Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-13

may possibly arise. But what we
really want is q heartfelt, substantial
sentimental union between the people
of the g~reatsections Of a great country,
and nothing is 50 much calculated to
bring 1t about as an easy, constant
and profitable commercial intercourse.
We of the South are particularly
anxious to have it with the GFent
fest, but being comparatively poor,
as yet, must look to the West to lead
in the matters which are mutually
beneficial to US, and. ia fact, OF great
Importance TO the entire country,
because what strengthens and invigO-
rates one branch benefits the whole
tree.
The last Commercial Convention
took this great subject under c~onsidera-
ton and adopted an able report from
Colonel P. Raif0rd, then Of Texas, but
now Of Fernandina, Florida. The
report commences on page los Ia the
proceedings Of the Commercial Con-
7entiOn, held at Cincinnati, October,
1870, and from. it I extract: ''Thus it
will be seen that for a distance Of $50
miles, from the proposed Mississippi
and POntchartrain canal to the bay Of
st. Marks, Florida, the ~canaling neces.
sary to be done to create inland navi-
CATION to the latter point, does not
exceed sixty miles ia length, and all
of which would be through the inter
vening strips Of low ground and salt
marsh but a few feet above the level
Of the sea-"
His plan adopted would give in
land navigation; but if it becomes a
Government project, and we have a
ship canal across from the Bay of st.
Marks to st. MaTy's river OF bay il
would admit vessel of sufficient
draught to entirely dispense with the
entire inland route, as contemplated.
Still we are not opposed to that route.
A canal of one hundred miles in length
would Join the Gulf of Mexico and
the Atlantic Ocean, and would add
more to the commerce Of this country
than any enterprise that could be in
augurated and perfected.
A bill embodying Colonel Railroads
plan will likely be presented in the
next Congress, and if the West and
South are united there is no reason
why it should not succeed.
From the nearest point of incOrpOra-
ton of the cities of st. Mary's to Fer
nandina is about five miles. The cities
are in sight, and each of the harbOrs is
very fine, and as healthy in midsum-
mer as in dead Winter-a great advan-
tage over Savannah. The United
States Coast Survey is the best refer
ence as to bars, harbOrs and rivers {;
and as an outlet to the st. Mary's
river we have sufficient room and
water for all commercial purposes,
foreign and domestic. We ship large
quantities of sawed pine lumber to
foreign markets-say 10000 600 feet
annually.
From st. Marks, Florida, to a point
on the st. Mary's river forty miles
from the Atlantic ocean, where you
can carry sixteen or seventeen feet Of
water on the river according to the
scale L have, is about n hundred
miles. You can, however, get as
much as. thirteen feet a much greater
distance up the st. Mary's, which is
the deepest river known on this CONT
nent, considering its length. The
chief pilot ON our bar told me that
he has carried out nineteen feet Of
water, and our harbOr is cOmmOdioUs
and deep, and well suited for trans.
shipment purposes. J.. M. A.