The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-23
THEY ARE COMING HERE.
THE PENNSYLVANIA CENTRAL
LOOKING TO THE SOUTH.
Also the Baltimore and Ohio Some
Timely Speculation rs to
Their Plaps.

iicle gives so excellent an account OF
the railroad situation in the East and
the plans of the Baltimore and Ohio
and the Pennsylvania Central rsil-
reads, resps ciively, with reference to a
connection with Memphis, that we
need not apologize to our readers for
i S repre- duclion ia full ia these col
unns. 1t will be found iull OF inter-
eet to our citizeBs;
The air is full of railroad rumors
and many Of them affect East Tennes.
see. Further negotiations between
the epreseut Stives of the Norfolk and
Western railroad and the East Ten
nessse, Virginia and Georgia railroad
looking 10 the sale OF enough stock of
the latter road to the former to assure
the continuation Of through freight
and passenger line, have not been
made public IN Naa street for several
days.
AS the Tribune has already stated,
the city of Knoxville is not deeply in
terested in the result OF such neGotia.
tons except in the matter Of general
news. Enough can be seen to war
rant the statement that the moves on
the CHEFS board dictated from New
York City are both instructive and
amusing.
As we understand the Pennsylvania
railroad mas been
LOOKING TO THE SOUTH
for some time. Last summer they en-
deayoctd 10 gecure the Eaat TeDnes,
tee, Virginia and Georgia and Norfolk
and Weetern railroads, but the holders
of tbs stock in the Est Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia railroad refused
lbelat offers from the Pennsylvania
people.
No doubt the au horitjes of the
Pennsylvania railroad desire to head
of the Baltimore and OHIO, which is
also looking southwark and already
has line from Hsrpsr's Ferry to
Lexington, Va running parallel with
the Shenandoah Valley and reaching
to within forty.fve miles of Roanoke
or Salem, the construction Of culv erte,
bridging, etc., on these forly-fVe
miles being virtually completed.
While tbs Norfolk and Western
people are ariying on thece negods-
tons it Ia probable that they are
backed by the Pennsylvania railroad
people, and from the lights beiote us
it looks % il Col. MoGhee, Gen.
Thomas and other heavy holders OF
the East Tennessee stock desire to
sell a controlling amount OF such
stock to the Norfolk and Western
people to maintain line and thus in.
6urs its operation for the benefit of
East Tennessee. Ga the other hand,
Mr.. BriCe and other heavy holders de-
sire to hold the Els! Tennessee as a
means for speculation or to wreck it.
again to their finsncia benefit.
During the negoti lions the West
Point Terminal Company has prob
ably been used by Mr.. Brics and his
following as kind OF dummy or
stool pigeon, in order to cause the
Norfolk and Western people to in
crease their bids for controlling
amount If East Tennessee, Virginia
aud GeorRia stock.
The press dispa ches of last week
gave an account of a new scheme
which was 20 build railroad through
Tenuess SO from Bristol via Knoxville,
and
NASHVILLE TO MEMPHIS,
and it is stated that a corps of en-
giueers are already in the field, and
that convict' W il be used in the con-
struction of such proposed road.
Parties in position to know state
confidently that the money to build
and equip SUCH road IL already in
the hands of q syndicate composed Of
Tennessee, Philadelphia and New
York capitalists.
1t will be seen from these facts IL at
the Norfolk aud Western people are
saying to Mr., BrCe aud his followeTs:
eve have offered you al that the
controlling amount Of East Tennessee
stock is worth. II you persis. in
holding this stock and in making an
interchange of traffic with US at b his
oil uncertain both rs TO time and
amount, we will be forced to establish
a connection at Bristol for ourselves
by the building OF a road 10 Memphis
via Nasty lie." OF course this would
bs almost death bow TO the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia rail-
road with bonded debt of $24, 000,-
coo and o monthly interest account of
about 500, 900 and more. In that event
the creditors OF the Est Tennessee
road would be obliged to scale down
the indebted cess and the road would
be bottled up west Of the Blue Ridge.
The immense volume OF through trefiic
flowing through Bristol would almost
entirely go over the new rad and not
over the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia.
We are told that the construction of
this new road will involve only a
sms amount of heavy work. 1t will
extend from Bristol nearly straight
west until it strikes brarc of the
Cliuch river at BlountVille, which
stream it will follow to Kingsport.
From there TO Sneedvllle the con-
struction will be heavy, but from tne
latter point it will be very easy follow
ing Cipch river to Olinto1. Ffom
this place 1t will pass through cue
ceseion Of mountain gaps and along
various small streams until it reaches
Nashville,
FROM WHICH POINT TO MEMPHIS
there is no question but what the
construction will be easy.
1t is pretty evident that it re ts
upon Mr. Brice to say whether this
new road will or will no. be built
This line would be a great benefit
to Tennessee, and open up immense
fislds Of iron ore and coal and insure
the construction Of number OF blast
furnaces, aud give a more ready
market to agr cultural products in the
country traversed by it.
One trouble with the E .st .Tennes-
zee road is that it is full of curves, low
f Is and high cuts and grades. The
proposed road nd be constructed
under modern engineer az, and traffic
could be more easily handled over 1t.