Southern shield., 1854-11-11

ly repay a perusal:
 Illinois Central Railroad.
 This is one Of the most magnificent public improvements of its kind, in this or any other country. The con- meeting of the great Lakes with the Mississippi at Cairo, where steamers of the largest class can always come up from the Gulf of Mexico, was a sublime idea, and all the arrangements for carrying it out have been on a scale equally grand and extensive. On the 20th of September, 1850, an act was passed by Congress granting to the State of Illinois every alternate sec ton of land for six miles on each side of the road, to aid in its construction. At the same time the minimum price of the lands within the same distance of the road was fixed at $2,50 per acre. By this arrangement the Gov ernment lost not shilling on the price of the land, and at the same time secured the advantage of bringing it almost immediately into the market.
 On the 10th of February, 1851, the Illinois Legislature chartered the pres ent company, and transferred the lands to them on condition that the road should be built within a specified time and that after it was finished seren per cent. of its gross recepts should an- nually be paid into the treasury of the State. By this grant tle company be- came possessed of about 2,650, ,0OO acres of land, which the building of the road will very soon bring up to an average value of at least ten dollars per acre-making he snug little sum of S26, 300, ,000. The estimated cost of the road is $16,)O0, ,O00; thus giv- ing to about a bakers dozen of for tunate capitalists $10,50O,00O, and one of the best railroads in the Union, 704 miles long, anG running through one of the richest and most beautiful valleys in the world. We envy them not, and the people should not envy them their good fortune. It is due to their forecast and enterprise that they should enjoy the rich prize they have secured.
 In noticing this road, it will be best understood if we speak of 1t as start ing from Chicago, although the line from Cairo to Laselleis called the main trunk; and the section between this city and Centralia, in Marion county, ll2 miles north of Cairo, is called the Chicago Branch. From Chicago the road runs nearly direct to Cairo, va rying only few miles at any point from direct line. The road is now finished south from Chicago, and the cars are running upon it eighty-seven miles, to Spring Creek, Hoquois coun- ty. The track is finished fourteen miles farther, and will be opened tC Irbana. in Champaign county, on ol before the first of May, 1854. On the first of May there will be two passen- ger, one freight and one construction train leaving the city daily. The en- tire line will be finished to Cairo, an( from Cairo to Dubuqe, on or before the first of January, 1855. The dis. tance from Chicago to Cairo is 36: miles; from Centralia to Dubuqe, 34: making the total length of the roaC 7O4 miles. Although the line iron this city to Cairo will not be finished till the first of February, 1855, w shall be in direct railroad connection with that city by the first of Angus next. The route will then be by St Louis. Reaching that city by the sam means we now do, we can take tn
 Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad t
 Centralia, and thence to Cairo, II: miles, by the Illinois Central, which i to be finished by that time. But b, the first of October next the line vii be still more direct, as the road vii be completed by that time from La salle to Cairo. This will give us near ly as direct communication with tn
 South as we shall have after the Chi cago Branch is finished. That portion north of Bloomington, with the excep tion of the bridge over the Illinois, i
 also finished, and the cars have bee | running upon 1t for several month past. It will be opened north to Dix on by the first of August next. Tn bridge over the Illinois river at Lasall is to be splendid structure. It is 2, I 990 feet long, and is to be built in a , respects in the best possible manner. The breakwater opposite this city
 very expensive and difficult work
 It extends nearly two miles, and wi