The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-09-17
CAIRO, ILLINOIS.
ITS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
New York Daily Graphic. Aug. goth.

Cairo is situated at the confluence of the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers. II is the coun-
ty seat of Alexander county, in the state of
Illinois. 1t Is at the head of uninterrupted
navigation on the Mississippi, and below
distractions by ice in the winter and low
water IN the summer, thus having clear
and open river communication at all times
OF the year over the Lower Mississippi and
its tributaries, with all the country south to
the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic ocean.
Cairo has also this same advantage of river
communication with all the country north
over the streams flowing by it when those
streams are not navigable by reason of ice
or low water. Not only has this city the
finest river communication with the out
side world, but she is also an active railroad
centre, the following roads being among
the most important railroads in the valleys
of the Mississippi and OHIO, converging to
and having their termini there: The Illi-
nois Central railroad, the Cairo s. Vincen-
ness and the Cairo & st. Louis railroads.
Her railway communications with the south
are Of as great value as those with the north
for New Orleans. Jackson & Great North
ern and the Mobile g. Ohio railroads make
here their northern terminus, thus giving
Cairo direct railroad communication with
the cities of New Orleans and Mobile and
all other important points in the south and
southeast The Cairo, Arkansas and Texas
Railroad opens communication with South
ern Missouri, Arkansas and Texas and the
principal cities Of those states The last
named road will give also direct communi-
cation with the Pacific Ocean when the
Texas and Pacific Railroad is completed, as
it connects Herewith Aside from the
above named roads, which are completed
and in successful operation, the Holly
Springs, Brownsville and Ohio River rail-
road and the Cairo and Tennessee River
Railroad, which will both make Cairo their
northern and western terminus, are in
course of construction and will soon be
completed Other railroads both in Illinois
and in states south OF the Ohio river which
will also terminate at Cairo are projected
and arrangements made for their early com
pletion. The building of these projected
roads, in connection with those already IN
operation, taken with her river communi-
cations, gives to Cairo unsurpassed adyan-
tages as great commercial centre.
The early history of Cairo is, perhaps,
known to many Of our readers. Forty
three years ago English capital to the
amount of $l,250,000 was enlisted, and
some progress made with the project of
founding city here. Foundries, sawmills,
machine shops, dry dock, hotel and other
public and business houses were erected
and put in operation. Protective embank-
ments were thrown up, and city laid out
that comported with the Utopian idea Of
the projectors. Speculation and over con-
fidence ruined the project then.
The passage OF the Illinois Central and
grant bill through congress was the signal
for more vigorous measures. BY an ar
rangement with the Illinois Central rail.
road the present levees were, in part, con.
structed; the trustees completed them the
whole at a cost of nearly 100000. In the
summer Of 1854 the first city lot was sold,
and what the city is to-day is the growth
of the intervening period. The levecs are
several feet above the crest of the highest
food ever known at that locality, broad
based and well settled. These levees were
constructed and will be maintained per-
petually free Of cost to the citizens and tax
payers.
The present population Of Cairo is about
$4,000, her populacc being moral, intelli.
gent, liberal and enterprisipg. She pos.
sesses superior system Of public schools
Churches Of nearly every denomination are
located there and we'll supported, and hence
in prosperous condition. Sheis provided