Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-28

THE Arkansas newspaper press
deems the construction of a railroad
across the swamp from this city to
the st. Francis river an " impossi-
bility." The word is not in the vo-
cabulary Of railroad builders. If ne
cessity demanded it, there would bel
bridge Of ironifor railway trains from
Memphis to White river. The link
between the Atlantic and the Pacific
will not fail, i it must be made of
gold. The four railways from the
east, north, south and southeast, con-
verging at Memphis, have wealth
enough to span the Mississippi and its
loWlands with a viaduct which floods
would never shake. Bat no such ne
cessity exists. The river-shOre road
from Memphis to Belmont is under
contract, and delays in its construc-
ton have only resulted from the du-
ration of overfOws through the past
winter andspring. This Belmont and
Hopeheld road win constitute a levee
to protect that which connects Mem
phis and Little Lock. If this end
be not accomplished, the line
Of the old military road from
Memphis to Madison furnishes a prae-
ticable route which may at any time
be adopted, instead Of the present line
through Lost Swamp. But, civil en-
gineers, differing from newspaper
editors, have defined every obstacle
which the builders Of the Little Rock
road must surmOunt, and the cost of a
few miles of trestle work is the sole
obstacle to the perfection Of the high
way which so disturbs the dreams of
our contemporaries across the river.
This is not all; the Little Rock road
will be finished at once. 1t has en-
countered extraordinary difficulties.
Its present managers took hold of It'll
1861. Contracts for labor and iron
were made which the wal annulled.
At the cessation of hostilities the COM
pany had neither money, o credit,
nor iron, nor locomotives. The track
that was finished had been torn up
and the iron removed by Federal
military authorities. The officers of
the company used their individual
credit; and, through George Peabody
effected a loan. With this the two
discovered links were equipped and
put in operation. The citizens of
Memphis aided the work to the extent
of perhaps fifty or sixty thousand dol
lars. The State of Arkansas anne to
the rescue, and then, when it was e
how the road might be readily fin
ished, there were many who sought
to secure the prize. This fact has in
terpOsed delays. At last everything
is moving on very smoothly. The
company has iron, spikes and loco
motives enough for the whole line,
and the road will be finished at once
If the present officers of the company
deserved what has been said Of them,
they might have sold the whole road
to secure the Peabody debt, and, be-
coming its purchasers, have robbed
this city and citizens of Arkansas of
every dollar they have invested in the
work. Instead Of finding fault and
evincing impotence, it were well if
our Arkansas contemporaries thor
OughIy comprehended all the facts
affecting this road. 1t will build two
cities in ArkansaS-One, at Little
another, at Hopeheld. 1t will
enrich several counties beyond all
in the State. 1t win draw
down from Kansas City a branch line
Of the Union Pacific, and thus sggran-
die the Northeastern portion of Ar
kansas. 1t VIII give to the people OF
Arkansas access to railways at Mem
phis, diverging to every point of the
compass. We would have a road from
Helena to Little Rock. BY all means
It should be built. The fortunes Of
Memphis and Helena are inseparable.
several railway schemes are adj
yantageous to both, and instead of
obstacles, each should furnish the
1ther with every agency of moral
support and financial strength that is
accessible or may be welded in pro-
notion Of the prosperity of either