American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-04-20
The Coming Railroads.

We believe that the Mobile and
North W estern railroad will, if it is
ever built, come through Canton.
But even though it should happen
that its managers shall conclude that
Jackson is Il better point to intersect
the New Orleans road, than our
thriving little city, Yet we verify be-
lieve that our geographical position
is such as to render it impossible for
any road to make a direct cOnnec-
ton with the great through lines
North to New York ria Louisville
and Cincinnati, and ria the Mem
phis & Charleston roads and its Eir-
GINA connections, without passing
thro' Canton. Of one thing we now
feel perfcctly assured that the Canton
& Vicksburg road will certainly be
built, and that the extension OF the
road North to Decatur will be built,
and thus our connections with the
Mississippi river and the coal fields
of Alabama and Tennessee be made
certain and speedy. Mr.. Scott is
now building a road through Wash
ington City and Baltimore to his
Pennsylvania Central road, has
bought ont the new road just built
from fredericksburg and thence
South to Richmond, it's Northern
terminus being Washington city,
thus controlling the great through
route from Memphis to New York,
and OF course he must now have the
nearest and most direct route from
Vickburg, connec. ing with the South
ern Pacific, to tap the Memphis &
Charlest OH road somewhere in North
Alabama.--henceC Canton must get
her two competing routes to the Mis-
sissippi, and indirectly to cot' Oh
market and supply market, even al
though the Mobile road should
neglect it's true interests and give
us the go-by. But the fact Of Oul
having two competing rou'es of the
kind mentioned will not of itseli
either build up our town or county
All the surplus capital Of the land
must be invested in manufactures
of various kinds these, and these
alone, will bring intelligent and
worthy white people among us. in
the first instance, and when they
have been here for time and seen
for themselves what an excellent
country and population we possess,
then tLey will, as they accumulate 6
little means, invest in small homes
cause our lands to rise in value, and
these persons thus purchasing homes
giving place to others as manufac
turing operatives, will cause the
great stream Of immigration, now
flowing into the Western States Il
defect towards us, and whenever
this tide shall begin to flow in this
direction the future of our country
is secure beyond peradventure
The policy of this country is un
doubtedly comprised in a few words
1t is t. cultivate no land which is
not well cultivated and highly ma
nured, and to invest all our surplus
means in building up Manufactures
and in raising enough food to make
the common articles of diet cheap
and abundant. Even though a man
should sell all his surplus land fol
one dollar per acre, and invest the
proceeds in improving what lie has
left, he will find tina, the land thus
retained and improved, will, in ten
years, he worth more than all the
large tract formerly was. This is
the way in which all the free agri-
cultural States have become rich
the path is plain and cannot he mis-.
taken. We must rise from the ashes
of dependency, and use our brains
and energies and physical strength
to the best possible advantage. Ii
we do not read Alright the lessons OF
experience; if we do not profit by
what our former enemies North have
done and are doing on the way to
wealth, this generation will see land
down to one dollar per acre, hordes
OF land spectators buying them up,
parcelling them out and selling
them to hardy emigrants, while the
former prOprietOrs are forced to do
at a disad> antage what they may
now do and reap all the profits. We
will have all needfui railroads. Will
we learn and grasp all the advan-
tages they will give usf
MENINGTTIs-Then numerous cases
of this disease in our county, with
the fat ality attending its effects, has
created much inquiry into its treat