Washington telegraph., 1854-03-29
From the Mem. Eagle & Enquirer. IS
,,rbis and her Western Connections.

,.e,,o +be age of steam, the Importance of com.
III noints was question slowly solved by
in1e and the ordinary current OF events. Since
t IN ;ntroducsion of steamers and railroads. how
aIor important events tranSpire lr much more
e'i snrcession because influenced by more nu-
iaP-a Pprans diversified and pressing causes.
Science has rendered the agency of steam SO
,,erful for commercial purposes, that ne are not
P.nstomed to view any thing connected With rail-
oJS as physically impossible, if it be useful.
lOSi CIV Years ago the Pacific Railroad was regard
1as a chimera, having Judgement in the brains
ofonly lew enthusiasts
Sr, NV no sane man looks upon its construction
ot all doubtful; nor does he doubt the policy of
S,dinG it. The only question upon which the
blic mind seems divided, is as to the Mississippi
Ilorminus of that great work. From st. Pauls, on
a. Inner Mississippi, to Galveston, Texas NAV
ha tonnd claimants for this distinction; and that
tr;II be an important point on the Mississippi
which is in the most direct line of connection be-
taen the Atlantic cities in the East and the main
trnnk line on the West. Railroads are built to
shorten time and space; and that line which shall
nroye to be the shortest and quickest between the
atlantic and Pacific, will be the great line of
travel for the Union.
The late action of the Texas Legislature will
go far towards concentrating public opinion upon
fbe route through that State, from Fulton, in Ar
Kansas. as the one most advisable for adoption for
tbe Pacific Road The magnificent bonus offered
bv tbe Legislature of that State. to any company
hat will build the road through her limits, must
have weight which no other line can counterbal-
ance. even if climate and topography of country
were not in its favor. 1t is equal In extent, to
State one-thrd as large Tennessee, and the land
lies in a region producing. in abundance and per-
faction the chief export of the Union, cotton.
Considerations and inducements like this, will
most probably start the main line of the Pacific
Road from opposite Fulton, in Arkansas; and it
will be for the towns the Mississippi to say
how they will secure connection with that main
trunk.
glance at the map will convince any one that
the shortest and most direct line of Railroad from
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Nor
folk Cincinnati Louisville, to Fulton, in the
Southwest corner of Arkansas, rs through Memphis
and between Memphis and all these cities every
mile of road is either iG active operation progress
of construction, or chartered.
Mississippi having given the right of way to
our Charleston Road, that work will soon connect
with the ports of Charleston and Norfolk and our
Louisville Road will soon open up to us still
more direct communication with the North At
lantc and lake cities. which are all anxious to
reach the Mississippi at Memphis, as the head of
perpetual navigation.
Ii Memphis, from its position, be that important
point the Mississippl-ifit be the focus at which
will centre the tides ot human life flowing from
East and West-has it not attractions also for the
hardy population now developing the resources of
Arkansas and Texasz
Are they not deeply interested in direct con-
nection with point like this2 VIII moi the laws
oftrade which induce men to consult their interests,
turn the attention OF these people to Memphis, as
"a great market on the highwayn'
Such question is almost idle: for Memphis is
daily becoming the great entrepot for large por-
ton Of the trade of Arkansas and that trade is not
likely to diminish. The citizens of that State
know that terrible scourge almost depopulated
every important town in the valley below us, last
year. They know, too, that st. Louis was ice
bound, for weeks during the past winter; and that
business was at dead stand, Just when the plan
ter would most desire to sell his produce and set
tie up his accounts.
They also know that all the leading lines of
Railroads north of the Ohio, have been so blocked
up with ice this winter that travelling has some
times been suspended for several davs at time.
and often rendered hazardous. Their interests
will cause them 10 recolect all these facts; and in
seeking an outlet for their products they will ma
tnralIv look to that point this great artery of
commerce which not only has always been free
from all these objections but which is rapidly con-
Meeting itself, by leading lines of Railroad, with
every important commercial point in the Union.
It cannot be that the citizens of Arkansas will
with that State cannot be over estimated
When it is recoected that Arkansas is one of
the best watered States in the Union that it has
the best cotton lands in the South or West: that
Its lead iron and coal mines unsurpassed that
il is being rapidly settled up with an industrious,
energetic and intelligent class,of men, who carry
oyer there the high-pressure Young America opir-
Ions and ideas of the other Western States and
that all the proceeds Of their abors must reach the
Mississippi before they can find market, one
may then form an opinion of the value of such
trade to Memphis, twenty years hence, if she can
draw it here
puere attempt has been lately made, to in
duce Little Rock to look to Helena as her market
and the wild idea of magnificent Road from a
magnificent point opposite Helena, through mag
mhcent swamp, to Holly Springs, is again serious
ly broached and held up to the admiration OF the
citizens of Little Rock
10 fancy that they could, for moment, do any
thing but smile at the absurdity OF such a vision.
would be to think them unable to Judge of their
own interests. Indeed, it would be TO SUPPOSE
Ihem ignorant of the tact that Memphis is now
the principal market for Helena itself. ard the
nch country around t.
Memphis can have no interest in opposing the
construction of a railroad from Helena to White
river for that road would but develope a country
OF great fertility, whose products will ultimately
seek TINS market But to suppose that Little Rock
would prefer that to the Memphis connection,
would be to think she is willing to send her pro-
ducts to market so that they may be taxed with
water carriage and insurance, when, by the direct
line, both might be avoided
But, If Little Rock is Indifferent to the mutual
advantages to result from this direct road from
hemphls, be it so. Our city has subscribed $780,
VOO to this road. She protected her subscription
as she should have done. She guarded against its
oeing expended in preparing the road for the iron.
ana On then tlndlng no to aid in its completion.
one SAID to individuals and to countless IF you will
prepare the road o- the iron, we viii buy the iron
ana lay 1t down. This is more liberal than Ten
nesSee has been to any of her roads; for she does
not no subscribe stock in them, as Memphis does in
Inis but she loans her stock, and secures it by
mortgage on the roads
. Memphis is not so particular as that; but our
SISTER State must not think our policy iliiberal,
merely because wish to induce others to take
sach steps as will make our subscription valuable
10 them as well as to us. If, however, our city
subscription is viewed in such light by our Little
~ rnfr. 10 fIc