Washington telegraph., 1851-09-10
Convention of Internal Improvements Coma
mfssionera.


OF this State, a, Lutte Rock on the FIRST
Monday of November uext, the oblec' i
of which appears to he, 10 obtain con-
solidation Of the Internal Improvement
fund, so that some work of practical
atility and real advantage to the State
may, by united effort OF the Commas
sioners. be accomplished. This mode OF
procedure was suggested by Roswell
Beebe, Esq, of Little Lock, and the
object sought 10 be accomplished rs pre-
cisely what the Legislature should have
done, instead Of distributing the fund
Of each being SO Insignificant that its
expenditure would result in no benefit
TO the counties themselves or to the State
a: large. If the Legislature had desired
| to pass, an act to squander this fund,
they could not have succeeded better
| than to Distribute 1t among the counties.
I, is obvious chat TO accomplish any good
this find mus, be consolidated, and this
can only be done by the Commissioners
of the differet counties cooperating to-
gether in the formation of some uniform
system, by which they can unite i'll car
ryiug forward some practical work OF
Improvement, which, while it will beueft
the State, will be equally advantageous
to the counties. aud prevent total loss
of this magnificent beqnest.
The principal work proposed at this
time is the construction of a good road
/ from some point on The Mississippi river
to the interior of the State-say from
Memphis or Helena, to Little Rock
which might, and doubtless would be
continued, as the means accrued, through
greatest difficulty to be overcome in car
rying this scheme into effect. is tue Sec
tional jealousy with which dfe tent por-
tons of the State regard the capital. A
proposition of this character started at
Little Rock is looked upon with suspi
cion by many, as having heen gotten up
by the property holders of that city, for
the express purpose of putting money
into their own pockets by enhancing the
value of their city property--and others
again, obicc: TO any system Of Internal
improvement that does not embrace their
particular localities. l. was this selfish
aud contracted spirit that actuated the
last Legislature, aud induced the passage
OF the odious distribution act, and as
long as this spirit is continued, our State
will be unable to adopt any general sys-
tenn Of Internal Improvement.
Arkansas is greatly behind the spirit
of the age, and if her citizens desire her
prosperity, it is time an effort was made
at improvement. The first step should
be, either Plankroad, OF a Railroad
| from some accessible and central point
OH the Mississippi river. to the interior,
and if possible through the State, with
branches to radiate from different points,
, SO that every section Of the State may
be ultimately embraced. But to accom-
plish anything we must have beginning;
we must come to some understanding as
to the starting point. Already company,
chartered Ivy the last Legislature, have
| commenced the construction Of Plank
road from Memphis to the St. Francis.
The stock has been taken by capitalists in
Memphis, and the work has already COM
menced, and will, it is thought, be CON-
pleted in the course of twelve months.
This is the first link. Now if the Inter
nal improvement Commissioners would
agree to commence at the St. Francis
and extend the road to Little Rock, we
could soon have continuous plankroad
from Memphis to the centre of the State,
over the principal and most practicable
roule. For this section of the State,
Gaines Landing is the most accessible
point OH the Mississippi, and we would
prefer having plankroad TO tha: point,
but as ii is not likely ii could be accom-
plished at present, we should not hesitate
to yield our preference, and go for that
route, which appears most practicable,
and most likely to succeed The road
over this route, were the Commissioners
10 agree upon it, conld, and no doubt
would be speedily constructed. and this
is one reason why it should be preferred.
We want start from some point. Let
the people but see the advantages arris-