Washington telegraph., 1853-02-16
Ehe Plateau i'm Front OF tlie City.
and the Memphis and Little
Rcck Rail Road.

We copy the following from the Memphis
Appeal;
I'VE learn that Col. j. IT, Trezevant has
requested of the Board of Mayor and Alder
men permission to address them, on some
early occasion suitable to themselves, upon
the propriety of making such disposal of
the promenade" in front Of the city, as will
aid in building a railroad from Memphis to
Little Rock
This Road must be the eastern end of
the Pacific railroad, whether there be but
one main line, or main line and branches;
and Memphis is, perhaps, more deeply in
terested in that than in any other like pro-
ject. One of our merchants has wisely
said, that ''if we build towards the West, the
East will build to US" and if this Arkansas
Road could receive right impetus, it would
greatly enhance the prospects of an early
completion Of all our other connections.
with regard to Col. rs plan of furnish
ing means for this project, we are not now
prepared to speak; bat the subject is one of
high importance just now, and we trust the
Aldermen will grant the courtesy asked, and
| that our citizens will hear him.
If by "disposing of the promenade" is
meant its sale or lease, the question arises,
VIII that be such disposition of it as will
not conflict with the terms of the grant by
which the plateau was ceded to the city,
That, is the question"
However this question nay be determin-
ed it is not to be denied that the Memphis
and Little Rock Rail Road is an enterprise,
nor Of prime Importance to the people of
this city and Of the whole South and South
west. 1t is the entering wedge towards Sc
curing one of the Eastern termini of the
/ Pacific Railway, and is also of prime i'm
por1ance to Maryland, to Virginia to North
and South Carolina, to Georgia, and especi-
ally to the whole Of Tennessee and Arkan-
Sas.
Charleston, we think, has, and should at
once exhibit, peculiar interest in the Ar
kansas Central Road. 1t involves the only
chance she has of SECURING her share of that
magnificent tide of trade and travel which is
to pass over the "Great Railway" from the
empires beyond the Pacific to those beyond
the Atlantic
St. Louis is boldly striking for the elori-
Gus prizes held up to view; and so is New
Orleans The Road from St. Louis to the
western boundary of Missouri is fixed fact
the greater part of it being under contract
and dozen or so miles of it already COM
pleted and in operation. And the Opelou-
sas Road, as is well known, is a project upon
which New Orleans is bringing the whole of
her immense power to bear, and is, in fact,
in the opinion of many, as certain of con-
strution as any other Road in the Union.-
Both cities are contending Cor an eastern
terminus of the Pacific Road. If there are
to be but two branches, each is determined
to have one of them, at all hazards. Mem
phis is more central, and ought, by every
reason of general and local interest, to have
one Of these branches.
- But what is Memphis doing to secure
this prize? What is Memphis willing to do!
What is Charleston-what is Baltimore
what is Richmond and Norfolk, willing to
do?
= An answer should be given speedily.
The hour draws near when the question Will
be, must be, per force, resolved.
! Mem. Eagle d Eng.