Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-06
BONE STlC.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.


DOMESTIC.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
An IMPORTANT Bill ~ THE TENNESSEE LEGIsLA-
ruHE.-We learn by The Western Express Mail, that the
Bank and Internal improvement Bill passed the lower
House of the Legislature on the 22d, by the close vote
Of IS 10 Sc. 1t has yet to pass the Senate. The leading
provisions of this bill are as follows:
II appropriates four millions of dollars tor Internal I'm,
prove meuts-of which sum 81 400, 006 10 to be expended
in East Tennessee. 81 GOO, 00Oin Middle Tennessee ana
$1,000, OO0 in the Western District. Thirteen hundred
Thousand dollars are appropriated TO the construction OF
the H:wasse, and the Charleston and Cincinnati rail.
roads, TO be equally divided between them. $iuu'uco
are appropriated 10 the Common Schools OF the S'a!e'
and Ss7 900 to the colleges and county acadenIes-'hH
eplleges and academies to %relinquish to the State all
claims to the lands beyond the French, Broad and HoI-
ston rivers.
THE capital of the Bank is to be FIVE millions, TO be-
composed Of the common school fund, the proceeds OIL
the sales Of The Ocoo lands, the surplus revenue OF Inc
General Government in deposite with the Slate, and
such additional sums 10 be borrowed on the iailh OF Tue
State, as may be required 10 make up the sum OF I'VE
millions Of dollars. There is to be a principal oanK ana
five branches-one branch 10 be located in East Iennes.
see, the principal bank and two branches IN Middle Ten.
nessee, and two branches in the Western District.
There is no provision for the allotment OF capital TO the
mother bank or branches, or tor the location OF eltner,
other than the general location mentioned. These Will
be provided for in a supplemental bill.
The Internal improvement part provbdcs tlat lht
State shall take half the stock in oil the turnpike ant
railroad companies hereafter authorised, and issue hri
bonds for the same whenever the other hall shall have
been taken by individuals, and fifteen per cent. paid W
in cash; and the State is rs retain a lien upon the pro
perry of individuals, until The sums they have subserl'
bed are fully paid, and also upon the works until they
are completed ~. 7. Duly Express.
lyrEaSAL IMPROVEMENTS rs ILLISois.-There is no
State in the Union, We may venture 10 affirm without
fear of contradiction, in which improvements are 'Huk-
ing, or contemplated TO be made, by means OF railroads
and canals, that so great and beneficial effects will De
- l.--I. a. sk,.a n m nFnnrpSa nf
completion By the State Of Illinois. In fact, go extended
and magnificent are these proposed improvements, that
the FIRST impression generally Is, they never will be made
Such We confess was our opinion until recently: onr
attention has been called to the subject from the an.
uouncanept that the Fund Commissioners of Illinois
have Just effected a loan of several millions OF dollars
upon The credit Of the State, which, we understand will
insure the immediate commencement and rapid compile
ton of the s:whole system Of internal improvements ns
authorized by law, a copy Of which We have before Us.
II embraces upwards of twelve bundled miles OF rail.
roads and t%urnpikes, and a large amoont also appro-
priated to improve the navigation Of the Illinois, Wa
bash and Kasksskia rivers.
No State in the Union, 50 we have before remarked,
possesses greater natural and local advantages for being
improved and rendered prosperous by railroads and Gu.
nails, thnu Illinois. TO illustrate which, we will give a
brief outline of the railroads authorized 10 be construct
ed, and which are now being surveyed, and a PORTION
under contract. The principa and mrst important rail.
road is that which runs through the centre OF Illinois,
and uptly called the back bone Of the State. 1t com.
