Cairo evening times. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-26
ILLINOIS SOUTHERN RAILROAD.

Tho call for meeting on Nov. Sth of the peo-
pie ofSouthern Illinois, interested in the Illinois
Southern Railroad, is of the first importance,
and we look to see grow out of this unobtru-
sive beginning measures which will result in
the success of one of the grandest undertak
ings which have ever engaged the energies of
our people. s,ss~ -.s
The Illinois Southern Railroad was chartered
some years ago, and the work upon 1t con-
menced. The line was surveyed, and in part
graded, when, for some reason or other, not
altogether apparent, all efforts ceased. Since
that time affairs have remained stntu
quo and now the condition and plans of
the Company are known to few, if any,
of the people who are most inter-
ested in its undertaking. But men
gifted with shrewd and far seeing intelligence,
who look ahead and make smooth the path
before the oncoming prosperity Of the country,
who would invite and aid, instead of forbddnS
| and hndering. the internal development Of the
land, have turped Their attention to this enter
prise naturally. They see that no Undertaking
| involving an equal outlay Of capital now calls
| for prosecution to q successful completion
| which will do so much TO facilitate the com
mercial intercourse of the Northeast and
Southwest. Look at it for a moment. There
is already broad gauge road from New York
to Vincennes; let that road be extended to
Cairo, and from New York to Cairo mer-
chandise may be forwarded without re-
shipment in almost direct line, and
more expeditiously, by days, than by any other
route either now constructed or projected, or
likely to be projected. This road, of which
Cairo and New York would thus become the
termini, would defy all competition, and would
absorb all the carrying trade between the
whole Southwestern section and the CONNER
cial centres of the East. Its capacity would
be the only limit to its business. Take a map
and look at the matter yourselves, and if the
truth of what we have said is not demon
strated, no words that we can add will be con-
vincing. The considerations urged above are
general ones, and interest the whole commu-
nifty. There are other considerations which
should especially claim the serious attention Of
all who live between Vincennes and Cairo
they have been well and correctly stated as
follows:
'iThe route of the projected road between
these points, passes through the richest part of
Southern Illinois, In all the country along its
line, Indian corn and tobacco are extensively
grown, and several of these counties produce
the finest wheat raised in the West This
r road will run through localities which a,
present are further from river and railroad than
any other in the State of Illinois; the farmers
have no means ofreaching market except by
J hauling the abundant products of the rich sol
d in wagons drawn by oxen or horses along
. rough dirt roads over distances varying from
25 to 40 miles. 1t needs nothing more than o
statement of the isolation Of this region Il
y show that agriculture langEishes, although the
l. land is rich the alluvial soil CT the valley
. of the Nile, and the counties are as tllickly
. populated as any in the southern part of the
= 4 State. The steam car alone is now necessary
8 to develop this region. We believe it may be
r stated with confidence that the construction o
this road wonld increase the productveness o
the country along its line, at least twenty fold
and this now neglected part of the Ohio Val
e ley would be enabled tie pay its just tribute t.
d the commerce of the world, enriching alik
r. the producer and the carrier.
1his road would run over and near some G
the richest coal measures in the State, an
e would pass near the vast deposit of iron an
at lead in Hardin county, and the salt wells {
l. Gallatin a1d Saline. Near the line of til
d road, also, are several mineral springs OF locs
- celebrity for the possession Of remarkable cura
u tive qualities. 1t passes through the best graf
L. growing and fruit raising section of the Stat
pi much better than those lying betwee
70 Centralia and Cairo on the Illinois Central
RS But particularly does the project of buildin
of this road commend itself to every one intel
is, ested in the prosperity Of our city. The in
er mense amount of lucrative business which
ey would bring hither is beyond estimate. !
he wide district of most productive countr
nd would be opened, of which Cairo would /
to the natural market. Beyond doubs
en- would necessitate the immediate establish
Id ment Of line of frst.class packets betwee