Des Arc citizen., 1866-08-25
RAILROAD CONVENTION,

l Prairie county met m Railroad Convention in our city. At9 o'clock X. M, an au- dience variously estimated from three, five and six hundred persons, assembled in q beautiful grove. in which seats and stand for the speakers had been erected The Convention organized, by the election of Capt Sim Horne, Chairman, and T. J. Marsh, Secretary. After the above or ganization, the Chairman requested that the Committee, who had previously been appointed to canvass the line of the Des Are, Dardanelle < Fort Smith Railroad, to receive subscription of stock in said Rail road would lay before the meeting their report. Judge A. 0. Edwards, came for ward in lieu of Dr. John s. Williams, one of the Committee-who was unable to at tend the Convention owing to i'll health and reported that the Committee had re- ceived subscriptions in stock to the amount of 800 ,000 The Judge said, that along the proposed line the people, everywhere, gave the Committee hearty welcome and encouraging support, in the enterprise in which they were engaged The people told the Committee. that they hailed with exultant joy, the initiatory steps of this noble and grand improvement, the benefits of which were so imperatively demanded by the interests of every community, and expressed the strongest determination to aid by subscription in stock, of money. land, or by any other means in their power, the speedy completion ofthis line of Railroad.
 After the above report had been receiv ed, Col Burney was called upon to address the meeting. He came forward, and enter tained the audience for the space of two hours in an address, abounding in convin- cing arguments in favor of railroads, and delivered in 9 style and manner, that ar rested the attention, instructed and inter- ested the entire audience. The Col is an enthusiast upon the subject of railroads, and when discussing this question before the public, he handles it with an ardor and zeal, as lofty, as 1t is noble and commenda- ble. It would be useless for us to attempt, to give even a synopsis of his speech, but will hope, that the bread thus cast upon the waters," may have the desired effect in the hearts of the people.
 Col. Hedgepcth, was then loudly called for, to address the meeting Coming for ward, he occupied the attention of tie Convention for quite a length of time, in the delivery of an able and well defined speech He is q matter-o of.fact man He goes out in the flowery field of imagination to cull ideal gems wherewith to adorn his speech but grasping truth, the foundation of all knowledge and instruction, with an unwavering faith in it's power to convince, he sends conviction home to the minds of his hearers. Having been closely connect ed for the past ten years, in moving for ward similar enterprises in the State of Missouri emnently fits him to be an in structor upon this subject among us. He will bs the right man in the right place thoroughly acquainted with the ways and means of constructing railroads, he brings to bear in the discussion of this subject, . rich fund of facts and statistics, that would evidently take deep root in the minds of the people--and should, by all means, be sent out-in connection with other able speakers along this proposed line-of rail road, to advocate the building of the same The Col ou taking his seat was loudly ap- plaudod by the audience
 At this stage of the proceedings, dinner being announced, the Convention adjourn ed until o'clock. The ladies of White River Township, upon this occasion, gave another evidence of their unbounded gene rosity, by providing Q sumptuous repast for each and every one that was in atten- dance at the Convention, The Committee, for receiving subscriptions in stock, think ing this an opportune moment to press this matter upon the consideration of those present, took the books and solicited sub- scriptions, of which quite liberal amount was subscribed-leaving but little margin between the 800, ,000 heretofore subscribed, and the $l00, 900 necessary in order to elect a Board of Directors.
 At 2 o'clock the Convention re con vened After repeated calls, Judge A. o. Edwards, made one of his characteristic speeches, short, but we'll put together, rich in humor, replete in argument, it had the ring of hard common sense, and un- doubtedly, made favorable impression upon the audience T. J Marsh, was then called for. who occupied the attention of themeeting for few moments
 On motion of Mayor Blakenoy, the DEs ARC CITIZEN, and Crescent, were re- quested to publish the proceedings of this Convention.
 On motion, the Convention adjourned.
 SIM HORNE, Chairman.
 T. J MARSH, Secretary