The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-04-23
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Major sykes speech.

Major ~ kes' speech.
The following is n synopsis OF the con-
GLIDING portion Of Major Sykes speech
at the council chamber on Friday even
ing. The major said
Cairo, situated at the junction of the
two great rivers, the Ohio and the Mis-.
sissippl, possesses advantages which few
Others enjoy. both for commercial and
manufacturing purposes. Not only are
you connected by water with all parts of
the West. but you have railroad commit
nication In every direction save one. that
is the southeast-and that this Cairo
and Tennessee River railroad Is in
tended TO supply On the
north you have the magnificent
grain fields of Illinois. Within short
distance in that direction are inexhausta-
BILE mines Of the finest coal. well suited
to manufacturing purposes. On the
south and.southeast are the grain. tobacco
and cotton fields Of Kentucky and Tenncs-
see. On the line of the proposed Caro-
and Tennessee river railroad, within one
hundred and forty miles of Cairo. are
"banks, as they are called, of iron ore
inferior to none on this continent, from
which ore may be delivered in Cairo at
three dollars per ton. With all these
advantages. cheap provisions, cheap fuel.
cheap iron ore with river and railroad
transportation unsurpassed. what is to
prevent Cairo from becoming great
manufacturing city: Want of capital
and fear of the encroachments OF the
Mississippi river Both OF these may be
remedied. A small sum in proportion to
the magnitude of the enterprise, will
make Cairo perfectly secure from the
dangers of the river. The general gov
eminent should by all means expend an
amount necessary to protect your
city. The importance OF Cairo to the
commercial interests of the whole
country, being not only at the junction of
the two great rivers. but also the centre
OF an important railroad system. entities
her to government assistance In protect
ing herself from the dangers of the riv-
er. In addition, the government owns
property here worth several hundred
thousand dollars, which it is Its duty as
well as Its interest to protect. The Mis-
slssippi river has had fewer appropria-
tons, in proportion to its Importance.
than riyar IL, Ira \ -,,, Il
has needed any. All parts of the coun-
try are interested in the improvement
of the Mississippi river, and in the
protection of the cities and towns
on its banks. 1t is said that an appropri-
alton of one hundred thousand dollars or
perhaps less will render Cairo perfectly
secure. Every railroad built to this
place renders its protection the more i'm
portant and causes a larger extent of
country to be interested in ITS welfare.
Build this road, which | am now adyo-
eating. into Alabama and Georgia. and
you enlist the sympathies and interests
Of those people in behalf of Cairo.
When your city is made secure
and capital begins to come here to
be invested in manufactures, then
the debt which now so OPP
presses you will scarcely be felt. 1t is
now very heavy for n city Of the size of
Cairo. but as manufacturing establish
ments grow the city will become pros
porous, and what is now comparatively
large debt will then become light As
the growing of SIMPSONS locks gave
him strength, and enabled him to break
the chains which bound him, so the
growth Of manufacturing establishments,
whether of flour, cotton, tobacco or iron.
will give you new strength. and
enable you to burst the letters
which are around your limbs,
and cause you to march forward in the
paths Of prosperity and progress. The
excellent mills which you now have
for the manufacture of flour show what
you can do and what you now do as to
-four you will hereafter do In other de-
partments of manufacturing Nothing,
in my opinion, will do more to bring
about this much desired result, than the
protection OF your city from the cncroach-
ments of the river and the building of
the Cairo and Tennessee River railroad
through Kentucky and Tennessee into
Alabama and Georgia.