Number of prisoners committed do. RECAPITULATION. do. discharged.... Number of days work done by prisoners.. Expenditures for supplies, smith bills, repairs, clothing, WORKHOUSE. DR. .$4,525 00 1,842 00 2,899 66 95 39 $9,432 05 CR. $9,059 50 372 55 $9,432 05 Balance in favor of Workhouse at 70 cents per day for prisoners labor, including board..... $95 39 During the period embraced in this report, there were 291 com mitments, and of this number there were from Remaining at present time 109 prisoners. ..193 97 23 11 18 10 9 193 98 In the early months embraced in this report, the workhouse hands were employed in grading Tayon and Clark avenues. They were withdrawn from Tayon and Clark avenues by order of the committee, to work on Lafayette Park, three of the avenues around the Park have been completed, and are now at work on improving the interior of the Park. The Icehouse at the City Hospital has been filled with good ice, besides the performance of much other labor not included in this report. The females, (of which there has been an unusually large number,) have been employed in making clothing for the prisoners, in washing and scrubbing. WILLIAM LINGO. Very respectfully, Your ob't. sv't, ARTICLE VII. St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans Railroad. When the Mississippi Valley Railroad, to connect the city of New Orleans with the Falls of St. Anthony, was projected, in October, 1852, we presented the claims of three routes, south of Missouri, viz: the Little Rock, the Memphis, and the Helena route.* The conntry from Missouri to Memphis, and from Missouri to Helena, had been unexplored by railroad engineers, and a merely preliminary survey had been made by the government of the U. S. from St. Louis to Fulton via Little Rock. We, however, obtained information of the peculiarity of Crowley's Ridge extending from Missouri to Helena, 150 miles, with an almost unbroken, firm and high surface on its side above the swamp and overflowed lands with which it was surrounded. Helena was also in a nearly direct line from St. Louis to New Orleans. The Arkansas country on each side of Crowley's Ridge abounded with unreclaimed swamp and overflowed lands. The Helena route was considered shortest and cheapest, and therefore prefered. The Memphis route, it was thought, might be established by the construction of that portion of the Memphis and Little Rock railroad from the Mississippi to the St. Francis, 40 miles, across the swamp; and although it was considered impracticable to build a road from Old Indian Ford to Memphis through the lakes, swamps, &c., 140 miles, on the east side of the St. Francis; yet it was then declared that "Memphis might hold out inducements to make its route preferable" to the IIelena route. In regard to the Little Rock route it was considered that "advantages might be gained by and from Little Rock and the country along its route, to produce a great preponderance in its favor," although the Little Rock route was estimated 95 miles longer than the Memphis route. The Little Rock route has been earnestly and uniformly advocated by us; and although violently opposed by a strong political party in Arkansas, as a "visionary scheme too wild for a respectable maniac," and "worse than a man's trying to hold himself out at arm's length," this scheme has become more respectable than its adversaries, and stronger than their See Western Journal & Civilian, vol. 9, page 39, October, 1852. strength, and is progressing with reasonable speed, by the impetus given to it by its friends combined with its own intrinsic merits. We will now present the claims of the Memphis route together with newly discovered evidence in its favor, hoping soon to obtain yet further evidence of a commercial character, which will place this route on a commanding position. The final survey of the Railroad from St. Louis to the Iron Mountain reduces the distance to 80 miles from Hazel street, on the route which is now located in every part, which is under contract, on which 350 men are now working, and $35,000 have been paid to the contractors for work done to 1st June, 1851. The extension of the Iron Mountain road towards Arkansas reaches the Swamp District near Indian Ford, 150 miles from St. Louis. The route of this extension was found to be far more practicable than its warmest friends anticipated, the grades being easier, and the cost averaging $10,000 per mile less than that of the portion between the Mountain and St. Louis, whereas from the estimates of Barney's survey it was apprehended that the relative cost would be much greater below than above the Mountain. Considering the mountainous character of the country, this line of 70 miles from the Mountain to the Ford is remarkably straight. It is the only good line that could be obtained south of the Mountain towards Arkansas, and furthermore is in the direction of Memphis. The Indian Ford may be considered a fixed point in the Mississippi Valley Railroad, which ever way the road may be extended towards the South, and this point, though on the verge of the Swamp District, is destined soon to rise and become a point of great distinction. Therefor it may be well to designate it now with reasonable distinctness. Old