46 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



cases is guaranteed by contract between the carrier and the city. 



"The signiiieance of this statement may be heightened by the 

 i'xplanation that through the cflCorts of the Memphis Freight Bureau 

 most local lines are bound by contract with the city to switch 

 freight, without discriminating, to and from connecting lines, which 

 insures to factories and others access to all the railroads, thereby 

 greatly facilitating the movement of their commodities, an advantage 

 the value of which can hardly be exaggerated. 



' ' Still another distinctive advantage ilemphis has is the physical 

 icnnection by oil of her railroads, which minimizes the cost of switch- 

 ing, and again the switching charge is absorbed on all competitive 

 and much local traffic, vvliich constitutes the largest proportion of 

 the business handled. 



' ' Within a comparatively short period the shipping of Memphis 

 has been transferred frcm warehouse off to those on railroad tracks. 

 And the methods now employed in the handling of cotton have en- 

 tirely removed all of the difficulties formerly experienced in dealing 

 •nith this commodity, with a great saving in time and money. 



' ' This saving works to the benefit not only of the Memphis dealer, 

 but to the country round about, for those who buy and sell their 

 produce here are the direct beneficiaries of these improvements fur- 

 nished at a cost of several millions of dollars, 



"Under the old system drayage was paid on merchandise and cot- 

 ton, in and out, which is not delivered direct from the cars to the 

 warehouses, and vice versa, 



"The consideration of this subject suggests the thought of Mem- 



NKW COTTON E.XCIIANGE BUILDING 



XEWS-SITMITAR BUILDING 



phis as tiie 'World's Storehouse' for cotton, and why not? 



"With her railroads ramifying the fields of all the cotton pro- 

 ducing states, ample facilities for its safekeeping at the lowest pos- 

 sible storage and insurance cost, together with ample banking facili- 

 ties and 'low fi-eight rates for its concentration and distribution, 

 the latter bringing close the manufacturer of this and foreign coun- 

 tries, why should not cotton be shipped and stored at Memphis, 

 subject to the call of the manufacturer, just as it is needed? 



"Memphis is more favorably located for such concentration and 

 distribution than any other one point, because from here the cost 

 of reaching the domestic and foreign spinner is lower than from 

 other interior points, and exportation at low rates through all the 

 ports is possible, whereas, if stored at coast points its transshipment 

 is localized. 



"The same is true of lumber, and it seems reasonable and natural 

 that Memphis should be the 'world-wide' distributing point for both 

 lumber and cotton, 



"The transportation facilities of Memphis for concentrating and 

 distributing commodities of all kinds are ample and satisfactory. 



' ' The Mississippi river and its tributaries, of course, is a great 

 transportation asset and in the near future will become more poten- 

 tial in making and restraining the increase of rates by other carriers. 



' ' The establishment and operation of a new line of boats and 

 model barges on these rivers is already well under way, which will 

 bring lasting benefits. This movement deserves all possible encour- 

 agement and support. Of course, when the Chicago drainage canal 

 is extended, the national scheme of Ohio river improvement developed, 

 the fourteen feet through the valley secured, the Isthmian canal com- 

 pleted, the dream of our fathers, of the union of the ocean and river 

 transportation at Memphis, will be realized. 



"Nearly 43,000 miles of territory is connected to Memphis by the 

 rails of her six systems of railways, traversing twenty-six states, 

 and reaching ail of the principal cities. This mileage is as follows: 



"Missouri Pacific and Cotton Belt systems, 8,7.59 miles. 



"aiicago, Eock Island & Pacific, 7,100 miles. 



"Southern railway, 7,050 miles. 



"Illinois Central and Yazoo & Mississippi Valley, 6,100 miles. 



"Louisville & Nashville and Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis 

 railwavs, 5,S29 miles. 



