The true Democrat., 1855-01-17
ARKANSAS.
For the True Democrat
Wednesday,, Dec. 10th.


 There has been so much said and written up- on the subject of internal improvements in Ar kansas within the last Is months by the friends and opposers of the various railroad projects, that have thought there was great danger of saying too m,sch and that, perhaps, the public mind would be better satisfied if the press con- tained fewer articles devoted to this subiect.- But as an article recently appeared in the Whg under the caption /" Arkansas Railroads" from the pen of one, whose position is calcula. ted to give more than ordinary weight to the positions assumed, which positions, we of north Arkansas, who constitute no inconsiderable number of the whole population, think, if adopted, are antagonistlcal to our true interests as well as the interests of the whole State and as the subject is " to be continued" it is pro. posed to review briefly the arguments used, which are not without much plausbiity, and see whether the author has not stopped little short of the ultimatum of economy, which seems to be his grand object in appearing before the country in this behalf
 The premise assumed is that the Cairo and Fulton, and the Memphis or eastern branch consist of two straight lines passing through two points common to both-5 c., Little Rock and Des Arc, thence to dlverge one to Mem phls, the other to pass up the left or east side of White river to ntersect the line, recently surveyed, ati.some point between Reeds Bar and Chalk Bluff, which he proves very con- cluslvelv would be equal to saving million and c hay cf dollars to the State or company. Now as times are very hard in Arkansas-as money IS great object, and as the sum propo- sed to be saved Is a large one-it Is a matter of nosmal moment. But how is this calculation made? how the conclusion arrived at? Mainly upon the hypothesis that on the right bank of White river from Jacksonport down towards Des Arc, number of tributary streams put in, with dividing ridges between them stretch ing to the westward Among these are Bayou Des Arc, Cypress, Bull Creek, the Canevs, Litte Red river, Grand Glaze, besides other streams all ot which would have to be bridged and the amount of excavations and embarkment re- qmred, would greatly exceed that of road from Little Rock to any point on White river ln the direction of Memphis or Helena"
 Now the grant of land by Congress contem- plated one other branch diverging from Little Rock to Fort Smith, and if it be in accordance With the spirit of the grant, to use the trunk of the Cairo and Fulton railroad for fifty miles north east from Little Rock for the Mississjppi terminus, which must necessarily pass over a section ot country susceptible of easy railroad construction, the same rule would certainly ap ply to the western or Fort Smith branch, which nature never intended should be constructed directly west from Little Rock. Now as the great object is, or should be, in the construction of such thoroughfares, to benefit the greatest possible number, even should it not only fail to enrich some, but in fact depreciate their posses sons, would if not be we'll to carry these pa. rale roads little .tarther and at the same time accept of the western branch additional-sav to the crossing of Cypress Bayou, or to the crossing of Little Red river, or even to the crossing of White river at Reeds Bar? If to the latter place, according to the basis of calcu latlon assumed, the amount of money saved to the State or company would be equal to about t,oo and c haIf or three millions of dozzars besides it would open up facilities for develop- ing the vnst mineral resources of north Arkan sos, which, when developed, will prove of much greater advantage to the State at large than the building of town upon the bank of White river or any other undeveloped interest of the State
 Should the eastern terminus be fixed at Mem phis, an intersection with the main trunk or inc crossing Of White river farther north than Des Arc, would certainly be much more desirable to the interests of Memphis, than at Des Arc for the very obvious reason, that they would then be enabled to drain and make tributary greater portion of Arkansas and Missouri. which would otherwise pay tribute to St. Louis or New Orleans; besides they would then con- mand the whole of the western trade by the Fort Smith route which would be of infinite ly more advantage to them, than they could by any possibility derive from connection at Des Arc or Little Rock.
 It IS the true policy of the city of Memphis, If she can control it, to have this connection with the Cairo and Fulton railroad, as far north of Little Rock as possible, and the farther north the intersection the greater will be the recipro- sal advantage to the Bluff city and the people of north Arkansas.
 From the crossing of White river westward to Fort Smith, way can be obtained upon which to build a road entirely practical eonal- ly so to the one from near the crossing of Cv- press Bayou and the def1ection from Q rioht