The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-04-07
Napoleon, Fort Smith. and Kansas City
Railroad.


A correspondent in late number of
the Republican, published at Pine Bluff,
Arkansas, proposes the construction of a
railroad from Napoleon, on the Mississippi
to Kansas city, Mo. We give below his
article at length, and shall be glad to ex-
tend to the enterprise any aid in our
power. We need a railroad connec-
ton with New Orleans, but we are appre-
hensiye it will be difficult for several
years to raise the amount of capital requi-
site for so gigantic an undertaking:
In late number of the Kansas City
Enterprise, we find the aspiring young
city of Kansas already agitating the i'm
portance of a railroad connection with the
Atlantic coast by means of road to st.
Louis, and also a connection with the
Gulf of Mexico, by means of a southern
road. We learn, by the same sheet, that
the cars will, by the month of June, have
reached as far west as Jefferson city
The restless spirit of enterprise which
pervades the entire Northwest, will soon
extend this road to Kansas. Thus, in
few years, we shall find this city of the
wilderness linked by bands of iron to the
Atlantic coast. Ina short time she will be
surrounded by the Transforming influences
of civilization. and supplied with every
element of commercial enterprise. The
vast extent, the great variety of soil and
climate which characterize the United
States, constitutes naturally of union.
The great diversity of interests and pur-
suits links together every section of the
country, and happily renders the various
parts reciprocally dependenton each other.
Thus, commercial intercourse is rem
dered absolutely necessary. And COM
merce is now, as it ever has been, one of
the most powerful agents in refining man.
kind, andof cultiyating and engendering
sentiments of humanity and fraternal feel
ings, not only among different nations,
but among every section of the same na-
ton. To the free and untrammelled
commercial intercourse between the indi-
viduals of the various sections of the
country, we must look for the preserva-
ton of our Union, "the common mother
of us ALL" 1t is, then. with pleasure that
we see this distant, but active settlement
of our noble countrymen contemplating
communication with the Gulf coast.
1t is now we'll understood that river
communication is too slow and too uncer-
tain for the commercial spirit of this age.
The low water in the summer, and the
ice in the winter, are obstacles to trade
too potent to be overlooked. Hence,
Kansas must have constant and unre-
stricted access to the Gulf. How can she
most readily secure this?
The vast importance of the fertile val
ley of the Arkansas, the utter folly Of de-
pending on the river to subserve the in
terests of commerce, has driven theinhab-
itants of the lower part Of the river to the
construction Of railroad from Pine Bluff
to Napoleon. tits manifest that this road
cannot stop at Pine Bluff The same
causes which have compelled the people
in this part of the valley to construct a
road, will cause its extension to Fort
Smith. The Arkansas valley road is the
grea. enterprise of the State. All other
roads projected in this State are, in our
opinion, sectional and partial, compared
with that which at once is to constitute
the outlet of one of the most=exteHsive
and fertile valleys on the continent. The
construction of the road from Pine Bluff
to Napoleon, we may consider as fixed
fact. We have recently conversed with
Capt. TIGHLNAN, the enterprising, intelli-
gent, and courteous Engineer of the road,
and find him sanguine of success. He
considers the means of the company as
ample 20 insure success.
The ultimate extensionof the road may
be relied on; should the State of Arkan-
sas, by grants of land, and otherwise, ex-
tend the road to the mouth of the Neosho,
it will in all probability be met by the
southern Kansas road. as it IS proposed
to strike the head waters of the Neosho,
and descend the valley of that river to
the Arkansas. The distance from Fort
Gibson to Kansas will be some two hun
dred and fifty miles. The country in
part is very fertile. and the remainder
abounds in the most valuable minerals.
The water power upon the line is said to |