Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-03-29
TIE Futnre Of VIelssburE.

w Aeh eAesss oAa sS3tAA e4sA SANs ssSsi
is anything but hopeful.
Her present condition ls deplOrable,
and II the proper steps are not at once
taken for her relief the evils Of It will
not only be aggravated but increased.
The cause Of her distreSS-ths only d..
rect cause, We may say, is too traceabls
10 admit Of question. True, there are
MINOR causes, but they could be re.
moved with but 8 slight effort, If from
the main cause she could get relief. We
refer to the cutoff, aud the consequent
destruction Of her river-front hArbOr.
Day BY day the little spit Of land on
the Louisiana eide lS cAving of; each
foot Of lie caving but tAkes from her,
farther and farther, the channel OF the
river. II something is not done, and
done at once, the waters Of this
river will recede beyond her reach,
and then It will not only be too late,
but impossible to cause again the flow
Of these waters at the foot Of her hills.
Our Representative In Congress,
Gen. Chalmers, we know is doing his
full duty toward getting an approPria.
ton for the protection of the city'S
river front. We would Ask Of him that
be secure the active cooperation of our
States entire delegation IN this matter.
We know that oil OF them will willing
ly labor with him In securing this aid,
and we ask Of them 10 give him their
active aid and support
ut, while we are appealing TO these
gentlemen, let us also make 90 appeal
directly to ourselves as citizens who
are vitality interested in the future OF
our city.
What can We do that will tend TO re.
Lief, and, at The same time in q meas.
ure, anchor our city to her present site ?
We can do 9 great deal. Already have
we done something. The compromise
effected between our county and the
Vicksburg and Ship leland Railroad
Company was q step In the right dircc.
tion. The resul. OF it will be the
building OF the road 10 the east bank
of the Big Black river within twelve
months, and from thence TO Port Gibson
within the same time possibly. The
northern terminus of this road will be
on the river near the present ferry land
Ing. The effect ofthis will be 10 keep up
this part Of our city, which Is most dis.
tant from the cutoff. This road when In
operation will add at least 90 per cent
to the trade Of Vickshurg. 1t runs
through rich cotton country, and the
cotton receipts alone at this point from
it will be 25,0OO bales, We mean $4,000
bales 10 addition TO the present re-.
ceipts. This cotton will be handled by
our merchants, aud sold By them and
our cotton brokers.
At least one.half its value will find
investment here in one way or another
We do not exsggerste when we say
that this road alone will add perhaps a
million dollars or more 10 the trade OF
our city.
The people Of Claiborne county we
know are anxious 10 have the road
built. They will give It material assist
ance, and aid lie construction in every
possible way. Let the question Of its
immediate construction be submitted
at once TO the people OF that county,
and we feel justified In saying that it
will hardly meet with a dissenting
vote.
How we come TO the Vicksburg, Deer
Creek and Memphis Railroad, The
construction and operation Of this oad
would add more 10 the material pros
perity OF this place than the building
OF any other road. Lis depot and
workshops would be located at the
mol th end Of Washington street. Now,
with the terminus of this and the other
road in the same part OF our city, one
thing would, 10 q great degree, be Sc.
cured, and that is, the protection Of oil
that portion Of town against the dam,
aging effects Of the cutoff. II is well
known that by reason Of the cutoff
property in the northern and north,
eastern part of this city has deprecated
fearfu.ly in its value; the depreciation
has been at least fifty per cent. UulesI
these roads are built and located al
stated, this property will continue t
depreciate, and in few years that par
OF Vicksburg will have no value wha;
ever.
But with both roads built and in op
Grafton change for the better would a
once take place. Our town would theI
ha anchora6 IN hnr propant alto AM