Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-13
THE PACIFIC
To the Citizens Of the states
South Of the Ohio and East OF
the Mississippi River.
MEMPHIS. october 10. 1858.

sissippi river to the subject OF a Pacific
railroad, and their cooperation upon
some plan which will connect the citi-
zens Of these States with such an enter
prise. The railroads building towards
the Pacific, and those sgitated, except
one, propose schemes so far north, and
SO remote from the Southern States, that
il will be found imp acticable in the pres
ent condition of the country, to connect
with them. The Cairo and Fulton Rail-
road Company, of Missouri, the Cairo
and Fulton RsiIroad Company, of Ar
kansas, the Henderson, Marshall and
Jefferson Railroad Company, aud the
BRACES Branch Railroad Compsny-both
Of Texas-hsve a sill which has passed
to a second reading in the House of
Representatives in the Congress Of The
United States, to which your attention
is especially invited.
BY the provisions of that bill the four
companies mentioned are authorized TO
build, operate and maintain q connected
line of railroads from Z point ia Missouri
opposite Cairo, with q single or double
track, via Little Rock, Arkansas, Jsffer-
son, Texas, 70 g point on the Rio Grande,
in the direction of San Bias, Mexico.
By the provisions OF that bill all Of
said companies may prosecute the build
ing Of their respective roads at the same
time, and whenever either of said COM
panies shall complete ia q substantial
manner ten consecutive miles Of any
portion of their several roads, the Presi-
dent OF the United States, upon appli-
cation made, shall appoint commission
ers 10 examine the same, and upon their
favorable report to the Secretary Of
the Treasury of the United States
shall issue to said companies, for
] A.. 49, v,-Ia1 Enf-had tho knnsg If tho
United States, having fifty years to ran
to maturity, with six per cent. interest,
payable semi-Annuslly, ct the rate of ten
thousand dollars per mile, On that part
Of the rOsd between Cairo and Little
Rock and on That between Little Rock
and the Rio Granda, sixteen thousand
dollars per mile, and in like Q for
every ten consecutive miles finished
thereafter, at the came rates, until the
entire roads are finished from Cairo to
the Rio Grande.
BY the provisions OF the bill the bonds
| loaned said companies are to operate as
5 mortgage on said roads from the date
Of delivery.
That said companies may raise means
| to finish said road or roads, they are gu
thoTized to issue first mortgage bonds Oh
said road OF roads, not exceeding sixteen
thousand dollars per mile, and not ex-
cesding seven per cent, interest, which
bonds, by the provisions OF the bill, are
70 be first mortgage bonds, and have q
priority over the len or moTtgage-given
| the Government, for the iosus msds by
the Government. In said bill It Is pro
vided that said companies may amslga-
mate into one, TO be called the "Inter-
national Pacific Railroad ~ thstthe Gov
eminent shslt have priority 10 the trans
portation OF mails, troops, munitions o.
war, supplies and public stores. By acts
of Congress aud the Legislature OF Texas,
these companies have large aud valuable
land grants.
We aIsoIearn from reliable u . that
these companies have 8 representative in
Mexico, asking rights of way, land
grants, etc.-with hattering prospects Of
sucoess-so ss to extend said road from
the Rio Gr&nde to San Bias, with s
branch from the main stem to the city OF
Mexico. By referring to maps, gAgraph-
ical descriptions and other reliable sour
ces Of Information, it will be seen that
this projected road, as & rOute to the Ps-
cidc, compared with ali others north OF
it, is several hundred miles nearer every
great commercial city in the United
States than these northern roads that,
for its entire distance from Cairo to San
, &C. 4 9 = e III a GCAAAI~ II O.
with Indians; the lands on both sides
rich, capable OF yielding immense pro
d%uctions; in E mild climate, not liable to
be ippeded by ice or gorged with snow
with no deserts or barren wastes TO en-
counter; with no mountains to turn or
tunnel with navigab,e streams inter
secting or close to the gulf, aud intersec.
ing railroads from the gulf, to facilitate
and cheaper construction, and when
built, feeders to the road with 3 gene
rally favorable route for railroad con-
strctiOn; with large land grants; with the
aid asked granted with 50 many facili-
ties to construct 3 road chesply, aud
working at SO many points at once, there
cSn be no question out that this road can
b built, and with proper energy, finished
in two yesTs from Cairo TO the Rio Grande.
In this connection we forbear discuss
ing the outward trade which would fiow
to his ROAD by opening commerce with
the Bo%urishing States or the Pacific
coast, the isles Of the s6s, With China,
Japan, the EsA Indies-the coveted
pri9s Of nations for so many centuries
believing, whilst this road would receive
lis due share Of that mighty traffic, its
surest reliance viii be found in its di
~rectness. in the vast and varied produc-
lions which viii be raised N its margin,
in the feeders from connecting ~naYiga0le
gtreGms, from the Gulf ports and con-
nectiDg railroads, in tbs Temperate cli-
through which it passes, and the
~cheapuess and facility with which it
can bs constructed.
In the explanatory notes and memorial
presented to Congress by the chief man
sgers OF this enterprise, they use this Ian
gQsge:
"1UsTICE TO THE SoUTH.-Three
10 the Pacific ave always been
contemplated. The oeAtFal route is in
Of construction. Il has been
literally aided by the Government.
This central route lies generally north
the 40th degree of north latitude
'phe northern route dying above the
44th degree of iatltnde) awaits its cppor-
Justice to the South requires
that they should bavs it, aud that Eptg,
when they are suffering in sli their in
lerests the terrible prostration resulting +,
from %protracted civil war;. The building
Of this DAD viii do more 10 revive the
dropping spirits OF the South, to cheer 4.
ker citizens, TO animate them with new
hopes, to make them realize the benef
cent influence of the Union, and to feel
they have both the Justice and SYM ]
patty orthsir sister States, and that we !
are all again iellOw-citiEens ola common
country, than any other one measure
thEt Congress can devise,n !
With uplifted hands we are devoutly I
thankful for such words of
and brotherly words of kindness. !
Whilst we say this, we must be pardoned
fog stating that q very small portion Of
the settled parts Of the South lies west of
the Mississippi river, convenient to the
road, and that they have overlooked, l
Internationally, no doubt, all the country
south of the Ohio and east of the Missis-
sippi river, and forgotten, no doubt, in
our terrible prosfrstion," that we are
unable to make connections with this ]
road that II we were, we could not do :
70 on equal terms, and it would be but n
whispering the word OF promise to the i
ear and breaking it to the hope" &
By referring to railroad maps 1t will o
be seen that this proposed Southern road, :
its present shape, will afford admirs- 3
Die facilities for st. Louis, Chicago, Bal q
Philadelphia, New York, Boston, e
Cincinnati and for the people of Indisns,
Illinois, Ohio snd the States north ofthe IA
ohio, with their finished roads TO con-
acct with this road at Cairo or some other n
point, ana foT sgch portions of Missouri, s
4 rkaUaRg- aud Texas AZ ara azaR IN hnf a