The true Democrat., 1854-10-25

 pllshment of selfish and personal ends are al- ways reckless of the public interests. So it is with the editor of the Gazette, who, having straddled in vain every hobby that has present. ed itself during the last two years, from the question of internal improvement down to the enactment of prohibitory liquor law, has now gone off in tangent upon the subject ot a great Southern Pacific Railroad.
 We have heard much preaching from the Gazette-much of its advice to the people, but we have never yet known single suggestion made by it to be practicable. It is not the building of "Southern Pacific Railroad" ;" that we object to. This idea is not the Gazette's. Its idea, and it is one we unhesitatingly con- demn. is the diversion of public attention from the construction of the roads named in the rich grant of lands given us by the national govern ment. The idea of great Southern Pacific Railroad is introduced at this time for no other purpose. It is blow aimed at the Cairo and Fulton Railroad and grant of lands, the destruc- tion of which has been, from the first, cher ished object with the Gazette and the confede- rates who support and write for it.
 All the passions and prejudices of the South are appealed to in this dying struggle of that concern. Even the shade of Calhoun is invok- ed Even Robt. w. Johnson, who was, and ever has been one of the frmest friends of the South in all of her contests with abolition fana- ticism, has been assailed in the most unpro- voked manner. But all will not do. The Cai- TO and Fulton Railroad is scheme practicable and tangible in its operation. Indeed its very construction will do more towards the building of Southern Pacific Railroad than any other scheme now projected. It will unite in such a work, not only the capital of the South, but it will bring to its aid the wealth and capital of the northern States and cities. The people of Arkansas can never consent to yield this wise and practicable scheme for the alluring but chi merical idea held out to them by the confede- rates of the Gazette; nor should they suffer their attention to be distracted from early action in regard to its final completion. The Cairo and Fulton Railroad, by reason of its location, it's great and important connections, both at the mouth of the Ohio river, and at the Texas State | line is one of the most important and oonside- rable projects now in existence.
 ! Its practcability is clearly demonstrated by the report of the Chief Engineer, Capt James $. Williams. The survey, just re- gently completed, shows the line to be one ! of the best routes for railroad construction ever yet found. The length of the road, which in that portion north of the Arkansas river scarcely varies from a direct line, and in the portion south, varies but few miles, is three hundred and one miles. The average cost of construction and eqripage-including the cost ofthc road itself, locomotives, cars, station hou- ses depots, etc., etc., putting the road in complete running order, is about $21 ,OOO per mile. This calculation is a liberal one-estimatng labor and material at the very highest prices, and in all probability will exceed the real cost, as the estimates for the equpage of the road, is greater than will be demanded for the first few years 1 by the business.
 ] The entire cost of the road will then be in round numbers $6,321 OOO
 By the grant of lands to aid in the construc- tion of this road, the State receives six sections to the mile-or 3,84O acres to the mile-which for the 3O1 miles of road will run the grant ur to l, 1855 $40 acres of land, and within the scope of the 30 miles allowed the State for the seec- ton of these lands, there is no doubt but that the whole number of acres will be easily pro- cured. ] Estimating these lands at the moderate value of $5 per acre, the means at the disposal of the company for the building of the road, will be $5,777, ,2OO-thus only requiring the sum of $5438O of actual cost to be incurred in the building of this great and valuable work. But if we take the sale of lands upon the Illinois Central railroad as a proper estimate of the real value of the lands, the company will certainly realize more from their sale than the entire completion and equipage of the road will cost. We know that the lands along the Illinois Central railroad before the building of the road, were regarded as worthless. They had been in the market at the moderate price of $1 25 per acre, all of them for 30, and many of them for even 4Oyears. They had been picked and culed by thrifty and intelligent people until it was thought there was no valuable lands upon the route of the road. Yet now that the road is built, many of these lands are held at 30 dollars per acre and readily find purchasers Under this view of the case with these means in our hands would 1t not be worse than folly if the State of Arkansas sacrifices this great road to the mad projects of a visionary dreamer. 1 The Cairo and Fulton railroad is not hostile to the Southern Pacific railroad. If ever Southern Pacific road is built, it will owe it's existence chiefly to the grant of lands made to this State by the general government But ill order to secure this result the object of the grant must be carried out. It must not be sacrificed to the designing schemes of such brawling demagogues as the editor of the Gazette, who from the first. has been a constant assailant of the road and grant.