Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-13
The st. Louis and Southeastern Bail.


way.
From the Railway Monitor.
In examining a map of the railroads of
the Urited States, there are certain centre
and channels of rade which viii at once as
rest the attention of one familiar with the
commerce of the country. When a new
route is opened along the line of trade, and
the distributing centers are brought nearer
to one another,it at once becomes an actual
benefit to the country; production and con-
sumption are more closely united, aud an
impulse is given to the wealth-deVelopiDg
power of that section.
With this purpose in view, roads have
been and are being continually built so as
to unite the East with the West, the North
with the South. At the present time it
would appear that routes taking a dag
'onal course from northwest to southeast,
and from northeast to southwest, are meet
ing with much favor. This finds illustra-
ton in the direct line from Vint ennes, by
the Cairo and Vincennes, the Cairo and
Fulton, and the International, into and
through Texas. Another instance of a
somewhat similar kind is the st. Louis and
Southeastern.
This company was organized in March.
The road was originally intended to run
from East St. Louis in an easterly and
southeasterly direction to Shawneetown,
an important shipping point on the Ohio
river, distance of 142 miles. In Feb.
1871, a consolidation was formed under the
title of the st. Louis and Southeastern rail-
way, of the st. Louis and Southeastern,
Evansville and Southern Illinois, and the
Evansville, Carmi and Psducah, and in
10 81 l;,,o &c 10 4 or,;e
and Southeastern railroad v as completed 10
ShaWneebown, with branch line 90 miles
in length from McLeansboro', ILL.,, to
Evansville, Ind. A more recent consoli-
da'ion of the st. Louis and Southeastern
GncludiDg the Kentucky division from
Shawneetown to Bowling GreeD, Ky.,) the
Evansville, Henderson and Nashville, and
the Nashville, St. Louis and Chicago rail-
roads. connects the cities OF st. Louis and
Nashville, via Evansville, Ind, by line so
miles shorter, and via ShawneetowD, Ill,
Gin progress), by lire IS miles shorter
than any other. When the connections of
this road are considered, it will be seen that
it occupies and commands valuable terri
tory here' ofore unsupplied with railroad
facilities. At Ashley, 20 miles south of the
Ohio and Mississippi railroad, it crosses and
COuuEfbS
Central Railroad, thus giving for South
eastern Illinois, Western Kentucky, and
Central Tennessee, a short direct route to
Chicago and St. Paul, as well as to St.
Louis and the far West. In con-
junction with the Illinois Central it will
also give a valuable connection for St.
Louis, Cairo, Memphis, and New Orleans.
At Mount Vernon, 70 miles from st. Louis,
it will connect through the Louisville, New
Albany and st. louis Air Line with the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, and is ex
pecied eventually to compete with the east
and west lines further north.
At Eldorado, in Saline county, it crosses
the line of the Cairo and Vincennes, and in
connection with that road affords that sec.
ton of Illinois communication with st.
Louis as we'll as with the eastern cities.
AS before stated, the Kentucky division from
Shawneetown is now under construction
and rapidly approaching completion. A
glance at the map will show this to be an
extension of great value, uniting as it does
St. Louis and Nashville by the shortest
practicable route, and connecting the entire
railway system of the West and Northwest
with that of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia
and South Carolina.