done on the eastern end of the road; and that there are upward of two hundred men now working on the road, and on the first of August it is expected that four hundred will be engaged on the work. Preliminary steps have been taken to buy iron for the western end, and in all probability contracts will be made at the same time for the other part of the road. Negotiations have been opened with a northern company to complete all the unfinished work of the road. "These are cheering facts, and show that there is no cause to apprehend any danger as to the fate of this enterprise. It will not only be done, but will be put in operation quite as early as the most sanguine of our people expected."

4. NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD.

After

THE CENTRAL RAILROAD.-This road is not yet quite out of the woods. the whole amount ($1,000,000) of individual subscription was supposed to be secured, it turned out that the subscription of $10,000, by the Petersburg railroad, could not legally be made. Upon $47,000, also, of individual subscription, the cash payment of five per cent. was not made, as is required, and, of course, this sum could not be counted as available. These failures leave $76,000 yet to be raised, which will be done, we have no doubt, with but little delay.

This whole movement, in North Carolina, has been in a few hands-and what has been accomplished, has been the work of a few leading men in that State. Their efforts, we regret to say, have met with but a cold response from the great mass of the people. These inen, embracing, among others, Messrs. Morehead, Graham, Saunders, Graves, Carter and Lord, fully appreciate the necessity of the proposed work, to enable North Carolina to maintain a respectful relative position in the great family of States. Nature has favored her with a fine soil, without giving her those natural advantages, in navigable rivers, for the transportation of her products, which most of the States possess. Having but limited means of forwarding her products to a market, she has but little commerce, and, consequently, possesses no commercial center, where, as in other States, is collected a large amount of wealth to be returned to the country, to be expended in the further development of its resources. Her leading men saw, that, unless she availed herself of those agents which modern science has provided, and which are so potent in the production of wealth, and which other States are eagerly subjecting to their use, she must apparently retrograde, and present a most striking and humiliating contrast to the rapid progress of her neighbors. The few who saw and felt this, have found it almost impossible to infuse the great mass with any of the spirit and conviction which they felt. The consequence has been, that, with the most energetic and persevering efforts of the first men of the State, and with a greater part of it as a field for their exertions, $1,000,000 has not yet been raised. There is not a town in New England, of 15,000 inhabitants, but would, under similar inducements, have raised an equal sum in one week. This sum, however, will soon be forthcoming; and when it is obtained, North Carolina will owe a debt of gratitude to those who have been instrumental in procuring it, which she can but indifferently appreciate and which she will never repay. If these men had known the task that was before them, we will be bound to say that they never would have undertaken it, and that they will never undertake a similar job.

5. BALTIMORE AND THE WEST.

A number of the merchants of Baltimore were addressed, on Thursday night, by Mr. L. C. Haynes, of Tennessee, in Union Hall, in respect to the advantages likely to result to the city of Baltimore, from the completion of certain Tennessee improvements.

He stated the fact, and displayed the evidences on which it rested, that the commercial prosperity of the Atlantic cities depends on their commercial connection with the Mississippi valley.

Mr H. said, that a striking proof of this truth could be found in the examination and comparison of the commerce of Virginia and N. York. They are both Atlantic States both started together in the race of independence, wealth, population and commerce-both possess harbors among the best in the Union. Virginia had the advantage in the beginning. Her imports amounted, in 1769, to $4,255,800; the imports of New York, to $945,000. Thus, they started together.

OF THE

UNIVERSITY

Of

But New York, perceiving that her commercial prosperity depended upon her connection with the West from which she might draw the materials for subsistence, manufactures and commerce, made haste to form that connection through her railways and canal. Virginia, self-satisfied with her natural advantages, did nothing to bring herself into commercial communication with the Mississippi valley. She slept at her post until a very recent date.

What (Mr. H. asked) had been the result. In 1832, the imports of Virginia had gone down from $4,255,800 to $1,213,000, while the imports of New York, in the same period, had gone up from $945,000 to $57,000,000. Why? Because New York was connected, and Virginia unconnected, with the rich, the fertile, the great and the growing West.

The tonnage of Virginia, in 1791, was 33,239 tons-in 1838, it had gone down to 7,405 tons; while the tonnage of the city of New York alone had gone up, in 1838, to 400,971 tons.

