Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-24
OUR NHW NRIGHBORg.
Items Worthy of Note, as
Seen by an 0bserVsnt
Correspondent on a
Trip Over the
K. C.,S, and N. Railroads.&c.
forts of the Contractors
TO Withstand the
Entertainments
Of the Watsry EIemsEts---SOut
eFn Kansas an Inviting Field
for Men Of Capital, Pluck
and Energy.
Kansas City, its Wonderful Growth
and Prosperity, and the Causes
Which Led Thereto
Its Hotels, churches. etc, rs
Compared With Those In
Memphis-A LetterFnll
of Valuable InfOr~
nation.
Kansas City, its Wonderful Growth
and Prosperity, and the Causes
Which Led Thereto
spsel.I oore.pOndsnes d ths Lsdser.

shine, your correspondent was borne
across the Mississippi to the incline
in West Memphis, Of that great iron
artery Of sympathy and commerce
which joins in indissOluble ties Mem
phis and the great fields Of Kansas,
Missouri and Northern Arkansaw-
the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf
railroad. As the powerful steamer,
graceful as a swan, crossed the water
the great natural beauty and grandeur
Of the site Of Memphis, with its con-
tinuOus line Of imposing bluffs, was
impressively presented. On the boat
we're several residents Of Kansas
City, and they expressed the undi'
vided opinion that our queenly city
deserved the crown Of beauty over all
her Southern sisters. | must not let
the apparently uDimpOrtaut matter Of
the transfer between the bluffs Of
Tennessee and the incline on Arkau-
saw soil pass Withouta mention: Both
incliues are constructed in a manner
deserving OF the highest praise and
are highly super ior to those on either
side Of the Straits of Mackinaw, over
which the cars Of the Detroit, Mack.
nav and Marquette road pass. They
are infinitely better than those used at
Cairo. In leaving Der fastenings the
steamer is skilliully and speedily
Unanswered to the opposite shore, and
By the arrangement OF piling at once
shoves the two projections in the cen
ter Of the track into pair Of grooves,
and in a second the boat is firmly
clamped To the incline. There is re-
ally no appreciable delay on either
side. The transfer boat, the Charles
r. Merriam, although not striking
one at the first blush as being pow
erful, is in reality Hsrculean in force,
aud in this respect in all
probability has but few peers
on the Mississippi river. Her engines
are greatly admired, and: she carries
with ease six heavy passenger coaches
or eight solidly laden freight cars
The immense traffic Of the road keeps
the boat almost constantly employed
day and night. So you can well i'm
agine her crew has anything but a
picnic.
Once on the banks of the State
whose great timber fields have made its
name famous the world over, one
must prepare for trip Of about 20
miles through the most genuine and
UNMITIGATED SWAMP LANDS,
where the trees, vines, stumps and
bushes are intermingled with the
most charming confusion. With the
exception of these 20 miles, the trip
from the shores Of ArkansaW to Kan
sas CITY is pregnant with interest
The affection OF the swamps was
greatly modified by several circum
stances, the weather was glorious, and
standing on the rear Of a Pullman
sleeper, q good inspection could
be made Of about the
most perfect specimens Of clay road
bed constructions ever seen in q swamp
Of such magnitude, as frequently large
gangs Of Workmen we're encountered
improving the road bed. II is now
almost all up to grade through the
aWamns These obseryatiops we're
taken about q fortnight ago, and then
several thousand men were proseeu.
ting the improvements with COM
mendable rapidity. On my return
| last week, | noticed that almost mar
velous changes had taken place, at a
point near Hatchie Coon, point about
20 miles out, an immense sandbank is
being excayated. This sand is lain 10
liberal quantities on the clay, which
forms q combination, as the sand grad.
lually perculates down through the
sub structure Of clay. This union Of
soil results 10 roadbed that is firm
and springy, remarkably easy to ride
upon, aud, under ordinary circum>
stances, fairly unyielding 10 the en-.
eroaohments Of water. A good grade
has been established, but the problem
Of an overflow cannot be settled until
the water makes its next big run on
the banks. In case the contractor.
complete their work before that period
arrives-and the indications are thai
they will, | venture to advance the
humble prophecy that Gen. NettleteE
J and his colleagues OF the road will wiz
the battle from the Watery elements
Ample allowances certainly seem L
have been made to paeiiY the angrJ
foods by not combating their passaet
) over the territory | am dwelling upon
[ Trestling is erected at the most favor
, able points out a ratio Of oue,fith O
a mile in every mile. The line. botl
north aud south Of the st. Francil
river is we'll protected, and freshe
y OF remarkable magnitude will be re-
n quired to seriously interfere with regu
!. lar traffic. On the north side Of In,
= St. Francis, four continuous miles o
Il solid trestling is encountered, and tn
a construction Of the trestling is on
n par with the excellence Of the clay AMI
sand banks. Ia the vicinity Of Hatchi
Coon is gigantic contractors camp
!. which while not quite up TO the idea
I, camp, is strikingly picturesque. Gu
z Of respect to the yeberableness Of III
canvass employed, the tents will no
y be discussed. Although the swamp
are without question, the most disms
:, portion Of the road-and the only al,
!, NAL portion, for that matter-yet the
u fern the greatest factor in the con
os structioc OF the new road, and III
y, high standard 9! excellence atisine
- in the general construction wor
, through them, claim large share
~ the interest attached to tri
n over the road. II is interestiu
a. a. to reflect on the moral status Of the
le ENGINEERING CORPS,
IS. during the days Of their preliminal
~ and final survey. Ifthey escaped will
h. out INDUCING in profanity no more DIT,
found than that Of the average steam
k boat mate, they may rank among Il
he living saints, Some curiosity misl
* DO entertained as to the extent ofthe
ly gratitude for the soft and dowr
couch OF few logs and holly bush
II, they crept into suspended between tV
es trees, after q bard days Work swim
ef ming and wading through the eryst
be waters aud slipping beneath the aqt
y, By reason Of coming in contact Wit
on hidden bit Of windiall. But at niRl
III they had their reward, for while Il
y, chaste moon was struggling TO 2
es down at them through the bald hes
o. Of the grim gentinels Of the forest, Il
ny sweet voiced owl would, angel In
It guard their slumb r; the merry II
e. frogs would Try 10 freak lung
waiting forth . lullaby, while . lar
as and select family Of mosquitoes Vou
ID sample the kind Of liquor they btac