Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-28
THE ARKANSAS CENTRAL.
Formal Opening Of the First Narrow.
Gauge Railroad in Arkansas.
From Helena, on the Mississippi, TO
Clarendon, on White River by
Railroad.
A Grand Observation-Disclosures and
Jolly Time-Wit, Music, TOasts
and Speeches.

Special 10 the Appeal
| HELENA, September 27.-The formal open
ing of the first division OF the Arkansas Cen
| tral railway from Helena 10 Clarendon a
distance OF fifty miles, took place yesterday
with great eclat and a grand excursion. This
I is the first narrow-gauge railroad ever built
! in Arkansas, and its construction and compile
ton between the above cities has been
watched with great interest. The road passes
through one OF the most fertile districts in the
State, comprising prairies, pineries and excel
lent cotton lands. Farms in the vicinity of
the railroad are already very valuable and
since its completion numerous inquiries have
been made by actual settlers, and already
sites for towns have been laid out at various
points on the line. The road has already been
thoroughly equipped with sufficient rolling
stock for the coming fall and winter trade,
and it is fully anticipated that the road viii
carry
TEN THOUSAND BALES OF COTTON
during the season, a great portion of which
will find its way to the Memphis market ria
the regular packets, PM Allen and Pat Gle
burne, and other boats On the arrival OF the
first-named steamer here yesterday, with the
Memphis delegation and other invited guests
along the route, they were met by a large con-
course OF citizens Of this fiOurishing city, who
escorted them to the depot where the train
was ready TO start. II was composed Of pow
passenger coaches with seating accommoda-
tion for thirty-siX passengers each, baggage,
caboOse and platform cars. Owing 70 the
absence Of the President and Nice-President,
Colonel Dorsey and Mr. Gregg, at the East, the
whole arrangement ofthe excursion was un-
der the personal supervision Of
COLONEL s. B. BEAUMONT,
of Memphis, Superintendent Of Construction
who exerted himself thoroughly TO secure the
comfort Of all, and succeeded to a charm, He
was ubiquitous, and soon had everybody COM
-N.H-H \
condition Of the train. Hale ofticiated as
conductor. A number of prominent person.
ages, embracing Mayor Jaques, Judge Under
wood, and Judge Waters, Of Helena; Captain
W. B. Mallory, James Lee, and o. +. Prescott,
of Memphis, and representatives Of the press,
took possession OF the cabOose, from which
country, and a frSt-claSS opportunity for dis
cussing the valuable resources of the section
pIeted, there is not at the present
time a smoother running road in the entire
South, which was well eNemplided by one
OF the excursiOnists writing a brief deScrip- /
tion Of the trip while the train was at full !
speed as well as he could have done at his I
desk.
Clarendon was reached in about three /
hours, butsnO formal preparations had been 1
endOn folk declared the time too short, and, /
as they could not get up big thing, con- 1
cluded TO put on the barbecue till the seventh /
of October.
After a short stay Of about an hour, the ex-
cursionists returned to the railroad camp, /
about five miles from Clarendon, where a /
splendid dinner was spread in the wood. Col 1
onel BeaumOnt's health -and success to the 1
ARKANSAS CENTRAL
were drank in bumpers OF champagne, and 4
congratulatOTy speech IS 7re made by AiGssrs. 4
Hughes and WilSCl. u- .FarCadOn, Mayor 4
JaQues, NJ. T. Sanders, Ger. raj Mclean. Rev. /
Mr.. Butler, Of Helena. Colonel beaumont, n. /
+. Prescott, and others. shortly before six |
O'Clock in the evening Tie whistle sounded,
all rushed on board, and the train started FOR
home. As darkness set In the engine suddenly
got out OF order, aud long nights vigil took
place. The fates were decidedly unprOpitiOus,
but everybody was Jolly, and Helena was
reached at five o'clock in the morning. They
made the silent streets resOund with their io- |
vial songs. Notwithstanding this untOward |
accident, the Arkansas Central NarrOw-gauge
railroad must be pronounced a great success |