The Van Buren press., 1870-12-20
Fishback writes another Letter.

The gushing YOUTH" that as occas-
ion requires, writes up, in letter, the sen
.tiH.ents of the people of Fort Smith, has
in1she. Herald of the 9th, another letter,
from which We make the following ex-
tract, more particularly to call attention
to coyerted slur, upon Col. A, p ROB
lNsoN, Chief Engineer OF the Little Rock
and Fort Smith Railroad:
"The Missouri Kansas and Texas railroad
formerly called the Union Pacific Southern
Branch and sometimes called the Neosho Val
ley Railroad,) comprises vast system, with
many branches. The main trunk, chartered
in 1866 with large grant of lands from con-
,gress starts at junction City on the Kansas
Pacific. and runs to Fort Smith, with branch
from the point in the Indian nation where ii
crosses the Arkansas river, to Galveston. The
ultimate destination Of the main trunk is New
Orleans. probably through by Camden.
,charter under our law has already been OBJ
tanned for the Fort Smith, Camden and New
Orleans railroad This road has another
branch from point In Labctte county, kas..
through by Fort Scott to Sedalia, on the Mo.
Pacific (and called the Sedalia Division otthe
NJ, X. aud I. II. R.-tormerly the Tebo and
Nco>llO ralroau.) IHt- uTHntu mas dlolici
branch starting al Nevada, Mo-, and running
bv Neosllo to Fort Smith to meet the main
trunk. 1t also has other branches in which
however we have no interest. In 1865, A.. L.
Robinson, NOV engineer on the l. X. d +. ;.
r.. R..) was ehiefengineer on the main trunk.
and continued in that position till the l7th OF
August, 1869. and in that time five miles only
we're built, and 81 miles graded. At that
date his resignation was accepted, and A. L.
Arrasmith appointed in his stead In the
October following, Hon. X. 5. Stevens was
made general manager of the company's
lines and from that date to the present. its
roads have progressed with unparalleled IA
pidity."
Nov, for the statements in the letter,
so far as they refer to Col. A. y. Robin
son, we are authorized to say they have
no foundation in truth. The letter was,
evidently, written to insinuate to the
people of this part of the State that Col,
Robinson, as a Chief Engineer of Rail
roads, is "slow coach" without ener
gy and perseverance, in whom no great
reliance could be put for pushing the
.sArkansas Western Railway of which
he is also, Chief Engineer, through to
completion.
One thing we do knew, and which is
evident Ito all, touching the capabllity
energetic and thorough qualities of the
Chief Engineer of the Little Rock and
Fort Smith Railroad, that in little
over one year, he has built and put in
operation about 70 miles of Railroad
fully equipped in splendid order, and has
the Grading all ready for the iron fol
fifty miles more, and by April next, vii
have the entire line to Van Buren, some
one hundred and sixty miles, graded
ready for the iron. This work speaks
for itself Of the excellent qualifications o
Col Robinson, even if the statement o
Fishback had been true.
The object of this garrulous represen
sa~,S~sssests
Rock and Fort Smith Road, in the mind,
OF the citizens of Western Arkansas
who feel deep interest in the success.
and speedy progress Of the Railroads il
contemplation, in which he is entrusted
If the citizens Of Fort Smith chose tC
pin their railroad interests on to tn,
skirts Of Fishback, to be hirted hthe
and thither after imaginary schemes o
his, they can do so, But good policy, i
would seem to us, should prevent then
from making war on the only Railroad
that has any prospect ofreach Fort Smitl
for some time to come