Oxford eagle., 1888-05-17
The RAILROAD SITUATION.

Die we may not have the pro-
ec;ed railroads built through
our county of which We have
heard so much. 1t seems the
Louisville \ Nashville, the NO
bile s. Ohio, aud the Memphis & /
Charleston railroads are all com |
bining against the CGrinth-
road, while the
Kansas City Road is doing its
best TO prevent the building of
tie Memphis, Oxford aud Co
lumbus line.
"The delay in getting to work
oh the road TO the Tenne ssee
river might seem 10 Indicate that
il is more difficult TO build a
short road than a long one; but
II the true iuwaTdIess Of the
situation were revealed il would
no doubt bc found that the Op.
posing influences of the large
systems of roads have mainly
produced the obstacles which
so far have bindered success.
Il seems to be the policy ofloug
roads to parallel rivers instead
of connecting with them: the
large cities become Identified in
interest with the large road sys
tens: and thus the capital of the
country gets into common sym
pathy, and an effort 10 build
road 10 connect the water com.
merce with the railroad arteries
so near the center of the Lreat
systems, causes 4 throb which
Is fel, ia pul.e of all the inter
esls Irectly or Indirectly af
feeiing any OF the parts. Hold
ers OF large capital not interest
ed ia some of the great railroads
or their terminal cities, are few.
aud when such are found they
are t;mi;l, doubling, heNtating
aud easily discouraged by those
capitalists whose policy aud in
terest causc them TO ''thr0w cold
water on ether enterprises.
The encouragement given to
the road from CoIinth 10 the
Tennessee TIyer By three or four
systems OF roads, argues for the
Importance Of the road There
must he something in i; to won
derfmlly disOrganize the present
order of the carrying trade. else
II would not he burdened with
so mach opposition. When this
enterprise was started, i. was
expected that the boating inte
resi- on the river would be en-
listed In its favor, but it now
appears that certain railroad
systems have captured that: and
assistance from it is no longer
expected The Louisville and
Nashville system opposed the
Corinih road from jealousy of
its Ohio river interests; its Shef.
field and other Tennessee river
interests, and il is understood
has stamped ont the interest
once felt for it at Evansville.
the VI & . could not expect auy
great advantage from the road,
and II Is not surprising that it
lets II severely alone" The NJ
x & would, no doubt, have it's
carrying business increased by
1t, but the interest of Memphis
il the interest of the NJ * Croad
Aud, a. Ii Is not in the interest
OF Memphis 10 furnish facilities
Tor building up wholesale mar
ket at CoTintb, nor to enceur.
age an enterprise which might
eventually result in unmercital.
~ iilnkins the Bluff City with "A
road from Nashville TO Gree -
vile, the situation NAY he un-
derstoOd al glance. Memphis
is awake both eyes open. So
the building of a road from Cor.
iuih To the river, If at all, must
be IN the face of opposition.
The merits OF the road and the
advantages II would give to
Covlnth, as well as the disad
vantsges to other interests.
cause the great outside press.
IRE against il.
The Memphis Columbus rail.
road, to which counties and
towns are voting stock so Law.
ishly, IS a prophecy of very
doubtful fuliillment. IL is mere
iIscly that the Kansas City Com
pany will extend their Aberdeen
branch to Columbus and then,
via Tuscaloosa, to Bruins riclS or
Savannah, thus cutting off the
demand for the other coutcm.
plated road. 1t how begins 10
dawn why the Kansas City read
took a south cast coarse from
Tupelo, aud why ii ran so as To
force Aberdeen 10 contribute
largely 10 get the branch to that
place Full developments will
likely show that Aberdeen is on
the main line aud that Birmine.
ham enjoys the branch