Mr. Haynes said, he repeated that it had become a primary truth, almost selfevident, which irresistibly commands the assent of all enlightened minds, that the commercial prosperity of the Atlantic cities, depends on their commercial connection with the great valley of the Mississippi; and that Baltimore perceives and appreciates this truth, is made manifest through her noble and unceasing exertions to tap, by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, the valley of the Ohio. And if Baltimore had come to the conclusion, that one connection with the West would be good for her, it follows, by irresistible deduction, that two would be better.

It was under these impressions, Mr. Haynes said, he desired to direct the attention of the merchants of Baltimore, to the advantages likely to result from contemplated lines of public works in Tennessee, by which this city is to have another connection, by steam, with the Mississippi valley.

Through a mixed route of railroads, river and canal, there is already an easy transit to Lynchburg. From Lynchburg to the Tennessee line, the Tennessee and Virginia railroad is in rapid and vigorous course of completion. At furthest, it will be finished in four years-the State of Virginia having taken threefifths of the stock. If you start at Memphis east, you will find a company organized by the style of the Memphis and Charleston railroad company, with Governor Jones at its head, and a subscription of stock to the amount of $1,300,000. Running from Memphis, it will intersect the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad near the latter place. The Nashville and Chattanooga railroad was all, he believed, under contract. The actual subscription of stock to that work, together with the bonds to be guaranteed by the State of Tennessee, was $2,588,450 It will be completed to Chattanooga by 1851.

The East Tennessee and Georgia railroad, completes the line to the city of Knoxville. Funds have been subscribed by individuals and appropriated by the State, very nearly sufficient to complete this work in two years. Eighty miles are graded, on forty miles of which the timbers are down, ready for the iron. An agent has been appointed by the Governor, under act of assembly, to go to Europe, to purchase iron for this work. The completion, then, in four years, of the entire line of works-from Memphis, on the one hand, to the city of Knoxville, and from Lynchburgh, on the other, to the Tennessee line-is as certain as any event depending on human agency.

From Knoxville to the Virginia line, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles, it will be perceived, said Mr. Haynes, is not, as yet, sufficiently provided for. It is true, a company has been incorporated, engineers are in the field, surveying the routes with a view to the location of the road, and a subscription made to the work of $650,000. Shall this great line of public works, about to stretch from the city of Memphis to the city of Baltimore, be kept asunder by a failure to complete this central link from Knoxville to the Virginia line, but one hundred and twenty miles in length? This is a question he came to put to the merchants of Baltimore, interested in the trade of the West.

If you think this central link in this great chain, from the father of waters to your beautiful city, would yield a fair dividend on the capital stock-if you think its completion would greatly enhance the trade of Baltimore, with the Western merchants, we should be glad if you would aid its speedy construction, by the subscription to its capital stock.

He said, that the capacity of the merchants of Baltimore to trade with the merchants of the West, is limited by their capacity to purchase of you. Their

ability to purchase of you, is limited by the capacity of the people to purchase of them. The capacity of the people to purchase of them is limited, by the want of all adequate means of commercial intercourse, by which their surplus products can be carried to those points of demand where consumers lie under the necessity of purchasing them. If it should be your pleasure to give your aid to the construction of this line, you will greatly increase the capacity and ability of the people to purchase of the Western merchants, and them of you. Thus, you might contribute powerfully to increase the trade of Baltimore with the merchants and people of the West.

Mr. Haynes said, that a statistical view of the productions of Tennessee, unwooed by markets and unstimulated by adequate prices, would indicate what would be the advantages of her trade, were she and this city brought into cheaper and more rapid communication by means of steam.

Mr. Haynes said, Tennessee produces 13,000,000 of bushels of wheat. Deducting one-half for consumption, would leave 6,500,000 bushels for export. The highest average price in Tennessee, he said, was fifty cents. The total

value of the sum, which might be exported, would be $3,250,000. If brought to the Atlantic slope, it would pay railroad charges and yield 80 cents per bushelor an aggregate sum of 5,200,000, instead of $2,250,000—and an increased profit, to the wheat growers of Tennessee, of $1,950,000.

