The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-12-19
CAIRO BOOSTER
Cairo Wa. 70 BE City Of 10000
Twenty Years Ago--With Bridges
Across Both Rivers

There have been many newspaper
boosters IN Cairo almost from Its
foundation, but one Of the widest
dreamers the city ever had, after ita
early days had passed was one named
Johnson who held repertorial posi-.
ton on the Telegram in 1889, as wit
ness the following from the files OF
that paper. dated Oct 20, of that
year:
During the coming year Cairo will
grow as she has never grown before.
She will take on airs OF
metropolitanism and assume the dig,
nifty OF a great trade center, AT the
end of it 1.-THE coming year, she may
be strange quarters for older inhabi-
tants, There are hundred
things shaping themselves to bring
about such result. The closing of
the year will see us with thirteen
railroads. and Cairo will then be the
greatest railroad center in the cen
trail states. as well as the greatest
water center on earth. There
is not much doubt now that the M &
O. and the Cotton Belt will be in
Vanderbilt hands before the Fourth
of July next, and that as soon there
after as is practicable, the Wander
bilts will b. dge both the Ohio am
The Mississippi rivers The intention
Is 10 make six track landing for
one bridge branching at the point;
one spur swinging west over this Mis-
sissippi; the other, east over the
Ohio. \ This consolidation OF
the Big Four interests, will be con.
temporaneous with the erection Of
The Union depot on the block north
VI the present one, three stories high.
t50x200, occupied in the second and
third story offices BY the operation
,fficers of the Big Four's Southwest
arn system, The present land hold
ngs of the Big Four, inside the drain
age district, will be utilized in the
construction of switch yards, and taeI
erection of such general shops as
shall be necessary to repair the roll
ing stock of the consolidated sys
ems The Illinois Central
mas pans in preparation for a new
Union Depot to be used jointly by the
Short Line and the Central the OHIO
md Mississippi and the Cairo and
oaducah roads, The building will be
wo stories high and will extend back
to Commercial avenue. The various
express companies doing business
,ver Ca 70 roads will have pro-
interest in this new depof
and viii use suites Of its offices for
livision Headquarters
"Tae Cairo bridge landing proper
will swing around the point and along
he outside OF the Mississippi leyee
Shops will be built where
he present round house is now 10.
Gated The improvements will cos.
n the neighborhood of $4,000 and IT
encouraging start viii be made on
hem next year. During the
coming year Cairo will have made
her first really important step toward
netrorolitanism. Manufacturing es
Adjustments will spring up by the
lozen at the new town of Dupoyster
ITO be built just below Wickliffe) and
hose of Mound City VIII be augment
I'd four fold 1t is just a question OF
or not our corporation lines
may rot extend. by January /. 1891,
over the drainage district now being
reclaimed. This would put Mounds
Junction Just outside the city limits =
where it belongs, 1t isn't too much
to prophesy 10000 inhabitants for our
city at the end OF next year. We have
already 10000 and an increase OF
SO 1-3 per cent In the fifteen months
vii be rather below than above the
reality We will have all these con
solidated interests to build NJ, and
the extension and multiplication OF
our already grand wholesale terri
tories, to make us prosperousa In
1891, by January /, we can support
20,0o0 inhabitants, and we shall BE
doing IL much easier than we now
support 10000 Cairo is just entering
upon fer era of prosperity