Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-04-12
STUCK IN THE MUD.

TO market their cotton at tlIis point caI
have much larger loads than they coult
! before the turupikes were extended
and multiplied aS they have been with
in the last decade
In the early history Of the cotton
trade of this city almost the entire
crop of this district was marketed on
wagons, the railroad facilities at that
| time amounting to almost nothing The
wagons offered the only solution Of the
| question of getting their cotton to this
/ city, and, although there were no turn
| pixies, the cotton was brought here, ana
large loads Of groceries and provisions
and other nccessarIes of plantation life
were carried back.
With the growth Of the extensive
network of railroads entering Mem
phis quite change took place. These
meant the solution of the problem Of
marketing cotton, and the wagons
We're largely reegated to the rear.
The prices of cotton were high and the
amount paid in freight for trausporta.
tion inlinitesimally small compared
with the value received for the staple
when sold. The farmers, the planters,
the merchants, all jumped at the con
clusion that the railroads We're best.
that the wagon method was too slow
and that it represented too much ex-
penditure in the way of time and the
wear and tear Of the running gear Of
their wagons. and only small portion
came in this way.
But the reduction in the price of cot
ton within the last few years and the
fact that transportation rates We're not
reduced in proportion to the value Of
the staple made those owning cotton in
this district, within a certain radius of
the city, cast around for new solu.
ton of the difficulty with which they
were face to face. And the building OF
the turnpike proved the solution for
which they We're looking. These roads
made it possible for larger loads to be
hauled, for less wear and tear on the
wagons, for less strain on the teams
and for quicker time, and the farmers
felt that they had the railroads beaten.
Turnpikes have been gradually In
creasing in the neighborhoOd of Mem
phis for the last 10 years, and with
these the people living along these
roads have gradually increased the
amount of cotton coming to this city
by wagons. The turnpike lately ex-
tended to Collierville, Tenn, has caused
the merchants and owners of cotton in
that town and between here and there
to bring almost their entire holdings
to this market on wagons, while before
that time the bulk of the crop found
its way to market on the railroads
passing those points. The same is
true of Holly Springs and the Herman
do district, and other instances could
also be given, but these will suffice.
The turnpikes have made it possible
for the holders of cotton to fight the
railroads on their rates by acting en-
tirely independent of them in bringing
their cotton in on their wagons. The
latter is much the slower way, but
there is generally some sacrifice neces-
sary to bring about reforms of any
kind, and the farmers and planters
along the turnpike roads do not mind
making the fight whenever they find it
necessary.
The turnpikes and the railroads have
both come to stay, and, since the latter
Ire being gradually extended and are
tapping new territory, the |
percentage of cotton brought in over
he turnpikes, as compared with that
by the former. is steadily |
Increasing. The higher prices Of cot
on promised the farmers this year
nay make them willing to pay the
'reights, but with the low prices, judg-
ng from the experience of the last two
,ears, there will be a marked increase
n the amount of cotton finding its way
o this market on wagons.
To Lay the Dust.