Washington telegraph., 1855-01-10
From the BOnkam l7eras) .4drertiserl
Address

joining cOl5itteS
We, the undersigned. in behalf of the
Memphis. Ell Paso, and Pacific Railroad
Company tender you this address:
At the extra-session of the Legislature of
the State of Texas. A. D. 1852, charter
was granted to sundry citizens of Northern
Texas for the construction of railway
from the vicinity of Fulton, on Red River
to Ell Paso, on the Rio Grande) and subse-
quentiy amendej) conferring ample privi-
leges in the way of land donations to ensure
the success of their uDdertak king By the
terms Of that charter the Company are eDti-
tied to sixteen sections of land TO the mile
with a reservation of three miles on each
side of the route. when surveyed. the Com
pany to be entitled to the alternate sections;
and if there be not suficiency of va
can't lands within said reservation, the Com
pany to have the privilege of locating the
balance upon any unappropriated lands be-
longing to the State
1t is needless for us to remind you of the
satisfaction with which the granting Of this
charter was greeted by the people of our
section Of the State The route designated
was on tie line contemplated by the vari-
Gus companies in Arkansas which looked to-
ward the Pacific Ocean-the Cairo and
Fulton, the Memphis and Fulton. ard the
Mississippi, Ouachita and Red River rail
roads all contemplating 4 transit over the
very route 50 designated Beside this it
traverses the only region where every staple
OF the North and the South grow side by
side-where the finest cotton Is raised
IN the same field with the richest crops of
wheat-and where corn, pork. and beef are
produced almost without limit In no part
OF the world can a better qCay business be
guaranteed TO a railway than in the terrific
~ covered by our charter. Travelling east
wardly, we can send -four to New Orleans
six weeks in advance of the North Western
States. Going westwardly, we can send
beef ard pork to the Pacific in advance OF
all competition. In addition TO this, cur
Federal Government has vast frontier On
the Pacific to be supplied with munitions
and cOmmissarIat tie amount Of which is
almost incalculable- Add to this the trade
with China, and the East Indies, and we
have an aggregate Of profitable commerce
worth more each year, than the l0lote trade
which made Venice the mart of the world
for nearly century
All these vast purposes ght have been
answered by the great Atlantic and Pacific
Railway charter. which. after the recent ses-
sion of the Texan Legislature. seemed to
occupy public attention to the exclusion of
all other projects Indeed, so powerful was
the influence exerted by it over the minds
Of our own citizens that our charter was
wholly lost 81 ight of-sO much so that It was
deemed expedien: BY The charted members
CT our Company 10 contract with the parties
who assumed the control OF said Atlantic
and Pacific charter for the construction of
our road to point near the Brazos river.
where bOth routes we're to connect. The
Atlantic and Pacific Company. however.
having failed to comply with their con-
tract with us-and their successors, Who
made the ouly bid under the act incorpcrat-
ing said Company which has been consider
co by the State authorities, having be-
ccne involved In difficulties likely to embar-
rass if not wholly to defeat their enterprise,
we. having undOubted privileges in the
premises, deem 1t our duty to come forward
with oar project. which, at home and abroad,
Is essentially regarded as Offering superior
inducements. as to the value of land dona-
lions, dIrectness Of route between the Mis-
sissipPI and the Pacific, and superior advan-
tages in point Of way business. Having
come to the conclusion that we cannot Who'll
y depend upon foreign aid, we appeal
to the citizens of our Own sec:ion-whOse
Interests are identical with our own-for
assistance in carrying out an enterprise
which will quadruple their wealth and our
wealth Fellow citizens, we ask YOU to
look at those PORTIONS of the United States
where railway facilities are abundant, and
see what such advantages are worth. By
emulating the example of our more enter
prislng brethren. We may attain similar ad
vantages- Come forward, then. and sub
scribe to the capital stock of our-of uour
road
BY the terms of our charter we are reor,ir-
ed TO make a preliminary survey and to
construct five miles of road before the lIb-
eral land donation of the State can be unodo
available If the Counties Immediately in
terested will, in the aggregate. subscribe
S9oo:OOO to the capital stock. and make
liberal donations in the way of lands. a cash
assessment Of ten per cent will pay for the
preliminary survey and for the completion
of the i've miles This will put us in pos
session of valuable lands. ready of sale, by
means Of which we can proceed to the sue
eeszfui completion Of cur enterprise.
We make the above suggestions that you
may canvass the matter thorouobly in your
own minds. At a stated time of which due
notice will be given. books will be opened
Il your several county seats for subscriptions
70 our capital stock, at which time every
ea'isen' however humble his means, Will be