardness Of
eheme. The so-called COMPANY fs;l.Sae
make the required bond of SlO0 O00 ~ %
n the time specified BY the act Of H. sa'
and in compliance with an..1s
PROVISION of the same act, the pepitsr,:let
las reverted to the former lessees Ha~g
on, Allen & Co, whose lease does auia-
,ire until January lst, 1887. The eoIi.
II this scheme, We presume, will n.
erfere with the construction Of the p;-, 81
to Pontotoc, a. Col F-i'gsIs9
las squeezed a considerable sum 81 Nua
put of the latter place upon the na- -sls'
assurance that he would build the ro.J
The Gull and Ship Island Railro,3.4,
BE" (as you are pleased to call III b,.@
bursted, as charged by you. The a.s - a9
company las You choose to desiers,.' q
has not failed TO make the r,ouiTs3t
because the time for giving it has NJ,
arrived. l have not squeezed any ~
out of the citizens OF Pontotoe. As cb..
by you. / am not in the habit oj 50
ing money ont of people. The citiz5.es
Pontotoc, of their own free will ofs.-l.@
subscribe for certain number of -"
OF the capital stock of the Commas
condition that the depot should Be IT, ,n.. y
at certain point, which was agrse9
ana | am OF the opinion that our Coz,
did not make any hing by the trsnsgt.s-l
owing to the heavy work tuat We arr
pellt d to do. | am not extending lba n.
ley narrow guage road 10 Pontotoo
charged by you, but am construct,
standard guage road. Our Coupanv
fail, but l don't think il will. IT,
| will try and not let our friends spfs. .Il
the misfortune, but Will endeayor 80
out all my promises. Il seems IN ~.
be cruel for those who enjoy railroad -
tiles, to be making war on those who -
none, but are struggling to obtain -.
The State OF Mississippi rendered mst@ri-I
and abundant aid, to build the M,biJs. "a
Ohio and Mississippi Central roads an
the money belonged to the people alo1e
the contemplated route of our road !.
much as it did to those who live On ~.
Mobile and Ohio and Central road. ,,I
they are the last persons who shoul5 /,
| found working against the Gull and g.,
Island road. Ii the construction Of an,
road injuries Others we are sorry fer il br,
we are working in ielf defense. We bsvs
no war to make on others. and earnas,lv
hope others will cease 10 wage war sosi,:t
US.
| am sure you did not read the law q,
1886 concerning the leasing OF the pepitar
tiary to our road, because it would he an
| insult TO say that an intelligent gentleman
had written such an article alter HAVING
read that act, because that act directs The
Board of Control to lease the Peuitsntisrv
to the Gulf and Ship Island Railros3
Company, provided said company shall
make a written application, on or before
the LIST day of August, 1885 Alter sncb
application shall have been made, then n.
bond is to be made. | hope and believe
we Will be able to make the bond, and thar
the so-called bubble will not explode. The
road we. are now constructing is no, the
Ripley road, bat it is the Gull & Shin
Island road We hope and believe thai
we will be able to continue its construc.
ton until we reach the Gulf. Our lease
of the Penitentiary does not begin until Isl
January next. The couvicts now at work
on the road are hired from the prssen,
lessees.
Public opinion and the public press
have condemned the plan OF working con.
victs on farms. The present law forces Us
to work them on public works, aud in plain
terms, prohibits Us from hiring them 70
work on farms. 1t would have been much
better if such law had been passed twenty
years ago. Ii the Gulf & Ship Island Rail
road Company should fail, las few seem
to wish then the Board OF Control would
J be compelled to hire the convicts out to
work on farms. Would it not be better
for the Stale, and all her citizens, that our
! company should be able to make the bond,
! and build this grand highway through the
State, than to fail and let the conyicts
work on farms? 1t seems to me, tha,
there are some people who would rejoice
to see us fail. Every one who desirss to
promote the general welfare Of the State,
should rejoice to see this grand enterprise
|. prosper. | am putting forth all my energy
have laid aside all other businessman
| investing largely OF my private fortune, TO
. put the enterprise on its feet, and | DO
think it unfair, unjust and ungenerous, ior
: the public press TO make war on the enter.
prise while in its infancy. | am not trying
, to deceive or defraud any one, nor will
permit it to be done, If in my power 70
prevent it.
The present lessees of the Penitentsy
. have shown their faith in the success o.
the enterprise, by letting US have two hun
dred convicts to work on the read, agree
ing TO take their pay in the first mortgage
bonds of the road. II the enterprise fails
do they not lose their u oney? With on
J hundred convicts on this end Of the line,
have graded four miles Of the road in 81
weeks This is au average OF what can b
! done all the way to the Cult. II one hun
bred conyicts can put up four miles in 81
weeks, what can we do when we get all t.
convicts-900-On the work? We can g
! to the Gulf in eighteen months. Wh
would not rejoice to see this d0nef
we fail, perhaps some other compan.
will take 1t up where We left of, and com
plete it, There is one thing Cerlain-Ii V
fail, our employees shall not suffer. vii
! give them due notice when the funds ar
exhausted. They shall not work .withoa
compensation.
An idea prevails that We expect - sto
at Pontotoc; but we hope and believe y
will not stop short OF the Gull We vi
(if possible) build on an airline iroi
Jackson or Bolivar, Tenn to Ship ISLAND
If we can get reasonable assistance troi
Okolona, Aberdeen and Columbus, We WI
build a branch to these towns; but we d
not intend to squeeze money out q then
We have reasons to believe that they vi
not wait to be squeezed, because they vi
appreciate the advantages TO he derive
from the branches. / am foolish enous
to believe that one can be honest, and
railroad man also. A corps OF eugIneei
are now surveying a line from Middlet0o
to Hickman, KY, on the Mississippi sid
This is done by citizens of Tennessee VII
propose to unite with US, and make COT
tinuous line from the Gulf 10 some poII
near Cairo. Respectfully,
W. c. FALKNER.