Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-08-23
Prospective HaIlroad EaciIities.

II We except that patriotic devotion wAich every
pure American heart entetains for the preservation
of the Union, perhaps other one thing has tend
ed moIe than another 10 give it strength than the
numerers rail Rays which iutersect each other North
South East and West. The traveller from distant
States is literally struck With wonder ct the aston
ishing changes which few years have produced,
snd which are further shadowsd forth by skill and
enterprise. The National ntfi,gsnesr publishes the
following extract from q letter from gentleman at
Cairo, H., to friend in Washington:
"Amopg the great railroad works of the West
none is calculated to coufer a more extraordinary
beSeft than the crest reads ef the Valley Of the
Mississippi Tie. Mobile and Ohio, running from
Mobile, Alabama, to Cairo, luinois, via jackson,
Tennessee, ami the Mississippi Central aud New Or
leans Jackson and Great Northern Railroads reach
ing from Jackscn, Tennessee 10 New Orleans. The
former is the longett read under corpora ion 10
the world being four hundred aud ninety six miles
OF this over tWo hundred an forty miles are com
pleted from Mobile north, and eigbiy-sesen m LIS
from Columbus, Keuturky. the present terminus,
twenty miles below Cairo, 10 Jackson, Tennessee,
where it iptersecs with the Mississippi Central
lilroad which lacks but forty-thres miles to
Tlete the line to New Orleans. This gap is now
rapidly filing up, and viii certainly be completed
by the first day of Iuusry next There will then
be continuous railroad Communication with New
Orleans from Washington and the Northern cities
via Chicago, Cinein 1ati. or indianapolis with the
exception of the ftrriags of tSeny miles between
Cairo and Columbus, which. instead Of draw
back, is most delightful recreation to the travel
Ter, he rest himself for hour or two after
! the long railroad ride. The time at present be-
/ tween Cairo and New Orleans is just forty-eight
/ hours. The trains run twice day, and the rail-
road packet the w. A. EaVes) makes regular double
daily trips between the roads, carry NJ Ihs msilF.
The time from Washingto to Cairo il ust forty ght
hours. So tat even nov, With the staging of forty
! three miles the time Is just four dlye 10 New Os-
! leans. Leaving " Wsshngtea at A. ~. Cairo is
reached A, NJ, fJrty-sight hours af ec, sni New
! Orleans fory-eghi hours after a. A. NJ; mqkiI g
iu sill four days from Washington to New 0rleaus.
! The Tins from Philad5phia, New Y5rk, and Best N
! is nearly the same, az the Western roads leading
out from those cities make direct connections With
the West in an slE lst direct line TOR Cairo. The
advantages of this route Of great national i'm
portance as well great dssideraf4W for the trav-
cling public. Theroads of great length, under
one head, requiring but fsW changes. A glance at
The msp will show the direcness Of the route from
Q Isbec to Portland for the traveller from Europe 10
| New Orleans. The first of January Will in
| sugurste o wonderful Ie5o'utioa in the direo ion
Of travel ard the time now forty EIGHT hours from
Cairo to New 0ilesns will then Re shortened Oihiry
! hour; making The time from New YOTk to New Or
| leaCs. Urdsr the preseLt moderate rare Of speed,
just three days and eleven hours evan taking Chica
90 en- route. Such are tAe changes that will be ef
fecled by the fl st of January next; and they have
progressed SO issensby that we can scarcely real
rze that we can leave New York aud reach New Or
leans in less than half the time of five years ego.