The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-14

10 the people Of Georgia and South Caro-
lima, and Il will be permanent reduction
and permanent cheapening OF the cost
OF bringing Western grain, hay and flour,
and 10 a considerable extent Western man
ufactured articles into the Southeast.
"When this work is done, continued
Mr.. Brown, "a steamboat can be loaded
with sugar and molasses at New Orleans,
come up the Mississippi River to Cairo,
thence up the Ohio River 10 the mouth OF
the Tennessee, and thence up the Tonnes
see River TO Chattanooga before .discharg..
ing its cargo; or steamboat can be loaded
nj Pittsburg, Pa, with iron or any other
products, and can 20 down the Ohio River
and M the Tennessee River to Chatta-
nooea without breaking bulk. So steamers
can come from the head of navigation oil
the Mississippi River to Chattanooga.
Thus, you see, the clearing out OF the shoals
will be like opening the railroad rate doors
OF the entire valleys OF the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi Rivers TO Chattanooga and At
lanta. Let me illustrate this.
"The present rate on grain, for instance,
form Cincinnati, Louisville, Evansville and
Cairo to Chattanooga is 10 cents per hun
dred pounds, and 10 Atlanta q cents per
hundred pounds--the Western d Allan
tic proportion OF the through rate TO At
lania, you see, being cents.
"Now, for tho purpose OF drawing n
comparison, | will state that the tariff OF
Che boats on the Cumberland River is s
cents per 100 pounds on grain from Ohio
River landings to Nashville; but on large
contracts they will, at any time, am in
formed, take cents per 100 pounds. In
asniuch nj the distance from the mouth OF
the Tennessee River to Chattanooga Is
onlyabout double the distance OF the Cum.
berland from its mouth TO Nashville, we
will be perfectly safe, think, in assuming
that the boats will be willing to accept Il
cents per 100 pounds from Ohio River land
ings TO Chattanooga, and on large contracts
MS low rs 10 cents. This would inevitably
reduce the rate from Ohio River points 10
Chattanooga from 10 10 IL, or possibly IL
cents In fact. leading business man oil
Atlanta tells me that last winter, while the
river was high, and boats could tompora.
rily pass through the shoals, steamboat
owner offered to bring grain from 81. Louis
10 Chattanooga at the rate OF 10 cents pei
100 pounds, and that his fear that the river
would suddenly fall was all that prevented
him from making tbs arrangement
WHERE THE W. a 4. CONES IN.
'Ii the Western & Atlantic Railroa,
were to secure fair treatment and ful
and friendly interchange OF business iron
the roads north and west Of Chattanooga
such as II now enjoys, there would be ne
inducement for II 10 ondeavor 10 destroy
the revenue OF those lines by proraiinl
with the boats but II n policy OF local
ling the Western x Atlantic werC
adopted by these roads ia Georgia ] eau
readily see that tho Western y Atlantic
would have II In its power to damage the
revenue Of the other roads 10 an extent OF
possibly hundreds Of thousands OF dollars
per nunum."
"llow would II go about this2' the re-
porter inquired
Suppose III managers were 10 buy OF
lease about four or six boats and put them
on the river, and were TO make the rate
from Ohio River landings TO Chattanooga
only enough to cover the cost Of running
the boats. This would, OF course, reduce
the rates on oil business, and this would
Immediately have the result OF forcing the
rail lines to reduce their rates or give u.
the business. II they adopted the rosori
OF building boats themselves and putting
them on the river 10 compete with or break
down tho Western & Atlaniic's boat line
the result would be ~ decided a reduction
Of all rates rs would bring a vast volume
OF business 10 Chattanooga. where the
Western & Atlantic would inevitably get a
large share OF Il, not only 10y reason Of Us
superior terminal advantages IN that city
and in Atlanta, but also by reason OF ia,
friendship of the people controlling u, a.
being tho unmistakablc cause Of tho ~
duclion 81 rates which had been 40 much
10 their benefit hut apart from this nc.
ton which the Western & Atlantic could
take II forced 10 do No, | think that the
lines north Of Chattanooga will have 10
face the almost inevitable fact that the
business men OF Chattanooga will subsid.
Inc boats 10 run between that city aud
81. Louis, bringing business at little moro
than cost, with the specific purpose o
reducing tho rates and keeping then
down. And II Is possible that the AZ
lanla merchants will Join thom In thii
movement which would benefit Atlanta N
we'll a. Chattanooga. Their practice u
this matter, should suppose, would bc 4
run the boats 90 ~ Louis aud other West
ern points until the rail lines came dow
90 their uics, or below them, then 20 raj
them merely on the Tennessee River 10 80
business from its local landings. or q
them up altogether; but whenever the raj
rates went up too high TO put thom Il
again for through business. Thus you Nj
they would use them really and chiefly n
tcthcr on the rail rates.
at should be borne In mind Just her
tit al. I..ta ss.fll t.auaH "A tsHaf uuuuUN 4.
business on the river banks not accessible
90 the railroads, aud that their iaril o
this will pay thor expenses, leaving thci
20 make ~ low rate a. they dcfiru 10 y,
cure a share OF the business from ST. Lou
and Ohio River points
III tho lcsgcs, who are the sncccsso
OF the present company, should show
proper amount OF backbone ~ we'll
shrcwdncss In their management Of u
property u could certainly loo made who
the river Il thoroughly open. the means
vast benefit TO the people Of Georgia In =
curing 10 them what u primarily desired
mean competition In rates, aud the ~
ing Of the attempts oi monopolisis, !
matter how aggressive they may bc, " u
icarsoi the public on the subject Of mono
olics should be realized.
''Ihe saving In ircights 10 the people
Goonua would bc made vast aud n
money, retained In the State, would
into new manufacturing establishment
into improving the farms, etc, aud In
increased ipycl, oil Of which would dirc,
y benefit the railroads Of Georgia.
Tho Western q Atlantic Rallro
would no, only be- an important factor
securing competitive rates 10 the people
Georgia, and Ia handling a large prop,