The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-17
MEMPHIS, INDUSTRIAL AND
j COMMERCIAL METROPOLIS OF
MOST PROGRESSIVE AREA

The Chamber % Commerce. booklet
on Memphis commercials md Industrial
resources and advantages says Of the
Memphis or to-day.
Memphis progress as an Industrial
center has been marked during the past
five years, IN spite Of the handicaps
under which every manufacturing enter
prise Was placed by reason Of the world
war. This section also has recovered
more rapidly from the effects Of the
war than many others, because ITS com
merciaI and manufacturing enterprises
are backed 10y the remarkable agricul-
uuFal development OF the great ailuvtal
regions Of the lower Mississippi valley.
which development Us most marked In
the territory Immediately contiguous TO
The city's most notable industrial
progress has been I'm the manufacture
Of hardwood lumber and other forest
products. cotton and cottouseed prod
ucts, mixed feeds, drugs and Pharma-
ceuticai products, and 10 a lesser extent
IN the manufacture 81 steel n iTon.
As an example Of this progress, Mem
phis has ia round numbers 500 indus.
trial plants, with an annual output OF
SLIGHTLY more than Sli3, 600. 06U.
IL Is adding each year 10 the number
ff these Nts9ltts, A. well as 90 the mum
Der OF Its important commercial enter
lrises,
one hundred and twenty new indus
trial and commercial enterprises we're
established Ia Memphis during the first
10 moHths Of 1919. There are sound
reasons for this growth and prosperity
Location and Significance.
The location Of the city Is q strategic
one, In the extreme southwestern por~
ton OF Tennessee, on a high bluff over
looking the Mississippi river, midway
between the Great Lakes and the Gut.
This location is IN the center Of the
rich alluvial lands Of the Mississippi
relta. at the corner Of three prosperous
Southern states. Tennessee, Mississippi
and Arkansas. in which IS going for
ward the most remarkable Agricultural
development seen anywhere In the South
In this generation.
This great region, taking In many ad-
joining states. in itself provides a ire
mendous and overwhelming market for
many manufactured products. Its farm
4 products in turn, including shipments OF
cattle and hogs, the great cotton crop,
and the practically ineXhausttble sup
plies OF hardwood timber. furnish sup
plies for the clty's commercial and tn
dustrlal enterprises. while the growing
wealth of the territory tributary 10
the city gives a constantly increasing
market for many Of the manufactured
articles made in and distributed from
Memphis.
Gateway to South.
Two railroad bridges span the Mis-
aissippl at Memphis, one OF them with
a free wagon way. These are the only
bridges crossing the Mississippi south
OF the Ohio river.
Ten trunk lines OF railroad converge |
IN the city, six Of them coming from
east of the river and four from the
west and southwest. These splendid
railroad facilities make Memphis the
gateway through which nearly all rail-
way traffic moves to and from the
Southeast and Southwest, n through
which g very large percentage OF freight
originating In the Mississippi valley
basin passes n%orthward to the Great
Lakes or southwark TO the Gulf ports.
Importance of River Traffic.
Because OF its location directly on the
Mississippi, Memphis Is likewise the
gateway for The receipt and distribution
on much OF the tonnage now moving on
that stream, a tonnage which Is certain
70 assume unprecedented proportions
when the government plans for INSTALL
Ing and operating barge lines on the
Mississippi have been completed,
Modern municipal river terminals are
o In operation at Memphis, In CO.
operation with the government barge
line traffic, More than $3.50, 900 has been
expended on these terminals and $780,
600 Is available 80 soon as II may be
needed for e~nlarging these city termi-
nails.
In short, this great inland waterway.
neglected for years, is now being de-
yeloped anew.
The government policy OF providing
facilities on inland waterways Is a
guarantee that these will be In keeping
3 with requirements OF the transportation |
situation and II is also a guarantee that
4 Memphis will occupy an exceptionally
favored position through possession OF
the means Of using the Mississippi and
u.s. tributaries for concentration and dis
trihution.
The combined raj and water" haul
is the first step In the readjustment OF
transportation TO the conditions created
by the war, while "all-water" hauls,
wherever possible, win mark the second
and final step In this process, The work
OF providing. adequate facilities for
handling freight down the mississippi
and transferring II TO coastwise vessels
for delivery along the Gulf, Atlantic and
Pacific coasts. or TO ocean going steam
ers for delivery in South America, Eu-
rnpe or the Orient, has been commenced
and completion by April I. 1890, seems
assured at date OF going 10 press Jan.
]. 1a20l, And when such facilities have
been provided, the "all-water' haul will
be used TO an ever-increasing extent,
10 the permanent advantage OF every
manufacturer, jobber or distributor To-
eated In Memphis.
River Improvement Policy.
The Mississippi and It's tributaries will
he the means OF reaching many Of the
principal cities In the Mississippi basin.
Md. further. Memphis is so located
that IL is within easy reach OF New
Orleans, where connection can he made
by boats with coastwise and ocean.
going steamships until such time as the
latter come to Memphis as the head OF
all-year deep-water navigation.
The big outstanding present fact
about the Mississippi is that 1t assures,
on certain classes OF traffic, lower rates
than would otherwise prevail. And the