The Cairo bulletin., 1910-11-09
CAIRO IS NOT
A DEAD Town
BRIGHT WITH PROSPECT OF BE.
COMING MORE IMPORTANT
INDUSTRIAL CENTER.
.lInIIun 1lTv n0nn III hnr
MOUND CITY GOOD PLACE
Counties of Alexander and Pulaski
Soon viii Enjoy More Excep-
tional Transportation Fa-
cilities Than Now.
(St. Louis Lumberman.)

the world and all its activities and
pleasures. 1t is hard to say how they
acquired the thought or opinion, or
whatever il may be, unless 1t was be-
cause that great writer of English fic-
ton, Dickens. gave the town a bad
start. He described the place as a
n,alarial inferno, where those who
entered left hope behind,
Possibly, too, the location OF Cairo
at the confluence of the Ohio river
with the Mississippi, matching in its
low-lying grounds and swampy sur
rouniings the Cairo of ancient Egypt
may have had something to do with
impresing the student of geography
and the observant traveller with the
idea that the southern Illinois me.
tropolis Is anhealthfu, and that 1t Is
physically imposs bic to overcome its
natural handicaps to robust living.
cleanness and enduring business
growth
But that Is al wrong The PENN
sula embracing Alexander ami Pu-
laski counties IS bright with the pro
mise OF becoming great industrial
district, free forever from overfiows,
and enjoying even more exceptional
transportation facil' ties that now TO
and from all the larger markets of the
Mississippi valley, and to those far
n.
more than half a dozen big railroad
systems in that immediate neck OF
the woods. namely the Iron Noun
tain, Big Four. Mobile & Ohio st,
Louis & San Francisco, Illinois Cen
trail. st. Louis Southwestern. AMI the
Nashville, Chattanooga and st. Louis.
Some of these ralroa Us do not enter
Cairo, but cross the Mississippi river
at Thebes, only about eighteen or
twenty miles above mat place. Thev
will, however, have easy connection
with the former over tie Cairo &
Thebes railroad a splendid piece OF
short line property whose tracks have
ben laid, and which is now complet-
ing finely appointed passenger ana
Freight stations ut Fourteenth AMI
Washington avenue, Cairo, costing
something like a quarter of million
dollars. Eight tracks of the new road
enter the grounds of these two sta
tons, which are building alongside
of each other.
The Interurban electro roa1, whici'
together with the street car lines in
the city proper. belongs to the Nc
Kinley Traction Company IS also
erecting new station in Cairo; and,
eventually, the interurban will be ex-
tended to st. Louis to connect with
the northern lines Of the Mckinley
company. Other railway projects and
having to do with Cairo's future are
planned and are near, or compare
lively so, to the beginning of actual
work.
Another thing which favors lillnos
sputhernmost town In connection
with Its superb railroad and river
shipping facilities, is'the fact that al
freight rates applying to both NORTH
and south bounl traffic break on and
are made from that gateway. CAIRO
is. indeed, one great big place among
The rate-making experts and shippers
of the country. It's location Is
ideal in respect to both water and
rail transportation that there always
is con paratively low carriage charges
for all its shipments, and for all toe
600 Is and supplies that come n. 70
city in the United States is more al
vantageousIy placed in tals regard,
Arother thing stil that is very
helpful to the manufacturers and mer-
hants of Cairo, IS the fact that trey
IRE always able ~ get penty Of ears
for loading out, regardless OF the
dearth of shipping equipment IN oeieF
narts Of tie country. Te mammoth
shops and wards of - ..dnois Cen
| trol railroad are situated at Mounds
eight miles from the Egyptian city.
and the experience of a good nunbel
/ ~ ears has shown slippers that they
can always deLcnd upon getting cars
promptly and in ample MT noers nom
these yards.
Moreover, Cairo is doing something
for itself all the while towards i'm
proving its appearance. and promot-
| ing its many large industries. The
town, popular impression to the con
trary notwitastand ng, is not subject
to overflow, nor has II been in danger
Of high water In que q long time
lit Is defended by high and stronk le'
wees. and its sewage Is pumped INTO
The river just as IL sewage at New
| Orleans, 1t does not matter wna'
stages the Ohio or Mississippi reach
the pumps keep the sewers clean
and that meas tha, The streets and
me waste places remain dry. SO inc
tradition that associates Cairo with
overfiows, with resulting malaria, nc
longer holds true,
The citizens Of that busy and pros
lperous burg laugh at these revampeu
old food stories. and go ahead with
the work OF improving and beautify