She produces, he said, 74,000,000 of bushels of Indian corn. Of this sum between two and three millions of bushels are exported, principally to New Orleans, over a river transit of 1,200 or 1,500 miles. After deducting freight, insurance, commission and damage, it yields a very poor profit to the producer. To deduct one-half for consumption, would leave for export 32,000,000 of bushels. It is worth, in Tennessee, from ten to fifteen or twenty cents per bushel. It would bear the cost of freight to the Atlantic cities, and yield thirty-five cents. Here would be a gain to the corn growers of Tennessee, over the highest market price at home, of $4,500,000.

The cotton crop of north Alabama, middle Tennessee and north Mississippi, is about 400,000 bales. From Memphis, as the starting point, the cost of transporting a bale of cotton to the eastern cities (compounded of freight, insurance, factorage, storage at New Orleans, re-shipment, with a new set of charges for freight and insurance coastwise, and the interest, for thirty days, incident to its transit to the castern cities) is about $5.

It cannot be doubted, that a large portion of this cotton would come to the eastern cities, over this line of Tennessee and Virginia works:

1. Because the freight would be as cheap.

2. Because over this line it would reach Liverpool some twenty days sooner

than by New Orleans.

3. Because it would, by this route, be 2,500 miles nearer the foreign market. The tobacco of Tennessee would come over this line-because, in the hot and damp climate of New Orleans and the Gulf, it loses its flavor and incurs an estimated damage of ten per cent.

Flour and corn would also, find their way to the eastern cities, by this route; because, in the climate of New Orleans, flour suffers a damage of seventy-five cents per barrel; and corn will average twenty-five per cent. less return, than that shipped to foreign markets from the eastern cities.

Bacon, pork, beef, butter and lard, would, also, come upon this line from Tennessee, intended for foreign markets; because they suffer damage, from fifteen to twenty per cent., by way of New Orleans, Thus it may be seen, that the damage on the articles named would very nearly cover the cost of freight from Tennessee to Baltimore.

This line, too, would be open for transportation from January to January; while it is only about three months in the year that the shipment of many of the articles specified would not be a total loss by way of New Orleans. It would also have advantage over the northern routes by rivers and canals, because they are frozen up for several months in the year. These facts would certainly compel the larger portion of those articles specified, intended for distant markets, over this route.

6. ATTAKAPAS, LOUISIANA, RAILROAD.

This road is intended to be run from some suitable point on Grand river (the main branch of the Atchafalaya) to some suitable place on the Mississippi river,

between Plaquemine and Lafourche, in order to establish a more direct and expeditious communication between Attakapas and New Orleans.

Taking the route suggested, at eleven miles, the probable cost of construction will be about $70,000; allowing $20,000 more for locomotive, cars and warehouses, at each end, will give $90,000 as the total cost, exclusive of any payment for land. It is believed, that the land granted by the State will fully compensate for any expenditure, for the right of way, through private property. The above estimates are founded on information derived from reliable sources.

PROBABLE EXPENSES.

Probable current expenses for one year,......

Interest on $60,000, that may be borrowed at 7 per cent. per annum,...............

Total,

Deduct expenses,................................

Leaving a net profit of.......

$14,826

The completion of this railroad will give a great impulse to trade and intercourse between Attakapas and New Orleans, and parts of Assumption and Terrebonne will be much benefited. Should the Grand river be opened, as designed, a share of business from Opelousas may be expected. It will afford an outlet to several planters of Iberville, who now have to haul their sugar from two to six miles. The opening of Grand river, besides affording a beautiful and safe navigation, will give a better outlet, and relieve the lands on bayou Plaquemine and Gross-Tete, and the left bank of Grand river, from much of the surplus waters. By that route passengers can travel, and the mails may be carried, from Orleans to Franklin, by way of Pattersonville, in eighteen hours, and to New Iberia in twenty-four hours, with ease, and for a less price than is now paid.

7. RAILROAD TO NEW ORLEANS.

We see, by a late Panolian, that the people of Panola county have had a pub lic meeting, in favor of a railroad to New Orleans. It is creditable to their enterprise, and we trust the time will come when the road shall be made. The citizens of De Soto have, also, held a public meeting for this object. A lively interest exists, and there is wanting but a few bold spirits to take this enterprise in hand and carry it out successfully.

