Washington telegraph., 1854-02-01
From the Memphis Eagle & Enquirer
The Texas Legislature and the Pa
clfic Railroad.
THE POSITION OF MEMPHIS MORE COMMAND
ING THAN EVER.

THE POSITION OF MEMPHIS MOKE COMAAND-
ING THAN EVER.
The late action Of the Texas Legislature
with reference to this question. gives It new
interest and the position Of Memphis as
the future commercial centre OF this vast
valley, must soon command additional I'M
portance for every Increment relative to
the Pacific Railroad. seems 70 pivot upon
this point as the central Mississippi 'termi-
nus of this highway Of nations
The prominent features in the charter.
lately granted by Texas. to the Mississippi
and Pacific Railroad Company" are. that
the State gives 30 sections or miles of land.
for every mile of road finished within her
limits; and that the road shall not start fur
thcr north than Fulton, which is on Red
river, in the southwest corner Of Arkansas.
and near the Texas line.
This magnificent bonus is tantamount to
a location Of the main trunk of the Paci-
ic Railroad; and henceforih. We may regard
Fulton as the eastern terminus, so far as
Texas can control it.
This being so, the different commercial
points on the Mississippi must connect with
Fulton as they best can and the great com
mcrcial marts on the Atlantic griX rr0ss
this ytrer az thai paint, arhich as an Tie
suoyteM and most direct IiRe bcitrccn
them and Tie n1tlin trunk Of the road.
The enormous amount Of freight that
must cross the Mississippi in its transit to
and from the Atlantic ports and Europe,
will. as a matter of interest, take that route
on which they can soonest and at least cx-
pense reach their destination and glance
at the map will convince any one that BoS-
ton. New York, Philadelphia, and Ralti-
more are much nearer Fulton via Memphis
than by any other point on the Mississippi.
Indeed, Memphis is almost an air line be-
tween Fulton and these eastern cities.
The following tables will give some def
mite idea of the advantages Memphis has
over all other points. in distance.
l will. first state, however, that it is from
$50 to 200 miles nearer from Memphis 10
Fulton than it is from ST. Louis to Fulton
and as St Louis is the only city that can
possibly compete with Memphis, for the
travel and trade coming from and going to
the great eastern cites. it will suffice to
contrast St. Louis and Memphis.
In few years St. Louis and Memphis
will be in direct railroad communication
with Boston, New York. philadelphia aud
Baltimore.
From Boston to st. Louis, via Gin
cinna;i, about 1900
From Boston to Memphis, via Lex
ington. Bowling Green, 1880
From New York to St. Louis, via
Dunkirk, Cincinnati. 1.194
From New York to Memphis, via
Baltimore. Lexington, and Bowl
ing Green, LILO
From Philadelphia to St. Louis. via
Pittsburg and Cincinnati, 996
From Philadelphia to Memphis. via
Baltimore. Lexington, and Bowl
ing Green. 1,O20
From Baltimore to St. Louis. via
Cincinnati. 9I3
From Baltimore TO Memphis. via
Lexington and Bowling Green, 925
1t is thus seen that Memphis is not more
than thirty or forty miles farther from the
eastern cities than St. Louis is; while il il
at least one hundred and fifty miles nearer
Fulton than St. Louis j..
Such facts as these will have dne weight ::
and all the leading commercial cities on the
Atlantic. from Boston to New York. must
be interested in reaching the main trunk
of the Pacific Railroad through Memphis.
They cannot go further north or south, with
out increasing time and distance: and. in
this age Of progress these are important el-
ements. Indeed, from the entire Lake
country. passing through Cincinnati and
Ohio, it is nearer TO Fulton via Memphis
than via ST. Louis and reference to the
map will show that Louisville and Cincin
natl would reach Fulton. ON the main trunk
of this road. sooner via Memphis than via ST.
Louis. by at least one hundred miles.
Within the last twelve months, terrible
plague has visited and dcpopulated every
city on the Mississippi, south Of Us; and
the river itself has been several times corrcd
with ice between this and ST. Louis
The public voice scenes to demand that
the main ruuk of this railroad should be
so located us to be Eat I'll times accessible
from all parts Of the Union
No place on the river. north or south.
command such combination Of advanta ges
as does Memphis; and our early connection
with Fulton is rendered certain.
The complexion Of the Senate Commit
tee.on the Pacific Railroad. but adds strength
to this conviction for its warmest and abiest
advocates, Gwin. Rusk and Bell, are all for
the central route, as the only practicable one.
Am not right. then in saying that every
movement upon this subject but strengthens
the position Of Memphis
J. 7. IRRELEVANT.
January is, 1854.