The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-02-07
WILL ST. LOUIS AID THE
CAIRO AND TENNESSEE
RIVER RAILROAD?
From the Paris CTenn.) IntcIligcncer.

From the Paris (renn) Intcllgcncerl
Quite an interesting and pleasant dis
cussion took place at the railroad conven-
ton held here on the 18th of December,
1872, between Judge Bross of Cairo, and
Col. Sykes Of Memphis, in reference to
what St. Louis would do towards
River road. Judge Bross said
that those who expected any assistance
from st. Louis, deceived themselves, that
she had given neither pecuniary assistance
nor moral support to the Cairo and ST.
Louis road, winch would do as much bone-
lit to st. Louis as any road of tho same
length going to that city. lie said that
Cairo itself had contributed largely to this
road, and had ut last procured Chicago
capitalists TO build 1T. st. Louis ought
to be, and should 10 the
largest city on the American
Continent but she permitted tho live mon
OF Chicago, by their superior energy and
libcrality, to take trade away from them.
Although this Cairo and Tennessee rail-
road which would DO extended through
Middle Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia,
would bring her 10 much additional trade
yet he believed she would do nothing TO
aid in its construction. Col. Sykes in re-
ply, said that whilst ho was willing to
give Cairo and the people of ILL.,
nois all credit for what they had done and
they richly deserve it, yet he must say he
thought St. Louis would be much more
liberal towards this road, than his friend
Judge Bross did. There are some pecu-
liar reasons why st. Louis did not assist
the Cairo and st. Louis road. At that
time, roads of Il gauge Of three feet had
not been sufficiently tested, and many in
telligent meE thought they would no.
answer the purpose. Since that timo il
has been demonstrated that they are SUI
perior to roads of broad gauge in the
transportation of freight and passengers
at low rates.
Opposition to them is the result of igno-
rance and prejudice, or because the par
ties opposing them, have their money in
vested IN more costly roads. He would
give st. Louis credit for being up to the
times, for being willing to assist any road,
whether of narrow or broad gauge that
would benefit that city. Another reason
perhaps why st. Louis did not AID the
Cairo and st. Louis road, was because she
already had one road from CAIRO to St.
Louis, the Illinois Central, and she perhaps
like many others, thought one road
enough. But the question is now presen-
ted in different shape. This Cairo and
Tennessee River railroad will open to her
direct communication with Western Ken
lucky and Northwestern Tennessee, and
when extended through Middle Tennessee
and Alabama to Savannah Georgia, will
form the most direct line of railway from
St LOUIS TO the South Atlantic and will
in connection with railroad from Paris,
Tennessee, through Tuscaloosa aud Selma
Alabama, to the Gulf of Mexico, form
the shortest and best line from that gulf
to st. Louis. A glance ut the map will
show the great advantages of these
routes running as they do, through the
finest mineral and agricultural regions of
the south. In view ofthese facts, he could
not and void not believe that st. Louis
would be SO blind to her interests as not
to assist literally this enterprise which
was TO pour wealth by millions into that
city.