8. RAILROADS IN TENNESSEE.

As

It is pleasant to reflect that, within a few years, the proper spirit has been aroused in Tennessee upon the subject of railroads. It is scarcely necessary for us to say, that there is little evidence of a country's permanent improvement, till the requisite facilities for transports and travel are brought into existence. we suggested in a previous number of the Naturalist, for soil, climate, mineral resources, water power, and indeed, every natural advantage, Tennessee is the first State amongst her sisters; and, still, she has been slow to bring her resources to light. We congratulate our country, however, that the face of matters is fast changing. There is a settled determination to enter heartily into railroad improvements. We call attention to the roads already in progress and a few important ones contemplated, and which will evidently be constructed in a few years.

1. THE EAST TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA RAILROAD.-In 1838, a road was commenced called, "The Hiwassie Railroad," to pass some important sections of East Tennessee and intersect the Georgia railroad at Dalton. It was expected that Georgia would construct the road to the State line, a distance of some fifteen miles; but in this Tennesseeans were mistaken, and after expending

$900,000, in grading, &c.—one-half the stock of the State and the balance subscribed by individuals-the work was well nigh abandoned. In 1848, the "East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad Company," was formed, and the stock of the Hiwassie road was exchanged for the new road. This road is to run from Knoxville, East Tennessee, to Dalton, Ga., and was undertaken by Gen. Duff Green, who recently gave up the entire contract to the company. It is probable, had it not been for the enterprise and energy of Gen. Green, the road would not have been built for many years. The legislature of Tennessee, during its last session, granted the company a loan of $350,000, to complete the work; and the calculation is, to have the road ready for the track from Dalton to Charleston on the Hiwassie river, a distance of forty miles, by the 1st of July, 1850. Dr. J. G. M. Ramsey, of Knoxville, has been appointed agent on the part of the State, and the Hon. A. P. Key, of Athens, has been appointed agent on the part of the company, to make purchases in compliance with the terms of the act, The T rail has been adopted. It is to weigh not less than 100 tons to the mile and about 64 pounds per yard. Mr. B. Prichard, of Massachusetts, is chief engineer. We hail the day when this road shall be completed. It will bring a fertile and delightful country, environed by vast mountain chains, to light, and make east Tennessee what it has ever desired to be-a "Frank land," a free and independent State.

2. THE NASHVILLE AND CHATTANOOGA RAILROAD.-This road is all under contract, if we are correctly informed, and it is supposed it will be completed in the year 1851. Its history, cost and value, we must leave for future numbe:s of our work. Another road is in contemplation to intersect the Nashville and Chattanooga road, near the Alabama line, and one to the Ohio river. We shall be astonished if all these structures are not completed in ten years; and we should be more astonished, if Nashville, in the mean time, should not become a great city, and Tennessee one of the most desirable countries on earth.

9. NAVIGATION OF THE TENNESSEE.

The connection of the Tennessee river with the Atlantic, by means of the railroad now just completed, has infused a new and progressive spirit into the people of that State. Already they have nine steamboats navigating the river, transporting the immense productions of its fertile valley; and we perceive, by the following paragraph from the Knoxville Register, that two other boats are now nearly completed, which will swell the number to eleven. The Register

says:

"TWO NEW BOATS.-We are pleased to learn, that one of the firm of the enterprising house of Williams & Co., of this city, is now at Pittsburgh, superintending the construction of two new, costly and fast-running steamers, for the trade below this place. These boats, we understand, will probably be completed, and ready to leave their stocks for Knoxville, about the first of June. Their construction is such as to adapt them, particularly, to the accommodation of passengers, in which respect most of the boats, heretofore on the river, have been defective."

This is moving forward in the true spirit of an enterprising people, who are ever ready to avail themselves promptly of every advantage within their reach to facilitate commercial intercourse. We predict, for the people of Tennessee, a more rapid progress in improvement than has characterized any southern State. They have stood calmly by and seen other States take the initiative, until satisfied of the practicability and success of the several enterprises; and now, when that success is placed beyond doubt, they enter the list with a noble zeal, worthy of themselves and the great cause in which they have embarked.