The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-17

Memphis, with nine trunk line rail-
road systems operating u distinct lines
steel bridges spanning the Mississippi
river, is the South's most important
railroad center, az well as the great
Southern gateway east to west and
north to south.
AS q gateway city, Memphis offers to
manufacturers, jobbers and other COM
mercial interests lower freight rates
than any other city south of the Ohio
river. This is u to the fact that
freight rates make on Memphis, an
advantage enjoyed by comparatively Few
American cities.
The u lines Of railway out Of Mem
phis radiate in every direction and tap
every part Of the vast trade territory
contiguous TO the city. This added ad-
vantage makes Memphis the natural
market for the rapidly developing agrio
cultural region within q radius OF S0Q
miles Of the city.
Memphis is within easy reach Of her
territory from a transportation stand
|Jpoint, and Memphis Is only an over
night journey from St Louis, Kansas
City, Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati,
Nashville, Chattanooga, Birmingham,
Atlanta, New Orleans, Little Rock and
cities in Oklahoma and Texas.
n Few railroad improvements OF conse-
quence have been made during the ab-
normal times in which the carriers nave
been under government operation. But
it is known hat the railroads eentering
in. Memphis have planned q broad pro-
gram of expansion which probably VIII
be revived soon after the railways are
returned to those originally responsible
for their operation.
Prior to 1916 the railroads had spent
hundreds of millions to develop trans
portation lines leading to n IRON
H-I. TlN.., L-I hKyt1A rVnn Y %rntphf
and passenger terminals IN the CITY,
erected great shops to maintain their
rolling stock, and had provided SOHO
~roadbeds for the SMOOTH safe opera
tion of trains.
After March / 1t is expected that con-
ditions will revert to the basis in erect
before the war. Outside lines VIII re-
open offices in Memphis to insure tneir
share of the enormous tonnage when
originates in this city and territory, ana
the home lines will reopen 0tflceS closeo
when America went to war.
Prior to 1914 at least two great rail-
road systems not now operating trains
TO Memphis were knocking at the CITY 5
door, 1t would not surprise many II
these lines renewed their search TOT
new routes into Memphis.
Memphis has two belt line railways
which encircle the city and make con-
nections with the nine trunk lines. Inc
belt lines are Of infinite value to the
commercial life of the city, because they
provide a wide area for the establish
ment of factories, warehouses
otter industries, and n the ne
cessity for drayage.
AS a result of the belt lines much
unimproved and otherwise Improbable
! property has been made salable at rea-
sonable prices, thereby serving the
double purpose of benefiting the seller
and encouraging the location of new in
d1fStrtaa IN MAmDhia.
Memphis railroads employ approx
mately 1000 persons residing in n city.
These roads distribute more than a
!, million a month in payrols and rents,
and they spend hundreds OF THOUSANDS
A OF dollars a year for supplies and In the
: payment of taxes.
Two modern passenger terminal sta
tons have been provided by the Mem
tphis lines. Union depot is used by the
Southern, the Louisville & Nashville, the
Nashville, Chattanooga & st. Louis, the
Missouri Pacific and the Cotton Belt
railways. Grand Central station, two
blocks west of Union depot, is used by
the Illinois Central, Yazoo & Mississippi
Valley, the Frisco and the Rock Island
lines.
handled through the various freight de-
pots in Memphis. The Illinois Central
railroad, for instance, handles more
freight through Memphis than through
any other terminal on its line, with the
possible exception of Chicago. The Illi-
nois Central freight business is con-
stantly increasing, as evidenced by the
fact that the great classification yards
at Nonconnah are being expanded year
by year to provide more trackage.
One plant of the. American Car and
Foundry company. is located at the edge
Of Memphis. and annually turns cut
thousands Of new freight cars. This
plant likewise employs hundreds Of
skilled and unskilled working men and
distributes a large payroll.
The history of railroading in Mem
phis is interviewer with the history of
this entire territory. In 1880 enter
prising citizens 6f Memphis took the
first steps to build a railroad, out many
skeptical capitalists still had their
doubts of the ~permanency and prac-
ticability Of the iron horses which were
snorting through the East. Many Of
them were reluctant to abolish the
stage lines which then penetrated the
wilderness to Jackson, Tenn, n 9TH
er towns, in favor Of the little-tried rail
system.
pany was chartered, but nothing came
OF the venture, except that Its name
was changed two years later to the
Atlantic and Mississippi railroad.
The real start Of railroad deyelop-
ment in Memphis came in 1888, when
construction began on the mp az
/, LAGRANGE railroad, but even that was
not a brilliant success. In 1912 only
ask miles had been completed and work
had been abandoned at that point. The
road had been planned as an outlet
from the Tennessee Valley to the Mis-
sissippi river.
In 1850 the Memphis & Charleston
railroad bought the charter of the Mem
phis & LAGRANGE. and resumed con-
struction work This road was COM
pleted in 1857 and it was a proud day
for Memphis when the first rain ar
rived from Charleston, bringing a del
-nnntinn Of nrnnnin ont niti1nnc with a