Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-11-13

We find in Monroe la. Register the
fourth annual report Of the President OF |
the Yieksburg, Shreveport and Texas Rail |
road Company, and the Chief Engineers !
report Of the progress and condition of
that road, which we coRdense partly:
The road is divided into three divisions,
eastern from the Mississippi river to Mon
roe, T4J miles; middle, from Monroe to
Shreveport. 96J miles; and weastern from
Shreveport to the Texas line, Is l-6 miles;
making total length of very nearly lS9
miles. Thirty-fve miles of graduation,
beginning at the Mississippi river and run
ming west, are completed, and hands are
distributed and at work on the remaining
portions of the eastern division to point
within ten miles of Monroe. Two thou
sand tons of iron rails have been purchas-
ed and paid for in cash. Eight hundred
tons have been delivered at the eastern
end of the road, and the contractors are
engaged laying it down, having about six
miles of track laid, upon which very fine
locomotive is employed in carrying out
iron and cross ties for its extension. The
balance of the iron is in store in the Gus
tomhouse in New Orleans, and will be TAX
en- ont of bond and shipped up the river as
needed. The contractors expect to reach
the twenty miles station in December.
About $28, 900 have been expended in
grading on the western division, and the
work on this division is now going on we'll
The contract with j. NJ. Ford & Co., stip-
ulates for the completion of the road across
Caddo parish on the LIST Of August, 1858.
The President urges the Importance of
completing this division within the next
twelve months, so as to be able to trans
port the iron for the Southern Pacific Rail
road to its junction with the western end
of the V. S. and L road, in time to secure
beyond contingency the chartered rights
and land grants to that road The Paci-
hc Railroad is an extension of this road on
continuous line from the Mississippi river,
through the State of Texas, with the view
Of ultimately reaching the Pacific ocean.
The Texas company has a very favorable
| charter, and donation from the State of
Texas of sixteen sections of land to the
mile. The time in which they were requir-
ed to complete the first section of ten miles
has been extended by the Legislature to
February, 1858, aud additional State aid
granted by loan of six thousand dollars
per mile. If the principal subscribers in
Caddo parish will voluntarily pay up their
instruments in advance, and those who are
able will increase their subscriptions a lit
tie, the road from Shreveport to the Texas
line may be completed within the next
! twelve months If this can be done, the
city of Shreveport, in very short time,
will be reaping the benefits of railroad
stretching far into the interior of Texas
The middle division, between the Qua
chita and Red rivers, has not yet been def
nitely located, but corps ofengineers is in
the field, and the survey has reached the
Dugdemona valley, forty miles west Of the
Ouachita. 1t may consume three months
more time to complete the location; after
which maps of the whole line will be pre-
pared and placed on record in the Land
Offices, in conformity with the requirements
Of the act of Congress donating lands to
the company.
By the act of Congress, at its last ses-
sion, granting lands to the State Of Lou
isana to aid in the construction of rail
roads within the State, this road is entitled
to APO, 924 acres of land, all of which will
be rendered valuable by the completion of
the road. Much of it, lying Immediately
upon the line Of the railroad, is the best
quality of cotton land in the State, and
none Of it will be found too poor for cult
walton after the road is built The poorer
qualities lie in the elevated and salubrious
region intervening the 0uachita and Red
rivers, and being exceedingly well timbered,
are destined, at no very distant day, to
supply Middle and Western Texas with
lumber transported over the railroad In
! relation to these lands, the President says
as follows:
1t will be the true policy of the company to
borrow money upon the faith OF these lands.
to aid n carrying on the work, and hold on
upon the lands until after the road las been
built and all the government lands have been
sold. Or, when rhe eastern division is finished,
and tie contiguous government lands have
been sold, our lands on this division may then
be offered in ual ket, and The sales Will afford
! an anl le tuGd 10 meet the interest scciulng
upon 10 D., if ary shall have been issued
by the company, aud f5r the purchase of the
bonds should they tall below par. Instructions
| have been issued by the Commissioner OF the
| General Land Office to the officers ia this State
which are not applicable 10 the lands along tie
line of our road, aud could not have been So
considered by the Commissioner unless under
3 misspprehensiou OF the facts. Tie entire
line OF our road had been surveyed and located
previous Ia the passage of this act, and no
| changes ale To be made in the location except
such AS may be demanded by economy aud
construction. The title therefore to all The va
eat lands belonging TO he government, desg
mated toy odd numbered SECTIONS an truci lnHHl
sections, within the prescribed limits OF fifteen
miles on either side of the road, vested In the
| company when the President signed the act on
tie third day of June, 1856, aud persons csn
no more acquire these lands by pre- eInpion
than those which have been patented Ia private
individuals. Il is reported that persons are
! fraudulently returning these lands a. swamp
and over flowed lands, unit for cultirati0R,'
| AMI then entering them m the Stale offices Ell
| ther for cultivation or speculation. Should
| ia is prove 20 be Trne, it will become the duty
/ of the Board Of Directors TO protect the inter-
est OF the company by taking Steps to have the
lands vacated, and, il necessary, To have Grim
insl prosecutions instituted against the otfend-
ers.-N. d. PicdyUne,
Shocking Shooting Affair.
A shooting affair took place last evening about
halt past eight ocl.'ck, on Seventh street, above
| Chestnut in front Of the tavern Of John CIV, OF
ia iolowinp he narfiruIars. The Dtr