The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-03
lCohEUsIcATED.
Parallel or Competing Railroads.

II seems that contest is pending |
before The Legislature that attracts d
good deal of attention both inside OF
that body and from the public gener-
sliy. The contestants, or actors, are the
Memphis, Birmingham & Atlantic K
r. Co, on the one hand and the Kan
sas City & Memphis Company on the
other The latter company is applying
for charter incorporating the Kansas
City, Memphis & birmingham X. X.
Company, with a view to the extension
of the Kansas City road from Memphis
across the State OF Mississippi TO Biz
mingham, Alabama, and the Memphis,
Birmingham & Atlantic Company Is
resisting the granting of this charter,
or if granted, insists that to avoid com
petition between the two roads, the h
Z. NJ. & B. Co. shall be prohibited by its
charter from constructing its road at
any point within twelve miles of the
road of the NJ. B. G. A Co.
| This effort on the part of this last
| named Compan attracts attention from
the fact that it is the first and only in
stance in which one railroad, or other
corporation, has sought the aid OF the
Legislature to protect it against posi-
ole injury occasioDed by the competi
lion of a rival corporation. 1t has
heretofore been the policy of the Legis.
lature to encourage and invite invest
ments tending to develop the resources
of the State, and all similar corpora
tons have been placed upon the same
footing without discrimination, compe
tition being regarded AS necessary and
beneficial to the public, and something
to be promoted instead of prohibited.
II is said, for instance, that during
the session of the Legislature of 1887
as many AS four railroad companies were
chartered, each having Memphis and
New Orleans as its objective or terminal
point, and each company authorized tn
construct its road in the narrow bell
between the Illinois Central and the
Mississippi river, without any restric
ton or condition as to location, which
would necessarily have made these sew
eral roads if built not only parallel with
but very near to each other, aud the
same liberal policy has been observed
as to the location of competing roads
elsewhere in the State.
1t is supposed that this contest viii
result. in the adoption of general law
providing for the organization OF
railroad corporations such as mos
IF the other States have enacted
leaving each company free as to
the matter of location, and ignoring al
together the question of rivalry or com
petition as ore to be considered by each
company for itself. This policy seems
to be in consonance alike with i'm
partial justice and the public interests
What the action of the Legislature may
he in this particular case cannot be fore
told, but it is alleged that whilst this NJ
B. & A. Co. is seeking to prevent
its competitor from Interfering with
its proposed line of construction
through Mississippi, it is itself an intru
der upon the prior grant to another
company over precisely the same line.
How this may be | am not prepared to
say, but if true, it will of course defeat
the plan of the NJ. B. and A. Co., for
protection, especially as that company
has not yet commenced work on the
route in dispute. RAILROAD.