Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-04-28
NUMBER XXXII.

AAOfO TIC III tSAANS $3.50 -ANaAA 49,
banks. 1t is believed that it can then
be navigated any season, before the
navigation of the Bigby is practicable
and as early as the Yazoo can be nav
igated by the ordinary class Of steam
boats. That being the case, it will d.
vert to the Mississippi, a considerable
portion Of produce, that, from the mid
die ground, now finds It's way to the
Bigby.
Permit me now to present to your
view, the region of country which so
forcibIy calls for the improvement of
this valuable stream. The entire coun-
ties of Madison, Alfalfa, and Choctaw,
the greater part of Leake and Carroll;
the western half of Winston, and re-
spectacle portion of Holmes; besides a
part of Ocktibbeha, might find it to its
advantage, to seek market on the
Mississippi.
An amount Of country, not less than
FIVE counties, stand in absolute need of
this improvement. Those counties
present large amount of as fine cot
ton and grain region as any in the
State healthy, well watered, and sus-
ceptible of a dense population, but
consequence ofthe remoteness of mar
ket they are compelled to seek, and
the impracticable nature of the roads
at the very period of carrying produce
to market. The appropriation, there
fore, of about seventy thousand dollars
will, by causing thousands Of acres Of
wild lands to be brought into cultiva-
ton, add millions yearly to the pro-
ducts Of the State. l speak under
standingly, when declare my opinion
that would depend on Big Black a;
a navigable stream, Thoroughly clear
ed out, more than I would on tht
Wateree or Congaree. rivers two prin
cipal rivers Of South Carolina,) altho
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars have
been expended on their improvement
| desire to give fact, in proof of thu
Eefects produced ON the prosperity o
State by the condition of our waite
courses.
/ Two gentlemen, of high standin
and great resources, purchased plan
tation in Choctaw County, and place
on it large force-between fifty an
hundred negroes. They purchase
largely of Territory, and intended t
extend their operations by additions
their force. The Yazoo or Bigby pr,
scented their only market; the neare
) sixty miles distant. Big Black was
their neighborhood, but it was blockt
} up with logs; and there appeared
t temper in the Legislature to impro'
! It's navigation. They belonged to
5 State, who, with an enlightened polio
never hesitated to appropriate liberal
, where the purpose was the develop
ment of the resources of the Sta
: Corporation making was at that tir
occupying very much of the attenti'
of our Legislature. Those gentlem
/ withdrew their force from the Stat
! and purchased a plantation on {
Chatahoochee river. Would this ha
] been the case if Big Black had be,
: cleaned out?
For certainty Of navigation, B
Black. if cleared of its distractions,
} worth one hundred of the Chataho
: chez. Besides, Big Black conduo
you, directly, to as good markets
t any in the Union; whilst the plante
Il on the Chatahoochee are perplexed
obtain a good market, afording soul
! currency. A friend of mine who plar
II there, told me, he shipped his Colt
n to Charleston, South Carolina; viii
0 cost him eight dollars per bale-c
t, calating all the expense attending
e from the time it left his plantation.
The removal by these gentlemen,
their active capital from the State
. but one of the instances, to prove
great loss the State is suffering by
extraordinary policy it has been pr
suing of laVishing millions to carry
the views of corporations, whilst hr
> dreds, properly applied, under the al
: pices of the State, would have add
: millions, annually, to the resources
the State, would have filed all {
: land with an enterprizing populate
and drawn to US the active capital a
resources of other States.
If Big Black had been improvi
those distinguished gentlemen wol
= never have given up their enterpri
1 ! and Withdrawn their capital. III
: would have added to it. The succ
- oftheir experiment would have brou
others to the State, with their act
capital and wealth. The abandonm
- by men of their character, after
:, pending much labor and money, m
: have produced effects on the prosE
i ity of that region of the State, VIII
- may be well imagined, but cannot
~ calculated.
e Pearl river is somewhat more she
TT, than Big Black. But it is con6del
ne asserted, shat it is susceptible of |
d, senting a fine barge and fat-boat n;
lie CATION, up nearly to the heart of NJ
&C. oba county, by the action of the S
RI. in clearing the bed ofthe stream Of
ed logs which now impede the navigat
Al bo,1I~r of tho