The true Democrat., 1856-07-29

cannot, we think, be regarded otherwise than national in its character, traversing as it will the continent from one side to the other, and then by connecting the northern lakes with the Gulf of Mexico.
 The estimated cost of the road from Cairo to the Texas boundary near Fultan-373 miles 'e-is S7, ,528, ,341. After entering Arkansas, at 0se distance of 72 miles from Cairo, the route putues the valley of Black river through an exceedingly rich and we'll setted country, pro- 1uclnsgrain, cotton, tobacco, and sweet pota- ,o ;o.s to White river. Thence through an undu- .a.'"s c.nntry we'll adapted to agricultural pur- pcsIS' e .o title Rock, the seat of government o. 'ne o'a'e f Arkansas, on the Arkansas river, "ne'e It may \e said to enter the cotton region pbrI' !. as,es nao splace the country tnroug rten %ncn It ISs1 h ~ srndulatng it's whole bered, and generally we'll asy' a' IS neaV.,y ',ri' M ture of the great southern staple, " VI" Thro is already, we understand, upwards" ~c ,h;rtv irv thousand bales of cotton produced in the C'l .cr Red river country, which will be entirely de- pendent upon the road when completed as an outlet to market besides peltries, etc., etc.; ana the quantities of each will be more than dou- bled in five years, probably quadruped in that time if confidence be inspired in the road
 
 nual productions population and trade of the which the road passes, prepared in tabular form from late census taken by the authori y ol those States.
 this road with the central road of Illinois, will be seen at once. It opens to our trade large extent of territory, stretching down to Calves ton. Texas has made the liberal grant of six teen sections to the mile for the construction of that portion of the great line within her terri tory, which ensures its early completion. Those having it in charge are already vigorously prose- cutting the work, and trains are running from Galveston northward.
 But we have, perhaps, the greatest interest in opening Arkansas by northern communi cation. This State is sparsely settled, owing to the want of facilities for reaching market, which has already been alluded to. Let this road be built and the planters of Arkansas who are principally engaged in growing cotton, will draw on the grain and pork and beef produc- ing States of the west for their supplies. And as these are the staples of Illinois, 1t will at once be seen that the construction of the Cairo and Fulton road is matter of no little importance } to us.
 The lands-iudging from past experience in such matters--will more than pay for the build ing of the road. At low minimum of five dollars per acre, we have $1O,OOO,OOO, or $2, 5OO,OOO more than the estimates. We see no good reason, therefore, why we may not look for speedy opening of the continuation of our own Central road to the Gulf of Mexico, at Galveston. The distance is but 1,07O miles from Chicargo, or about that of New York. And when at Galveston, we are only ten or twelve hours by steamboat from the Isthmus route of Tehuantepec So this will be new and direct Pacific route.
 Taking all these things into consideration, we see no obstacle in the way of raising the necessary means to go immediately forward with the work