In the mid-1890s, the MT&A managed to draw new customers which helped it to survive and avoid the attempts by the NC&StL to buy it out. These customers were the Jeff Gin, a cotton gin that would make use of the team track at Clark (Clarkdale), the Akers grain elevator, and the Jeff Feed Mill (later to become the Harvest Feed Mill). These new businesses and the traffic that they generated allowed the MT&A to continue to operate and to grow a little.

The MT&A extended the line by nine miles to Belle Mina, AL where it made a connection with the Memphis and Charleston, which had recently become part of the Southern Railway (in 1894). This allowed the MT&A to have direct access to the Tennessee River ports in Decatur, AL. It also gave indirect access to the Mississippi River ports in Memphis. This allowed the transportation of cotton and grain from South-Central Tennessee and North Alabama to the markets faster and less expensively.

Agriculture played a very important role for the MT&A during these years. Logging also played an important role in the early part of this time-period. By the end of this time-period, around 1930, the logging industry was all but gone in north Alabama, particularly around the MT&A. Agriculture, especially cotton, would remain very important for over a hundred more years. Grain would remain important even after cotton had dropped off significantly.