The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-01-21

in the west, north and northwest and the
SOUTH east of the Ohio and Mississippi riv.
ers, is the crossing of the Ohio river. The
problem to rid the railroads of the delay
and expense of crossing by boats has been
difficult to solve, taking Cairo as the point
of crossing. tbs a fact determined by
experiment that there is literally no bottom
or rock for foundation, at any practicable
depth at that point. The plan of tunnel
at Cairo has even been canvassed, involving
millions of expense, bat it has been aban
doned as an unavailable scheme. The
great width Of the bottom and very low
land at all places on the Kentucky side
renders any line of crossing impracticable
at any reasonable cost this side of Cairo.
The only points on each side where the OPP
posite banks of the river afford approaches
for bridge are Paducah, and point near
ly opposite this city. The bank on the H.
linois shore is many feet above high water,
and the same may be said of the bank at
Paducah as the proper place for bridge
upon which 10 cross to the south. There
cannot be found any place between Pa
ducah and the mouth of the Ohio where
the banks on each side are 80 favorable to
the location of bridge. If bridge
was built at this point across the
Ohio river, railroads would TO
us as a point to cross. There
is but little doubt of it were an assured fact
that a bridge would be built here and its
construction commenced, that number of
railroads would at once begin to come to
us, and be here waiting with trains to cross
as soon as the bridge was completed 1t is
a fact that bridge here would bring all
the railroads we want, and they would con-
tinue to come for years. We are informed
that there is charter granted to build a
bridge at this city across the Ohio RIVER.
Why not take hold of the charter, organize
under it and 90 to work and secure the
requisite amount of stock2 We understand
further that a subscription of $4,000 is
necessary to organize the company and put
it in shape to accomplish its ends. This
amount ought to be subscribed in few
hours Let some of our stirring people
take the matter in hand and at once put the
project on its feet There is no doubt this
is the quickest and surest way to have rail-
roads from the other side of the river come
to us. 1t is folly to be dickering with one
railroad company to come and paddle her
business across the river in boat, when
the building Of a bridge would not only in
duce but compel more than one company,
from the standpoint of its own interest, to
come quickly to cross our bridge Some
body take hold of the subject and move it
| right forward, and let everything be ready
by the time spring comes, to commence
active construction OF the bridge"
The News is enthusiastic, but it seems not
to be very inteligently guided Its sug-
geston that bridge be built at that point
before there is any demand for such thing
partakes largely of recklessness, to say the
least II is unreasonable to expect that a
corporation of capitalists, or body Of
municipal officials, would expend millions
of dollars of their own or city's funds OF
securities, in order to rear structure al
Paducah for which there is neither pres.
ent nor prospective demand. 1t looks like
hitching the mule at the wrong end of the
cart--like establishing and stocking 0
United States government mint at the north
pole, expecting some enterprising BASH
Bazouk or Esquimeau to establish an
American commercial metropolis there
Paducah has no use for bridge, because
she has no railroads seeking entrance to it
gates from over the river. To build ont
before she has any use for one would b'
foolishness, pure and simple, and it will no
be DONE the News is wasting brain powe
and newspaper space, and ink, and paper
and postage, and composition, ant
press power all in vain il
its efforts to bring about its desire ii
| this respect. With Cairo it is different
I Here we have the Iron Mountain, tn
, Cairo g. Texas the Mobile & Ohio and tn
Chicago, st. Louis g. New Orleans roads
. all terminating on the opposite side frou
Cairo Of one or other Of the two great riv
ers, and seeking an exchange of trafti
0 with the Illinois Central, the Cairo & 81
( Louis and the st. Louis, Wabash 81 Pacifi
8 roads, terminating on this side of the grea
. rivers. This traffic has necessitated tn
I establishment Of extensive railroad yards
: both IN this city and opposite it in Missouri
] and Kentucky; also of six inclines-thre
, on this side of the river, two on the Ken