, 1872-11-26


beam Of light, and probably the controlling mo-
nopoly Of Arkansas; but it is noticeable that d
monopoly in the shape OF 8 public road is the
best substitute for public spirit. Seven railways
have been attempted in Arkansas. and
ssssn but, at more he HREesen 70 D;
people OF the interior have only ono certain, not
to say safe, outlet: that to Memphis; and only
one other road which proceeds with purpose:
that to st. Louis. Other roads, which hare re-
Ses;aaa fe.xaa neaf mhc ooo apiece from me state
miles Of track and grading, and stop in the
woods On one road, it is charged, iron vGs
taken up and then relaid on another branch of tho
same road, and the money subsidy paid as il each
ann am mad been completed according to law. l:
does not appear that any particular school OF
rulers set the fashion OF these modern improve
ments; the political method in all caaes is the
same: to Becure charter and grants, and then
to hunt amongst distant capitalists for ready
state aid. Thus the politician goes ous IT the
corporation, and puts up . new dwelling Tn
Rogue Hill, or q new iron block opposite the
State House; while the distant capitalist, satis
hed [ BY his lawyers that: he viii have no
further trouble with Legis1atures and
lobbymen, sets to work, enlarges his 'tpool,''
takes II engineers and iron masters, and, while
he tails heir to more land than he wants, he
really makes railroad.
We might have railways by other methods, but
fer TO buy charters outright, rather than haggle
forthem IN Legislatures; and q smart Legislature
must get up prime article Of charter, Is full Uf
plnms as Master Ho1ner's pudding, to make it
aalable.
Texas, with q splendid Commonwealth do
main, and an attractive climate, ofrera mora
seductive field for the railway contractor than
the acclivities and s' 'bottomsn OF Arkansas. The
two diagonal roads crossing at Little Rock,
uniting the Ohio with the Red River. and tLo
IND rr1tE
Eunice, will make. however, g very worthy intro
duction to thenew era in the ssBear State.''
THE RIVER SYSTEM OF ARKASsAs.
Nature has provided natural lines Of commune
cation for Arkansas in q river system Of almost
unexamp1ed extent and sinuosity. The Arkan-
sas alone is nayigable throughout all the 500
miles OF its windings in this State; and it is
claimed that 43 out OF the 81 countiea are
traversed BY navigable streams, never shut by
ice, and afording $500 miles Of water-hig ghway.
Indeed, the superhuity Of crooked wster-course is
in one sense an obstacle, both to railway
and to the development Of towns for there are
no strategic or focal points for trade amidst so
many erratic channels, and steamboats, wander
from Memphis and New Orleans, like tho
refugees they have followed, to make 3 landing
and take in fuel where they list. A like p1eni-
tude OF harborB and rivers prevails in tidewater
Maryland and Virginia, where towns have sell
dom arisen and never fourlshed- These water
courses discourage travel and retard the
require to take paasengers to the cities, and
bring mails and newspapers; at the Same time
they increase the cost Of railways. I have
already mentioned that three days is the average
packet-tine between Memphis and Little Rock,
while the railway between the same points, q
small matter OF four or five hours transit in
less obstructcd regions-ls made slow and per-
ilouB bv miles Of trest1e-Tork and pile-bFidGeB
over rivers and gulches, and it cost such o sum
of money to build and maintain it TINT its pro-
l. &C., 11n.,
riyer-trip from many Of the towns Of Arkansas,
such as Jackaonport, On the White River, to
Memphis, multipies the overland distance rela-
tiyely as the route by Panama mu1tplies tho
miles from New York to San Francisco. The
Arkansas towns on the ouachita River, which
by land, are nearly 1000 miles from
the same point by water. Even
worse is the condition Of the Arkansas
towns on the Red River, where Nature, Is il in
mockery, OF INSTRUMENTATION, has built
g. natural dam or s'raft, y to prevent this eall-
ing round the globe in order to step across the
way.
NOTION OF OURS.
The afHuence of water and the grand scale OF
the topography in the Southwest should have
been adapted to 3 race Of beings With mora
sluggish instincts than ours the locomotive
hero appears like superhuous utility, but yet
the very. missionary Of sympathy .and homo
geneity. One Of the computations OF geology
has settled it that after 1000 years Of attrton,
the barrier Of Niagara was worn through, andtho
waters of the great inland American lake we're re-
leased eastward, leaving the present diminished
river system Of the Mississippi no more to its
former area than the injected arterial system
career Of the hero whom it propelled.
And in q, similar diminished proportion stands
the Lower Mississippi system Of rivers to the
aspirations Of the age Of steam. The alligator
baska beside them, like an animated snag tile
great, coarse catf1sh and the buffa1o-hsh NOPE
II The current !; and the gar-hsh pokes with
his toothed bill in the muddy bottom to rous9
his lethargic prey. The rivers wind round and
backward, hugging the bluff to prolong exist
ence; for RhreWd authority has said that II
fast and perish as common carriers; they require
to be crooked to be efficient, like an old dlplo-
matist. Therefore they serve and Wrlggle,-
the only courtierR in Arkansas, and dlnsy
enough,-the Red, the Big Black, the Saline,
the Ouachita, the White, and the Arkansas Ki1-
ers, They ere old eerVitors in the new heir'a
halls; they 90 the o1d-hme ways, and Keep up
the old elaborate ceremony. but they must walk
and cannot Iun-
WHAT IT COSTS TO IMPROVE THEN.
The engineers Of the United States Army are
perpetually tinkering at the rlyer system OF ~
kansas to mend it. They maintain large fleet
Of snag-boats crana-boats, flats, and tugs; ana
these are provided with ecrapere, ,dfeaSes, "1eca
ing apparatus, and saws, to take up hulks, and
cut oil snags and leaning trees.
I have read all the reports in the last docq-
ment Of the Secretary Of War On this subject II
is there computed thatthe Ouechlta system slone
will require the removal Of the following num-
ber Of distractions Little Missouri i M'eE,
1920 leaning trees and $50 snag5, IN order to
attain 68 miles OF navigation Main Oussnts,-
,nayigable in Arkansas above 200 1niles,os66 o56
shoals, above $4,000. leaning trees, and 2,033
snags and logs; Bayou BatholoneT, oos5r4e- 5,t1e
tions almost incompatible Saline Ri7er, ditto.
The total navigation Of the Ouachita system IN
Arkansas is about $50 miles.
The Petit Jean River, which is claimed to be be
navigable 78 miles, requires the removal OF 6gooo
trees and 1,100 snags. The st. Francis, which
steamers ascend 1856 miles, has $50 snags and
trees, and rises in o forest Of inundated g stumpH
The Little Red River demands. to get so miles
Of unreliable navigation, the saving and grub
bing up OF 1000 snags and $500 leaning trees.
CATION but only 500 voters. The Black Ri7er
n r ,1-nT14 &S1v%