The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-03-28
Paducah Packet Line,

An informal meeting Of number Of the
leading business men of Evansville, was held
ON the morning of the 9th of March, at the
office of the 4. & G. X. r. Co., to confer with
J Judge Fowler delegate from Smithland and
Paducah, on the subject Of the early establish
ment of line Of steamboats, to run as pack
cts between Evansville and those points, and |
to form a connexion with the railroads at each |
end OF the line, as soon as the Psducah bran h |
of the Mobile and Ohio line shall be in opera
ton, which line of boats, it is contemplated, |
would foster the project ultimately in view OF |
railroad Of only about two thirds of the length
Of the water route between those points at the |
mouths of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers
and Henderson, Ky between which and Evans
vile mere ferry would be required. After
very free and harmonious interchange Of views,
between the citizens Of Evansville present,
and the delegate, Judge Fowler, in which a
disposition to do all in the power of our peo-
pie was evinced, the undersigned was unan-
imously chosen committee OF one to com
muncate to the friends Of the enterprise at
Smithland and Paducah. the views and feel
ings of this community on the subject. In
pursuance Of this duty, he begs leave to say
that the business men of Evansville are gen.
orally awake to sense of the benefits which
the enterprise promises to this city.
That its great importance is evident from
the following facts and considerations, to wit:
That Evansville now enjoys all the advanta-
ges of direct railroad communication With all
the cities East of herself That she is situate
on the Ohio, below the worst obstacles to the
navigation of that river, and two hundred
miles below Louisville. the next nearest point
above, which is in the enjoyment Of railroad
communication East and Northwards. That
she is by the Ohio, only one hundred and
forty miles from Smithland, and one hun
dred and fifty miles from Paducah, which
towns are the depots and entrepots for, and
are at the mouths of the Cumberland and
| Tennessee Rivers, whose commerce with The
cities East of Evansville, is already vast, and
| is fast increasing. That these two important
points have not now, and are not likely soon
to have any nearer Eastern and Northern II. r.
Communication than through Evansville, ex-
cept through Cairo fifty miles below the one
and sixty below the other, and by SO much
out of the way OF their ordinary Eastern
travel That the Wabash and Erie Canal ter
minating at Evansville snd giving her unbro-
ken water communication with New York
and now growing more reliable as an avenue
OF commerce, gives Evansville additional mo-
tives to foster the proposed enterprise. That,
once a line Of packets permanently establish
ed between these points travel, express and
ord mary; freight between the Cumberland and
| Tennessee, and all the cities East of Evans
vile, would fast realize this to be the quickest
surest and cheapest route, by such odds as to
speedily insure highly remunsratiye returns
to the capital invested, and indirectly greatly
advance the commercial interests of Evans
vile, Smithland and Paducah. These it
seems to the undersigned are SO evident as to
need no comment. And it seems equally evil
dent in view Of the rich mineral resources on
the banks of the Ohio between these three
points and Of the advantages of such line
Of steamboats,, added to the elements of pros
perty now fast giving Importance to these
three points, that the completion of a railroad
on the kentucky shore whereby the distance
| by water would DO reduced by land travel
more than one third and the time infinitely
more, would be insured within very few
Years.
1t is the opinion of some Of the best minds
of the country, that the banks of the OHIO
between the mouths of the Glover and the
Tradewater, will soon be the great seat of
the cotton manufacture of this country, if
not OF tho world: AID for the manufacture o.
iron and iron wares of all descriptions, the
shores of the Ohio and its tributaries, from
Green River to the Tennessee, afford already
unsurpassed facilities. Indeed, the success
of manufacturers in almost every line, under
the influence of cheap food and cheap fuel,
throughout this river coal. field, Of which Ev-
ansville is the principal town, is such as to in
spire in us all, the highest hopes of future
prosperity, and the utmost faith in the sue
cess Of the enterprise under contemplation.
Oppressed by recent efforts to open new
lines Of communication with the country,
and other recent local embarrassing causes,
and having not, as yet turned their attention
to any extent to investments in steamboats,,
the business men of Evansville do not
seem ready at the present to embark any
considerable amount OF capital in the enter
prise. They, however, express the will, in
other ways, to afford substantial material and
to the project, SO as to give it the benefit OF a
fair trial, and good prospect of ultimate sue
Cess; and the citizens Of Paducah and Smith
land may rest assured that we of Evansville
shall rejoice in the establishment of an enter
prise which shall tend to promote commercial
or social intercourse between them and us.
Very respectfully,
JOHN lNGLE, JR., Committee.
EVANSVILLE, March %, 1857.