The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-08-28

he last and either Of the preceding charac-
eristicg. If then it should found, upon
that the Mobile and Ohio Rail-
road combines the last with all the others,
t would seem that the most timid should be
inspired viii confidence, and that the most
;keptical must be convinced.
Let US proceed to the second enquiry, and
test the feasibility of this great work, by the
several conditions laid down above. Theter-
mini originally proposed were the city of
Mobile, the natural outlet for the produce Of
a large portion Of Alabama and Mississippi,
the largest city in either State, and the third
exporting city in the Union, and a point at or
near the mouth of the Ohio river
By the completion Of the Illinois Central
Railroad, with its lateral branches to Chica-
go and Dubuque-and this work is now being
rapidly constructed complete railway CON
nection will be established between Mobile
on the Gulf of Mexico, Chicago on Lake
Michigan, Peru, at the head of navigation
ON the Illinois river and one Of the termini
of the great Illinois Canal, and, passing thro'
Galena and the rich lead mining region, with
Dubuque in Iowa near the head waters of
the Mississippi. A mere glance at the map
and the slightest knowledge of the capacity
of the vast territory to be traversed by this
great chain of Railroads, will suffice to show
the immense Importance of the line from the
Ohio to Mobile.
Itunites sections of diverse products. It
binds with an iron band the young and flour
ishing cities of the growing west, to the best
shipping port upon the Gulf
And if We consider Columbus, KY, the
northern terminus Of this road, it must with
its completion, become place of great i'm.
portance. 1t will be the entrepot of the i'm
mense produce of the West, receiving large
portion of the freights from the "Central
Road" and its branches, as well as from small
steamers plying on the Ohio and upper Mis-
sissippi rivers, and forwarding them by the
Mobile and Ohio road to the Gulf, for sale
or shipment, and in return, will receive and
transmit westward, the groceries, cotton, &c.
with which the planting States furnish thai
section. With the Illinois Central Railroad
completed and it is now in the hands O
capitalists who are prosecuting the work will
great vigor, and who promise to have it il
operation within three years-the trade tina
would spring up between its southern termi
nus and the Gulf States, would fully war
rant, nay demand, the construction Of Thu
road, although its route might lie through
barren heath We find then the first condi
ton fully met by the Mobile and Ohio Rail
road
We viii now consider tas route for tray
el. The great desideratum of travelling ma,
be considered to be, speed, cheapness, an
safety The route that combines these i
the greatest degree will always be preferred
We shall take it for granted, that in all thes
particulars railroads have the advantage Owe
any other means of transit From an accr
rate calculation it has been found that, i
round numbers, nine millions Of people, il
habiting north and west Alabama, north an
east Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, hi
souri,, Ohio, Indiana, illinois, Iowa, Wiscol
sin, Michigan, and portions of Pennsylvania
Virginia, and New York, would be connecte
with the Guilty. this Railroad, in less distanc
time, and | may add expense, than by an
other avenue. When we consider the in
mense traffic carried on between the Stat,
mentioned and their more southern neigl
bors, the great amountof pleasure travel b
tween the sections, and the greatness of the
population, we must conclude that the pa
senger custom of the road will be immens
Let US, however, examine the subjecta littt
more in detail The trip is now made !
/
tween Mobile and New York IN, at the lea;
Z days, (and I suppose its about the same /
tween Columbus and New York; at an G
: pense say of $65 to $50 Complete this ro
and the time will be reduced to &C hours fro
Mobile and the fare to $35-and from c
lumbus, go hours time and $50 fare.
i
From the mouth Of the Ohio to Mobile
E Railroad, it is 1872 miles; by the Mississiir
: river to New Orleans it is 1046 miles, maxi
difference in time, between the routes,
' hours, in distance 554 miles, and in fare
to So.
S From St. Louis to New Orleans by riv
i it is 1856 miles; to Mobile via; river and ri
h road it is 696 miles; difference in favor
; Mobile in time 80 hours, and in distance 6
miles.
i From Louisville to New Orleans by riv
f tits 1903 miles; to Mobile by railroad, y
E, Nashville it is 700 miles; difference in fa
m Of Mobile, los hours and 7O3 miles.
Had time and space, might extend
g table much farther. trust, however, b
Ae said enough to prove conclusively that
le road when completed, viii be the greatayei
a. ofcommuuicatiOn between the North y Sol
Mt between the West and the Gulf nj
add, that the distance from Mobile to Gal,
n ton IS slightly less than from New Orle