Indian Ford is on the St. Francis river near though south of the junction of Wayne, Butler and Stoddard counties. It is equidistant from Cairo, Hickman, and the Arkansas line in Grand Prairie, Dunklin county, being about 60 miles on an air line from each. It is also nearly equidistant from New Madrid and from Point Pleasant on an air line, being about 45 miles from each; and it is just 30 miles from the Arkansas line in Ripley county, where the best route is found along the Borthwestern border of the Swamp Region in the direction of Little Rock and Fulton in Arkansas. Three routes have already been surveyed by the Iron Mountain Co. radiating from Old Indian Ford: one to Cairo, one to the Arkansas line iu Ripley county, and one to New Madrid, the last mentioned extending to Point Pleasant. A great variety of other experimental surveys were made throughout the Swamp Region; and it is believed from indications discovered in these discursive experimental surveys, that one of the most practicable routes from Old Indian Ford towards New Orleans would be almost in a straight line in that direction; that is on the east side of the St. Francis river through Stoddard and Dunklin counties to the Arkansas line, in Grand Prairie, which is also in a direct line toward Memphis. A powerful argument in behalf of this route in Missouri might be built up, based on the reasonable presumption, that a railroad bed constructed along the eastern shore of the St. Francis in Stoddard and Dunklin counties would be the best embankment to prevent the occasional overflow of this river in these counties, and further that such an embankment may be essential to reclaim the swamp lands in these and the adjoining counties of New Madrid and Pemisco, as also of a large part of the country in Arkansas east of the St. Francis. This branch of this subject is well worthy the careful consideration of the Swamp Land Commissioners of Arkansas, as also of the above mentioned swamp counties of Missouri. That the probable feasibility of this route may be still more highly appreciated, and that the ignorant prejudice against building a railroad through the Swamp District may be more thoroughly advised and fairly enlightened, it is proper to state, and it should not be forgotten that while the cost of the construction of the railroad from St. Louis to the Iron Mountain, ready for rolling stock, averages $40,000 per mile along its 80 miles, and that while the cost of construction of the railroad from the Iron Mountain to Indian Ford, ready for rolling stock, averages $30,000 per mile along its 70 miles, the cost of construction of railroads from Indian Ford through various portions of the Swamp Region, ready for rolling stock, averages in general only $18,000 per mile, being only about as much as the average from St. Louis to the Indian Ford. That the length and cost of the Missouri portion of the St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans Railroad, may be somewhat minutely yet concisely shown, we may conclude from the data above stated, as the distance from Indian Ford to the Arkansas line in Grand Prairie, Dunklin county, is 60 miles on an air line, and as the average deviation from an air line may be fairly represented by one sixth, that the length of Indian Ford and Grand Prairie line is 70 miles, and that the cost of construction of this link, ready for rolling stock, averaging $18,000 per mile, is $1,260,000; and placing the links in tabular form we find The length of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain link Total length of the Missouri portion 80 miles 70 " 70 " 220 miles Cost of 1st division, 80 miles, at $40,000 per mile, $3,200,000 $6,560,000 By adding cost of rolling stock together with buildings and fixtures for same at the rate of $4,000 per mile, 220 miles....... We find total cost of Mo. portion in running order 880,000 $7,440,000 Touching the Arkansas portion of the St. Louis and Memphis Railroad oar the route bove indicated, as it may become a link of vast importance in the Mississippi Valley Railroad, and as it was originally and almost universally thought to be utterly impractic ́able, it is but justice to Mr. W. D. Ferguson. of Arkansas, to fix the fact that he is the man who first projected and earnestly advocated this route. One year ago from this date at the Memphis Convention in June, 1853, in conversation with the author of this article, he presented the claims of this route, and urged them with the light of his experience on the ground, and with the warmth of his enthusiasm in the prospect. Not one word could we then hear in its favor excepting from him. Since then but little has been said or done on this subject until the first day of March, 1854, when G. W. Underhill, of Arkansas, E.H. Porter, of Tennessee, and L. M. Kennett, of Missouri, with their associates in each of said States formed themselves into a corporation under the general law of the State of Arkansas by the name of Memphis and St. Louis Railroad Company, for the purpose of building a railroad through Arkansas from a point opposite or near Memphis, "on or near a direct line between the same and the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and running thence as |