Year: 1859

=zA=1 e9=Z I s2s s9 &9 - men, and in fact is a settled axiom in Rail- road economy, that in grain growing country, strip five miles on each side of a Road is sufficient to support il; and in cotton country strip twice as wide will certainly do it; and lis Road as a gener- al thing, has infinitely more than that. IL will penetrate country unsurpassed in fertility of soil, and when fully developed, rich in every variety of resources. The lesson of Railroad experience, so far is, that it will be self-sustaining. About this there can be no sort of doubt. But in de- iermining the question of its absolute prof. 1t, let us apply the principle which we have just announced, wiltit produce an interest equallo that yielded by its investment in other undertakings? Now, we have made a calculation in this wise: we have taken the amount of freight that will probably be transported over the route, allowing an increase of one-haIf from the joint effects of the Railroad and increase of popula- tion. As the basis of this we have taken the amount hitherto received at, and sent from this place; of which, by the way, we have tolerably accurate statistics. Upon this We have placed the usual Railroad tariff. Then we have made rough esti. mate Of the revenue probably arising from travel. Adding this up we find that there wili4be clear profit of little over four per rcent. upon the original cost and proba- ble expense ofrunning 1t. This calcula- tlon goes upon the idea that Atlanta will be the terminus of the Road. But 1t may be regarded as certain that the next Leg lslature will charter the Des Arc, Darda- nelle and Fort Smith Road, and that this Road will be extended to the latter place. In this event it will be one of the best pav- Ing Roads in the Union, and will yield to stockholders munifcent dividend.

 Now, having found, or assumed, if you please, the mt'linaum profit let us see if il will be an interest equal to that produced by investments in other undertakings. Take the case of the farmer. Political economists estimate the general profit aris- ing from his pursuits at six per cent He 

 has thousand dollars to invest. At his regular pursuit it will bring him per oe nt; while in this Road il will produce only 4 per cent In such case you will at once say he looses two per cent.

 But the same farmer has ten thousand dollars worth of property through, or neal which this Road runs. The value of this property from its contiguity to the Road IS increased aboultwenty-hve per cent. Thus taking from it the admitted loss of two per cent. we have a clear profit of twenty-three per cent. instead of the SIX per cent. de- rived from his regular farming operations That it will paylh farmer then, there can be no question. The same reasoning will apply to the merchant; for admitting that the stock will not pay such dividend as that arising from his regular and legili- mate operations, which, by the way, w are not willing to admit in the event the Road is extended 10 Fort Smith, yet, the increased value of his town property and the increased demand for his goods aris- ing from the increase of population, will more than make up the defca

 OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.

 Having shown that tue plan is praciica- ble--that the people can build it-and that 1t will pay; a word to our country friends inreply to some objections we have heard them urge to it. Some who live Tn ten or flleen miles of Des Arc, say It can be of no sort Of advantage to them. It will in no wise increase our convenience 10 mar ket. Let us ask you if you are not inn proved as the country is improved, if you are not enriched as the country is enrich. ed, by the influx of wealth, population, capital, money! Why is it that all our old worn ont countries with ayhousteA