The southern press., 1852-01-07
Internal improvements.

We extract the following interesting article
from the Augusta (Ga) Constitnaonalist:
MEMPHIS AND CHARLESTON RAILRoAD.--We
learn from the Huntsville Democrat that Gen.
p Beirne has been elected president of this
who has resigned both the presidency and his
dictatorship. s. P. Walker, esq. of Memphis,
has been elected director in his place.
This line of railroad is under contract, and we
are gratified to learn that the calls for the I'd
and 81 instaIments have been generally and
promptly responded to by the stockholders II
as nece1sary to complete this great work OF
about $50 miles, has been subscribed, and its
completion is placed upon certain foundation.
When it is completed nothing in the United
States, or the world will compare to it in the
length and Importance Of the line of railroad of
which it will be n part. Chaxleston and Mem
phis, one upon the broad Atlantic, and the other
upon the great father Of waters, the Mississippi,
will be connected by railroad seven hundred
miles in length.
What splendid vision of trade and travel il
opens to view 1t will enable our cities in this
section to compete with those upon the Missis
sippi for a trade of one hundred and fifty mil
lions.
Many in this section have thought, as did the
citizens of New Orleans, that no road striking
that river in the centre, could ever diver any
material portion of trade from that city. When
it was rendered certain that this Memphis road
to connect with the Nashville, would be built,
the people of New Orleans awoke from their in
difference and lethergy, and held large meeting
to take into consideration the construction of a
road from New Orleans, via Jackson, to Holly
Springs, in Mississippi The object of this road
would be to divert trade from the Memphis road.
And why! Because that road would take it to
the Atlantic ports We are not sufficiently fa-
miliar with the price of railroad transportation
to say what it would take to transport n bale of
cotton from Tuscumba valley, for instance, to
Charleston, but we remember reading in an
extract of speech made at the New Orleans
meeting some months since, taken from DeBop's
Commercial Reuie,o in which it was admitted
that it could be conveyed by railroad to Charles
ton cheaper than to New Orleans.
There is no possible plan which could be
adopted that would prevent large portion OF
the trade from North Alabama and North Mis-
sissippi from seeking the Atlantic ports by this
great line of railway Charleston and Savan-
nah, and intermediate cities, will inevitably reap
an immense harvest of trade from this connec.
ton with the Mississippi.
II is a matter of speculation, perhaps idle
speculation, that a railroad will be built from
Memphis through the Northern part of Texas
to California. Our readers are familiar with tht
fact that the structure of road from st. Louis
to San Francisco has been the theme Of muct
public discussion. The Memphis, or lowe
route, for such a road has also engaged no small
share of attention, and is unquestionably to b.
preferred, because shorter and freer from noun
famous obstacles, and the difficulties of climate
But the building of road upon either rout
would be an undertaking of such magnitude AM
difficulty as to place its contemplation, as yet, t
the account of theory and speculation.
IT, however, a road to the Pacific ocean shou
be built, we believe that the route from Mem
phis would be adopted as the most practicable
Then the connection between Europe and Sa
Francisco on the Pacific, and thence over
smooth sea to China, would be the shortest an
most advantageous which could probably b
made.
Without however, stretching cut our con
| temptation over go vast u line of intercommu
nication, and its magnificent results, there j
abundant cause for qualification, and even admi
ration, at the certain prospect of the connection
of the Atlantic and the Mississippi with th
immense advantages which will flow from it,