The true Democrat., 1855-07-03
Cairo and Fulton Railroad.

we HIu tue lOllOWlnH we'll WrlCCen ana LruCn- ful communication in the Jacksonport Tribune, and transfer it to our columns with great plea- sure:
 Let me draw your attention to the great sub- ]ect of internal improvement in regard to local matters and the true interests of our State-- There was so much humbugging about railroads last winter, in our Legislature that 1t excited my curiosity to travel and examine for myself, which l did. I noticed at Memphis particular ly, the roads and prospects of roads, coming to and leading from that point l proceeded on to Cairo, there took the Illinois Central rail- road, and stopped at Sandoval, where the Ohio and Mississippi road crosses l was delayed there ten or fifteen days, and had an opportuni- ty to converse with many of the most scientific and practical railroad men in the United States, and l found no difference of opinion. They unanimously spoke of the Cairo and Fulton railroad, as being equal to any, If not tue best railroad stock ill the United States, although the most of our members in the last LeglSla- ture denounced 1t, and adopted the frame to Memphis. If road is built to Memphis, it will be ot no advantage to Little Rock, and very little to Memphis. Now as certain as wa ter runs down stream, the Cairo and Fulton railroad to the Pacific will be built, and if Mem pnls wishes connection with that great road, let her take 1t at Jacksonport, on White river, where her principal trad1 with Arkansas now IS. JacksonpOrt is situated on the north bank of White river, It the junction of White and Black rivers, which point, for all practical and business purposes, is forever obliged by the na- turai peculiar situation of the surrounding loca- htles, to Dc the greatest commercial town in Arkansas. It is at the head of large steamboat navigation, and Is the depot for that beautiful fertile country south and southwest Missouri. as well as all of northern Arkansas The town IS on a beautiful bottom, rich and level, about forty feet above low water mark, and from pc- culiarities of local position, the washings of the river never have and never can effect or change the banks and landings.
 The lands in the interior are elevated some fifteen or twenty feet above the bottom of the river, and for health, richness of soil, good wa ter beauty ot scenery, etc, are inferior to none Nor is there any in the west improving more. and enhancing in value as rapid. Jacksonport IS now rapidly improving, and is not only at the head Of certain navigation iu low water but the centre Of commerce, and at or near the crossing of the great Cairo and Fulton railroad, upon which road the prosperity of our State, in my judgment, entirely depends It is now cer- tain that the railroad first built to the Pacific, will be on the southern route via San Diego which Is the nearest point on the Pacific. The information ellcltcd, and geographical and to- poGraphcal facts developed by the recent scien- tl1lc surveys and explorations ordered by Con- gress, will prove that the trip can be made much quicker and safer on railroads from Clevc- land and the northern States and lakes by the mouth of the Ono, through Arkansas and Texas to the Paclhc ocean, than 1t ever will be made by St. Louis, and along their more mountainous routes, to San Francisco. If the road was built on the southern route, 1t would, with entire safety, admit of the i5hest railroad speed: but no such speed could bc attained in winding through the unal oidaDlc curves, elevations and depreasloLS lii the mountains on each of those northern routes Geography proves that from Detroit, Toledo, Indianapolis and Nincennes by s. Louis to Little lock, IS a very circuitous Dute, but from Detroit, via Toledo Indianapo- lis, \mcennes and Cairo to Little Rock, is di- Feet line, passing through the most fertile re- glons of the whole southwest. But what gives this air line route from Detroit via Cairo to Little Rock It's greatest value and pre- -eminence, ls that It lntcrsects at various points, the most extended railroad and steamboat connections from all parts of this great western continent.
 
 to extend the Pacific road from Little Rock to Memphis there to connect with one road. or whether to extend 1t from Little Rock to Cairo. where they will il4tersect not only all the south. ern, eastern and northern railroad connections, but all the rivers from Ohio Indaua Illinois. and all of the northern lake States, by Cairo. Little Rock, etc, to Texas? Let Arkansas and Missouri progress rapidly with the road from or 10 1t Ohio t+1, Rock and they will secure to that route the travel and commerce from those northern and eastern States. What need Arkansas care about a road from Memphis to Little Rock? It is better to secure more important connections from the northern and eastern States, and also that of St. Louis, by the Iron mountain I presume the people of our State have no opposition to Memphis. For my part have always advo- cated Memphis as being one of the greatest points on the Mississippi river, and built steamboat at that place to ply as a packet be- tween the two points. And as l have before said, if Arkansas wishes d connection with Memphis let the road from Memphis intersect the Cairo and Fulton road at the crossing of White river It will be of much moro advan. tage to Memphis, as they will save some fifty or sixty miles of road, besides having the trade of northern Arkansas and southwest Missouri We'll we now see that this great road is ena- bled by the aid of those grants of lands by the general government coming direct from the Pa ciic through Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri, at or near the mouth of the Ohio called the Cairo and Fulton railroad, to the Pacific ocean Gan we regret the ir itatons and inducements now held out by the grants of lands to aid in con- structing this great Cairo and Fulton railroad; and it is in our power to build it If we would all pull together. Notwithstanding it was argued in our Legislative Hall, by member of that body, that Arkansas is too poor to build ten miles of railroad, and said that Memphis could and would build the road from Little Rock to Memphis, l ask can any Arkansian prefer road from Little Rock to Memphis, to strike the Mississippi river two hundred and fifty miles lower down than where Congress grant, ed the lands for the Pacific road to strike that river.
 Some talk about road from Little Rock to Memphis, and some about road from Louis vile, Kentucky, to Little Rock, by way of Memphis, which 1 think is another great absur- ditv. For instance, an air line from Cleveland
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