The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-05
Gull and Shin Island Raillsad.


There are tive biIIsnow pending before
the Legislature which, if passed, We
have every reason to believe viii insure
the early construction Of this road with
which the interests and aspirations Of our
people have been identified for % many
years. The first of these provides for
the transfer of the convict labor 70 this
road on terms involving no pecuniary
loss TO the State; and the second Is q
bill granting the company the priv
Iege of purchasing certain swamp and
oyerfowed lands at moderate prlee.
The transfer of the penitentiary Ia
Dor to this road, would accomplish
the. double purpose of remedying
the evils complained Of under the pres
ent system, By securing the employment
of the prisoners in the healthiest portion
of the State, and under regulations
insuring humane and uniform treat
ment; whilst it would, at the same time,
furnish supply Of labor, which would
place beyond contingency the early con-
struction Of the road.
The aid contemplated in these bills i
very small compared to the benefits ouI
whole people would derive from the
road and the outlet to the sea that il
would give Us. But the friends of the
enterprise have assurances from reliable
Northern capitalists, that with the leg
islation now asked, they are prepared
to furnish all the money needed, and t.
push the road to early completion.
The Gulf and Ship Island road ha
been the fayorite enterprise and cher
ished hope Of our people for a genera
ton. 1t is a scheme appealing strongl,
to our State pride, and the natur
al desire of our people for com
mercial independence. Almost ever,
former session of the Legislature has b,
memorial to Congress for revival o
the land grant, or other measure, attest
ed the earnest and abiding interest o
our people in this scheme. As all hop
of reviving the grant of lands made II
1856 by the general government mus
now be abandoned, and we are left, il
a great measure, to our own resources
the measures now pending must com
mend themselves to the approval of tn
Legislature as the only available re
sources left us for the mode, and tn
only feasible plan to accomplish IL
We trust, therefore, the present Legis
lature may enjoy the distinction OF put
ting this enterprise fully under way anC
secure to our people the great benefit
it promises them.
We have not seen either of the bills
but think we have indicated their gen
eral object. In 1882 the Legislature
granted a liberal charter to the "Gul
and Ship Island Railroad Company" t.
run "from a point on the shore of Mis-
sissippi Sound in this State, and in
northern direction to point at or neal
Jackson" etc. If the bills now pending
do not contemplate the extension of the
road to the Tennessee line, they should
be amended so as to give ample guaran
tees for the construction of the road the
entire length of the State. A road run
ming on an air line from Jackson to Rip
lev or Pontotoc. and thence to Corinth OIL
other point on the Memphis and Charles,
ton Railroad, would run through Rankin
Leake, Alfalfa, Choctaw, Webster, Cal
houn, Chickasaw, Pontotoc, Union and
Alcorn counties, and would insure con
nections with the Memphis and Charles
ton Railroad and Mobile and Ohio al
Corinth. With the Illinois Central on
the West, the Mobile and Ohio on the
East, and the Gulf and Ship Island
running diagonally in the centre, and
with the other roads running east and
west, every portion of the State would
have all needed railroad facilities.