Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-08-28
The Mobile and Ohio Rail Road.

We indebted to. DIR. Cunningham, Tor
pamphlet issued in June last, setting forth the pro-
gress and condition of this Road, and from it CLEAN
the following interesting particulars
The preliminary and locating surveys been
extended over large area of country five hundred
miles long, by an average of ninety in width
The company believe that they have fixed upon
the shortest, cheapest and most level route, upon
which the locomotive can perform the maximum of
service with least current expense.
As exhibited on the map which is attached to
the pamphlet, the Mobile and Ohio Rail Road ex
tends from Mobile to the mouth of the Ohio river
there connecting with the Illinois Central Road.
Its length is four hundred and nnety-four miles.
Its maximum grade going South in direction of
the heaviest traffic, is but thirty feet per mile, and
in the opposite direction, forty feet per mile. Its
highest point above tide water, only FIVE hundred
and FIVE feet and entire length, eleven per cent,
longer than an air line.
! Seventy miles of the South end of the Road are
in sandy and rolling, but heavily timbered, pine
country, containing a vast amount of ship and
milling timber, immovable except by the Railway;
and for which there is continually increasing de-
mand. Three hundred and fifty miles are through
rich valleys and prairies, unsurpassed for the
growth of cotton corn, tobacco, and cattle, by any
in the Western country. And the remaining
seventy four miles consisting of the billy parts of
Lauderdale, Kemper and Tishemingo counties,
Mississippi, and of McNairy county Tennessee,
new, well settled and most attractive to white la
Dor, will hold medium value between the pine
, lands and prairies-
The country throughout the route is clear of
rock, except sand stone at three four isolated
points and in the prares, soft lime stone, mostly
lying deep below the surface and out of the way.
For single track Road with ten per cent of side
tracks, liberal estimate of the cost of the main
= Road 494 miles, and Branch to Tennessee river
% miles, total SIT miles, is ten millions of dol
lars, an average of $40, 342 per mile, with ter
minal stations at Mobile, the Tennessee and Ohio
rivers Half of the entire cost IS 900 ,OOO) is in
d the local work of grading, bridging buildings
furnishing water and timber and laying down the
tracks. The other half is in foreign labor of iron
and machinery.
: The plan adopted to carry on the work, is fol
the people ofthe country, through which the Road
:. passes, to subscribe for five millions of stock
4 which will pay for the local work. When this
d subscription shall be made, and the line, all OIL
n yearly all under contract, then loan of FIVE mil
o lions of dollars for iron and machinery viii com
J. plete and put the Road in operation. fast the
e local work can be executed. The whole Road, anC
all the lands granted by Congress being morgaged
Is to secure the principal and interest of the loan
e When completed, this Road will open the shortes
: and speediest possible route through ten and
: half degrees of latitude between the Gulf of Mex
) leo and the Northern Lakes. Exteliory the Mo
Il bile and Ohio Road will terminate eighteen miles
1t below Mobile upon the deep water of the Mobile
e Bay, within fifteen miles of the open Gulf, anc
: within twenty and. three-quarters feet water a
n mean low tide upon the bar between the cars
J and the heaviest cotton vessels of New York anc
e Liverpool. New Orleans the great port of the
e Gulf, is one hundred and ten miles above the
: mouth of the Mississippi River, with fifteen anc
a half feet water at low tide, upon the bar of the
# South East Pass which pass has deeper water
i than either of the other two channels commonl,
it used.
n Comparatively, then, the Mobile and Ohio Carr
j will be ninety miles and nineteen hours nearer
h the open Gulf, and along side of forty per cent
Is larger vessels without tonnage or lighterage, thar
&c are the wharves of New Orleans, with tonnage ant
Il lighterage ofone hundred and ten miles.
The moderate estimate of the amount of net in
come for the first year of this Road is 81 499, 400
Thirty three miles of this Road at the Mobile end
: are already completed with terminal city station
}, of forty of perfectly level ground and twc
e, wharves upon the River, accessible to vessels
= as any in the city. The work of grading is un
d der contract and in rapid progress, upon fifty
n miles more of the line, and one hundred and sew
) enty nine miles in addition will be placed unde
J contract in August and September in this year
making two hundred and sixty seven miles from
Mobile. The remainder of the line will be contract
J., ed out as fast the local subscriptions are com
l. pleted therefor.
n The means for continuing the Road beyond thir
S ty-three miles are
/ Tax subscription of Mobile city, for five year.
: which will tell $1,1O0, OO(
: 2 Individual and county tax subscrip-
: ton in Mississippi to 1st May, were ST. ,OOO, OO(
t Individual and county tax in Ten
nessee to same time, $50, ooe
Sale OF town site near Mobile, 10000
5 Estimated amount from sale of an
other town site, 33 miles from Mo-
bile containing 5000 acres, SC. oO(
Total amount secured for Roadway, $500. Oof