The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-02-14
Southwestern Railroad Convention


Southwestern Railroad Convention.
This Convention which assembled in New
Orleans earley in SANITARY last, recommended t,
the Legislatures and citizens of the seycra
States interested, the following system Of inter
nal improvement as Indispensable TO the dcvel
opnent Of their agricultural, commercial wealth
and as essential to equality and unity Of til,
States Of this copfeicrae,;
/ } \ national road to Die Pacific Ocean; viii
one terminus on the Mississippi river uorth an,
uHd one south Of the mouth Of tie Ohio river :,
rs to divide The advantages If The road az equally
as possible among the different States Vi IL,
| Unier,
!? lie Southwestern Nltional Railroad. from
Washing on City to New Orleans, passing through
the States If Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama auu
l0uieana. constituting the shortest practicable
liuc Of mail and travel transit, Enl consisting Of
the following continuous Sectl1us nov under con,
sideraton, 10 wit.
The Richmond and Lyrchtur, railroad. the
Virginia and Tennessee road, the East Tennessee
and Virginia road, the Georgia and Alabama
road the Alabama and Tennessee river road
he Selma and Jackson road, the New Orleans
AMI Jackson road
g. For Kentucky. The Memphis and Louis
Vile road, the Louisville and Nashville road
1, For Tennessee. The Memphis aul Louis
Vile, the Memphis and Charleston road the Lou,
syllle and Nashville road, the Nashville and
Southwestern road, aud the rnals embraced in
the National route, above referred To-.
s. For Alabama The Mobile aul Ohio road;
and the roads embraced N The National route re.
ierred TO-
G. For Georgia AMI Florida The Gulf road
or n continuation Of the Southwestern road OF
Georgia md Pensacola Bay the Florida and
Pensacola rond
7. For Mississippi. The Mobile and Ohio road.
The New Orleans, Jackson and Nashville road
and the New Orleans Holly Springs and Ohio
road the Wick. bursh and jackson road. extend
ed from Brandon eastward towards Salem
g. For Arkansas The Arkansas aud MISSES
sippi river road, from Fort Smith or Var Julen
to Little Rock, and thence to Whi.e river, and
there diycrging to Memphis md Selma; road
from Northeastern Texas to Little Rock, crossing
Red river at OF wear Fulton
.. For Louisiana. The New Ohrans. Algiers
Texas, and Fl paso road, the Mldisoayille ami
Jackson road, TIE Yick,burg aud ohreyepor,
road, the New Orleans and Nashville road
10. For Texas, The continuation Of the New
Ojeans 0pelousaS, and Fl Paso road through
Texas.
II, For Missouri The road from St. Lous
Westward; the Hannibal and st. Joseph road.
IL. From Paducah at tie mouth Of the Ten.
nessee river, to the Tennessee State-linc, and
from Louisville 10 palucah, to ntcrscci the road
from New Orleans TO Mobile.
To secure means f1T the construction OF the va
rous lines Of road contemplated IN this scheme,
Tie Convention recommended
Application TO Congress for grants Of land.
Application to State Legislatures for taxes
upon landed property:
Application for voluntary subscriptions
HE Convention also resolved that in consjd-
Grafton Of the great additional value which rail.
roads give to public lands, lying contiguous TO
them, and the augmentation Of the public r. venue
consequent upon an increase Of population and
wealth which inevitably result from such I'M
pfoyeIHcnts it Is jus, and equitable that the con
grvss all IN heir construction by liberal grants Of
land; and that Congress should at once make
adequate provision to this end by the enactment
of general law, applicable within proper re-
81 lone, to al railroad enterprises IN which the
? lie Of the West AMI South west are interest
.io Convection also resolved that it was the
d-,y Of Congress 10 take the necessary stepsto
remove the ob.Tul,ian5 TO Navigation " the
Mississippi! river. Tho vote, on this resolution,
by States, stood "a follows:
Aye Florida. Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee
aud Virginia.
Nav; Georgia and Missouri
this Convention, originally projected BY New
Orleans interests with the hope Of reyiving the
failing fortunes Of that city, seems TO have at
tracied a good degree Of interest drought the
Southwestern S'alrs and the scheme Of i'm
proyement finally agreed upon is much wider in
its range than was anticipated. Whether New
Orleans will gain any direct advantage from the
dpllberalon Of the Convention or not, there can
br no question but hat It's effects upos the South
Western States will be highly beneficial 4
great scheme has been mature1. Men have
something tangible to work upon; and the con
cor; Of action which has been secured BY the
Convention Of diIeren, States, will inspire those
lbboring for each separate portion Of the scheme
with confidence in the success Of the whole
Upon the whole, this may be regarded rs the
most important movement that has yet taken
place ut the South; far ahead Of " Nashville
Conventions "Cotton Conventions" and all
assemblies, OF kindred character Chicago Tri
5mc