Year: 1868




J. s DuSHAM--Dear Sir: The railroad sys-
tens of Texas and Arkansas are 50 intimately
connected and dependant on each other, that
the people Of both States should understand
the plans Of each other. There are two lead
ing objects In all the railroad enterprises In
this State: one Is to penetrate the interior of
the State from the Gulf Of Galveston In the
direction of California. and the other to con-
meet Galveston and st. Louis. This State is
more fortunate than yours. II has over hun
dred million acres Of public lands subject to
its disposal. Perhaps no State has been more
liberal In grants ofland to railroad companies
than Texas. Sixteen sections per mile and
alternate sections for eight miles on each side
Of the road, have been given to all the leading
roads in the State, and the Constitution of the
State authorizes the Legislature to endorse
the bonds OF any railroad company, or to issue
the bonds of the State to such companies, to
the amount of $4,000 per mile whenever
twenty-five miles Of railroad are graded.
With these liberal grants. in country where
little or no grading is required and where the
whole country Ia susceptible of dense pOpu-
lation. the completion of all the main roads In
this State Is but question oftime. There are
three railroad enterprises In this State in
which Arkansas is especially interested. The
Texas Central Houston and Great Nosthern
and the Memphis and IL Passo roads will all
pass through Arkansas or form connections
with the roads Of that State These roads are
all being pushed forward rapidly, and it is
confidently believed that the Texas Central
road will be completed to Preston on Red river
within two years. This road will perhaps
cross the Arkansas river at Fort Gibson. A
hundred miles of it Is now completed and a
large force is at work on another section of
thirty miles. The Houston and Great North
ern railroad will connect st. Louis and the
Gulf of Galveston, and it will pass through
Western Arkansas. II you will examine
map of the United States, you will see that
the Memphis and III Passo railroad is now
nearer the Pacific Coast than another road.
twill cOnnect with the Cairo and Fulton road
at Fulton on Red river. Hands are at work
on all these roads and although their compile
ton may seem far In the distant, wise man
will look to the future of his country. have
alway believed that Van Buren will become
the center Of great railroad connection, and
in that event 1t will soon be forgotten that it
vas once the seat Of desolating war, from
the ravages of which none escaped.


We have all here become disgusted with
politics and partisan schemes and have deter
mined to try to build up the country. The
true policy of the South is to invite immigra-
tiOn build railroads and establish factories
and machinery. That is the course this State
Is pursuing. Immigrants are coming to Texas
from all parts of the country. Every vessel
that lands at Galveston has more or less i'm
migrants on board. Fifteen or twenty cotton
and woolen factories have been built. The
old planters have abandoned cotton forever.
Grain and provisions are abundant and cheap
and cordial welcome IS extended to all, of
whatever country. who come to the State.
! In this portion of the State land Of the best
quality can be bought. in any quantities, at a
dollar an acre. Stock do well, summer and
winter. on the prairies without attention
Corn and wheat can be raised in Northern
Texas In great abundance; and the people
seem to have but one object in view, and that
is to restore the country to prosperity.


RICHARD ROE.