Washington telegraph., 1854-07-19
The Memphis and Little Rock Railroad.

Much has been said by the officers and agents
OF other projected roads in Arkansas, and particu-
larly by the Governor of that State, about the
policy of Memphis towards this road. 1t has
been charged that the S350,000 subscribed by the
city of Memphis was to be expended in buyiny
the ground and building costly depot on this side
OF the river; and again, that the road was to be
made tributary to a Memphis ferry company
In fact that it was memphis speculation. devils
ed by The people OF Memphis to ruin Arkansas
The facts. however, warran. no such concu-
sion. The Legislature of Arkansas granted a
char ter to build railroad from Memphis to Lit
tie Rock. The first section of the contract re-
Gently made with Messrs John H. Bradley &
Co., for the construction of this road reads as fol-
lows:
I'VE will take the contract for the entire con-
Struction of the Memphis and Little Rock Rail-
road, and will build and equip the same complete
and i'll running order throughout the whole leng tn
thereof; that is from the west bank of the Missis
sippi river, opposite the city OF Memphis, to the
east bank OF the Arkansas river opposite the city
of Little Rock, with the depots and termn in the
State of Arkansas. We will make the same in
substantial and skillfu manner. SO that it shall
be first class road in every respect"
In aid OF this road the city and citizens of Mem
phis contribute six hundred thousand dollars: a
lane company, composed of citizens OF Tennessee
and Alabama, fifty thousand acres of land in Crit
The ferry company give their ferry and ferry
landing on both sides of the Mississippi river to
connect with the railroad at this point. upon the
condition only that the charges for freight and
passengers shall never exceed what is actually
necessary to pay the expenses of operating it.
Memphis is identified with this road only as a
stockholder. Five members compose the Board
of Directors. Two of that number are citizens of
Arkansas. representing the only counties, Criten-
den and st. Francis, which have as vet taken
stock in the road
The eastern terminus of this road will be on
the west bank of the Mississippi river, from which
produce can be shipped at all seasons to New Or
leans. Here, too, the road will connect by the
Memphis aid Charleston Railroad with the en-
tire Atlantic seaboard, from Maine to Georgia
with New Orleans by the Tennessee and Missis-
sippi, the Mississippi Central and the New Or
leans and Great Northern Railways aud with
Louisville and Cincinnati on the north by the
Memphis and Ohio Railroad
Public attention is already directed to the Mem
phis and Little Rock Railroad as an additional
link in that iron chain which is to stretch across
this continent. binding the States of our Confed
eracy In an indissoluble bond of Union.
We have no hostility to other roads in ArkaE-
sas. We wish dozen more were projected. ami
the money provided to build them. Certainly
our success does not depend upon the failure of
others. The main element OF prosperity in all
the railway undertakings is public confidence and
1T has been the aim of this company to so shape
Its policy as to deserve the good will of the peo-
pie OF Arkansas. Mem. Eagle g. Eng. 2sth uh.