The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-16
WHY THEY CANNOT BUILD
THE COLUMBUS EXTENSION OF THE
49, KANSAS CITY ROAD.
Question OF Bonds vs.. Good Intentions
The Relation of Gen. Nettleton's
Road to Columbus Fully aud Clearly
Explained.
To The Editor Of The Annenl.

notice special from Columbus, Miss,
in your issue of the lith inst which does
Mr.. Nettleton great injustice. Where Mr..
Nettleton is known, it will be treated with
the consideration that such specials de.
serve, but, as he is unknown to many Of
your readers in that part OF Mississippi,
it is but just to him that | make state
ment in regard to the matters referred to
in said special.
The correspondent first says, the object
OF the Kansas City, Memphis and Birm-
ingham Railroad company was to bluff of
the Memphis and Atlantic Railroad COM
pany from building, thereby intimating
that it Kansas City, Memphis and Birm-
ingham Railroad company never in.
tended to build, and in the next sentence,
he says, the Kansas City, Memphis and
Birmingham Railroad company shows the
cloven foot by now offering to build if 1t
could get another charter thereby charg-
ing that the failure to build under its
present charter was for the purpose oil get
ting control of the much-prized Tombig6ee
charter. don't know whether the cor
srespondent is TO be pittied more for his
Shpidity or his inconsistency
Mr.. Nettleton has never considered or
thought OF the Memphis 4 Atlantic Rail-
road company as a competing line in con.
nection with his proposed extension to
Columbus, for it was his intention, over
eighteen months ago, TO build the branch
from Amory via Aberdeen TO Columbus,
4. l,at aV..1s
ments; and provided, further, he could
get a suitable charter for said eXscntion,
and he made an effort TO get control OF
charter for this purpose long before he
ever heard OF the Memphis, oxford d CO.
lumbus railroad, now the Memphis * At
lantic railroad.
In relation to the Tombigbce charter the
only material difference between il and
the present charter OF the Kansas City,
Memphis & Birmingham railroad company
is that the TombigbCe charter has a clause
eXempting the railroad TO be built under
it from taxation for twenty years from
1852.
Is il not strange that Mr. Ncttlcton
should obtain charter from the Missis-
sippi Legislature without asking any eX-
emption except for one year after the COM
plction Of the road. aud after building his
road through Mississippi over l35 miles,
under said charter should now, at this
late day, resort 10 tricks TO get control Of a
charter TO build twenty-five miles for the
benefit OF an exemption clause which can
be repealed by any subsequent Legislature.
On my return nom Kansas City, when
! learned fully from Mr.. Ncttleton the
trouble about the extension, wrote To
Mayor Moore, oi Columbus, rs ! had
promised / would do in a former letter,
gvin. him the reasons why We could not
now extend the Kan US City, Memphis q
Birmingham road TO Columbus
knew the reasons would not he satis-
factory 10 that class Of people who
~--~r-iieycd that railroads could be built by
wind, so did not care to have my letter
published.
II bluff had been our game, common
sense would have dictated, TO have stall
held out inducements, that We were
going 10 comply with the conditions Ol
the donation, Tor the Memphis * Atlanta
Railroad company has ~ much chance
now To build ~ Il ever had.
Now to the history OF the proposed ex'
tension.
The people OF Columbus voted almost
unanimously TO give the Kansas City,
Memphis 4 Birmingham Railroad com
pany S55, 600 In bonds, on condition that
the road should be completed 10 Column
bus by June !, 1889. The company ex
pended rs much or more than y, 800 IN
making surveys, getting the line ready FOL
the contractors. and Mr. Nettcton wen
east. expecting that the work would III
let by the 18th Of August last. Some tim,
about the last OF August ! received tcle
gram from our general solicitor stating tia
We were having some trouble about the il
suance Of bonds aud asking me II ",
could get control Of some old charter un
der which We could build the extension.
After an examination | replied that
knew Of but one charter that would an
swer our purpose (the Tombigbee), but
would be impossible 10 get control OF II, q
there was an organization under h, an
those controlling Il had hopes Of gcttin
some eastern capitalists 10 build their road
Now, the trouble about the extension
this: The trustees in the mortgage bon
on the Kansas City, Memphis 4 Birming
ham railroad claim that representation
were made 10 them that only ccrtai
amount Of bonds would bc issued, and tbs
they sold the bonds under these rerrcsct
tntions. and as this amount has been 4
sued they don't think they can cunsis
entity consent for further issue Of bond
the twenty-five miles from Abe
deem 10 Columbus.
II was Mr.. Ncttlctons expectation
build the ruad by issuing bonds on u
twenty-five miles IL could not bn G
prctrd that the owners Of the road Won
adyance the money 10 build this cxtensio
which would be- covered by mortgaI
already In existence.
But Mr. Ncitleton, TO obyalo this troubl
90 that he could keep his promise vii
the Columbus people, proposed to 90
now and build, II lac could get chart,
and have no idea he ever thought OF q
Tombigbuc charter. II the trustees Ia Z
mortgage bond still refuse TO consent
the issuance Of bonds on this twenty-ii
miles. which no doubt they will do,
will not be able 10 build the cxtcnsi
until after the meeting OF tao next Legs
tur.
By failing TO build Of course We lose {
donation, and II the road Is mover ,
tended We also lose the work Of sury'
ing. etc, the Columbus people are out
money, but no doubt are sorcly dis
pointed, aud no one regrets II more u
Mr.. Ncttlcton. Yours truly,
]. ". BUCHANAN