u l SdfIos I IOnh iPtfuSe sooh VttttSt 20 Wv
"Cairo City and Canal Co } at the junction Of the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers, and passes through Fandulia,
Decatur, Bloomington. crossing The Illinois
and Michigan Canal at or near Peru; thence through
and terminating at Galcna: making a distance
Of upwards of four hundred and fifty miles, running
through the heart Of one of the finest agricultural coun-
tries in the world to the mineral regions In the "far
West" From this 'centra! railroad branch or cross
railroads will be constructed, IN the following towns
on the Mississippi river, viz: St Louis, via Belville, AL
tnn, Quincy and Warsaw; and on the Wabash river 10
the Stale line of Indiana towns, viz: Lafayette, Ter5e-
hau,e, Mount Carmel; and on the Ohio river TO Shawnee
town. These railroads, thus extending from or crossing
the central railroad, will, in their course, pass through
the following already located towns within the State.
Lebanon, Nashville, pincknryville, Frunfort, Equality.
Columbus, Mount Startling, Menedosia, Jacksonville,
Springfield, Sydney, Danville, HiIsbnr"ugh, Charles.
town, Paris, Peoria, Canton, Macomb, Carthage, Upper
Alton, BellpiIle, Muckinaw, fremont and Pekin; from
which it will be seen tina, nearly every town of import
ance in the State will be connected by railroad with the
"central railroad" The great advantages are, that this
central railroad commences at the confluence of the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers, a point accessible ut all sea-
sons Of the year for the largest class OF boats, and even
ships, from New Orleans; and also connects with the
improvements in Indiana, which will also open an inland
water colnmuoication, by canals and the lakes, to New
York, when not closed by ice. BY reference to maps
of Illinois recently published by Tanner and Mitchell Of
Philadelphia, will be seen, particularly laid down, the
course of the railroad and branches just described.
Il is we'll known, that for several months in the year,
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, above their junction al
Cairo, ale rendered uInavigable in the winter season by
ice end in summer by the low stage of water, excep,
for small boats. The great Importance, therefore, of this
:. central railroad" and It's branches, is, that the staple
products Of Illinois, particularly beef, pork, lard, -four,
corn, grain and coal. can be transported 10 Cairo, and
there shipped to New Orleans at all seasons of The year,
which is not the case from any OF the other Western
States, And as the time required to make the passage
from this point 10 New Orleans is only about four days,
we see no reason why the New Orleans market should
not be constantly supplied from illinois with butter, eggs,
noul,ry. corn, meal and -four, aud other articles of ex-
port and daily consumption 10 New Orleans, and better
and cheaper than from any other quarter.
The city of Alton is becoming, what Cincinnati is to
Ohio, "the pork market Of the State and we predict
that Nj. Carmel will be the Rochester Of New York, for
~ thjs place will be found the best water power in the
West; and here may be collected any quantity Of wheat,
corn and other grain, il being the point ut which the
aIack water navigation Of the Wabash river will com.
mence, and also The terminating place Of the State rail
road. which will be continued from hence by a private
company through Indiana to Louisville, "a charter ha'
ing been obtained for the ~purpose) The completion OF
which will then connect the comriercisl capitals OF Ken.
lucky and Missouri with Cair1, at the mouth Of the
Ohio river, aud when the railroad shall be completed,
from Charleston TO Nashville in Tennessee. Ihe I'M
men,e advantages which will be secured by extending q
hranch 10 connect with the central railroad ut Cairo, are
~ ..;den nj. there can be no doub, that these two great
works will eventually be united, which will make on
nn;n,errupted line Of railway from the Atlantic seaboard
as.ri. ,ofhe Rocky Mountains. We understand that
,.hs townabip including and embracing the "City of
S.,;ro." has been purchased by tthe incorporated compa.
snv,. whit intention of making that city the pride
Il illinois" and second only las a commercial depot)
:. New Orleans. Major hlcNeil, late Of the U Siales
INV and the amount IA be expended in improvements
r. said CITY, will be several millions Of dollars.
n = generally acceded that there 10 no location in the
.onntrv which will more fully justify the expenditure of
any amount than at this point, it being The junction Of
.bo.e two. great highways, the Ohio end mississippi,