New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-02
Arkansas Railroads


| Arkansas Railroads
We copy TIE following interesting article
srom TIE s.. Louis Rsp"bHcdn
About two months ago We took occasion.
/ IN the course of :in article on St. Louis and
Arkansas trade to refer TO the condition ot
/ the railroads Of that State. From Mr..
Sayre. OF Arkansas row i'll this city, we
| gain soGlc further facts i'll regard to tht Sc
| roads which seem 10 rs of sufficient interest
70 lay before our readers. Mr.. Sayrc has
the contract for building the Little Rock,
Pine Bluti and New Orleans. and the Mis-
sissippi River. 0uaciita and Red River rail
roads, both Important roads Tor st. Louis.
The eastern terminus OF each oT these roads
on the Mississippi river will eventually be
the same. though at present they are some
| ten miles apart; one starting ut
| Chicora and the other at Eunice.
! Nerk upon the Little Rock. Pine Bluff
and New Orleans road was commenced Mt
| Clicora. from which t has been built in a
northwesterly direction toward Pine Bluff
This plan was adopted on account of the
economy IN the transportation of material
gained 10y it. The distance from Chicora
| - Little Rock is one hundred and fifteen
| miles. The iiEc Of the road runs through
i. secfion OF country very favorable to rail
read building. the grades in no case being
! greater than twenty feet. The company
have received liberal aid, both from the
State and the counties through which the
road passes. in the shape OF State levee
bonds and county bonds, amounting alto
| ccthcr 20 about $4,000 per mile. OF the
progress OF the road up to this time. Mr..
| S:;yre tells us that seventy miles OF il from
| CEirora have been graded and tied and fiji
| teen miles OF track laid. SCme two Thousand
tons of rails for the roa, are now i'll New
| Orleans. whici. amount will iron twenty-five
miles more OF ;hc road, making, with the
fifteen miles now down, say forty miles.
The rest OF the ron TO complete the road
| 70 Pine Bluff is. We understand, already
| contracted for. ana at the rate the cOntrac-
| tors are now laying the track, about one
mile :, day. it is estimated they will reach
! Pine Biutt in from sixty to ninety days. and
Little Rock by The iirst of September When
this road is completed to Little Rork. and
tina: will be before the Iron Mountain reaches
that point. there will be afforded an op-
por:unity to st. Louis to control the entire
trade of the richest section of Arkansas.
Runninsup the valley of the Red river, it
will, at certain periods of the year. lind an
active competition in that river. They pro-
pose. however. to offer to the people OF the
country through which the road passes, a
system OF yearly rates, by which treights
will be placed ut a low average rate, and
y
Such Il policy, insuring against the ruin
ous consequences, sudden advances and de
clincs in trcights, If properly appreciated
and seconded Ivy our merchants. Will offer
them great advantages in securing the trade
OF that portion OF Arkansas. The distance
from the Mississippi river to Little Rock by
this road Is some fifteen miles nearer than
from Memphis to Little Rock, and it is
claimed in its favor that when it is com
pieted its rates will be placed at such figures
that freight can be transported as cheaply
by II as by the Memphis and Little Rock
road No further commentary Is necessary
to evidence its Importance TO ST. Louis.
Besides the advantages = affords to lis rs
Il feeder to our river commerce, 1t VIII form
one OF the most important southern connec-
tons OF the Iron Mountain road, which it
Will meet al Little Rock. 1t is intended to
extend the road southwark along the Missis-
sippi river until it strikes the Niciishurg and
Shreveport road. which will give it direct
connection with New Orleans. This branch
Of the road will be built by the aid OF State
levee bonds. and it is contemplated will be
completed this summer. Besides this con
nectiOn on the west side of the river it will
also have ore on the east side, perhaps more
direct than the west side connection. A
road is already chartered, and will shortly
be buiit, from Il point opposite Nicksburg to
the Mississippi Central road. All these con
ncc,ions will be completed before the Iron
Mountain reaches Little Rock.
The other one OF the Arkansas roads with
which Mr.. Sayre is connected is perhaps i.
still more important road. The Mississippi
River, Washta and Red River road will run
from Eunice, Oh the Mississippi river, to
Fulton, directly westward, near the State |
line and one hundred and fifty six miles dis !
taDt. The line passes through some Of the |
most populous as well as most fertile coun-
ties Of the State, and at Fulton VIII tap the !
great nor: b and south road projected through |
Kansas, the Indian Territory and Texas.
Fy.iton IS :hc proposed terminus O! the Cairo
and Fulton road, which read however can
no. lie completed % thai point Gntii long
after it shall have been reached by the NJ
slss ppi River, Washita and Red River road.
THIS read is also assisted by liberal
State and county aid rs well ;S by l.. large
land Subscription. ILe grades. .hough
sleeper than those Of the ether road We
have referred to. are not difficult, not eX-
ceediug forty feet. That portion OF the
roaG from Eunice to Camden can be built
very easily, as the grading was all done
before .ne war, and with the exception OF
building The bridges, the largest Of which
does not exceed five hundred feet, will need
little work 10 prepare 1t for the lies. The
ties are now down to Monticello, some forty
miles. and the track laid and trains ril,-
road, it IS believed, VIII he completed in I.
year at most.
The charter Of the road requires that il |
shall run to Eunice, but shortcut branch
8 contemplated to point about TWO miles
south Of Chicora, which will be the actual
erminus of both the roads we have referred
o. At this point permanent buildings for
both roads will be erected. The character
If the river bank and ground at Eunice is
;uch as 10 forbid the erection of any costly
buildings there, while the other situation
8 very favorable for this purpose. MIR
,avre informs us that he contsnpiates
rectinG an elevator there, OF the same
character as these that the St. Louis, Mem
'his and Vicksburg Packet Company CON
eniplate building at Memphis and VclAs
,urg.
The only sure and reliable cotton beams
n use are sold by Mr.. w. b. Bowmrn, Nc.
3 Camp street. These are the Fairbanks
eams which are the general standard Of
'eight throughout the country, and can be
lirchased in this city only of Mr. Bowman,
Tho is the general agent for New Orleans
nd the State of Louisiana. We may also
tate that the United States have made .
ontract with Fairbanks Il Co. 10 supply
II the postotices in the United States with
etter scales, which is satisfactory evidence
lat their manufactures are the correct
tandard of weights.
The late William Crane, of Baltimore,