RAILROAD CONVENTION AT BENTON, MO.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE RAILROAD CONVENTION, HELD AT BENTON, IN SCOTT COUNTY, MISSOURI, ON THE 14TH AND 15TH OF NOVEMBER, 1853.

Monday, Nov. 14, 1853.

Pursuant to a call for a Convention, by the Committee appointed at the mass meeting in Madison county, on the 5th day of September last, addressed to the South Eastern counties of this State, and to Kentucky, Tennessee, and other Southern States, and appointing Benton, in Scott county, and the Second Monday in November, as the time and place for said Convention, the delegates from the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, and the counties of Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid and Stoddard met at the CourtHouse in Benton, on the 14th day of November, and Madison county, upon whose call they had assembled, being unrepresented, proceeded to organize by appointing Col. ABRAHAM HUNTER, of Scott county, President; Geo. WHITCOMB, of Mississippi county, and M. A. WILSON, of Stoddard county, Secretaries.

The call for the convention having been read the following delegates were reported present:

From Scott county:-Abraham Hunter, Felix G. Allen, A. S. Henderson, Asa Foster, Isaac Hunter, Elijah Denton, John Barnes, Chas. H. Kem, A. Waugh, Jr., Benj. Benefield, James A. Powell, P. E. Ancell, H. Winchester, Daniel Houk, Francis Hiring.

From Stoddard county:-Henry Miller, Wm. H. Whitehead, James Nations, Solomon G. Kitchen, Daniel B. Miller, Isaac Bran, M. A. Wilson.

From Mississippi county:-Noah Handy, Shelby Sheeks, B. J. Moore, J. W. Glasscock, James L. Moor, Levi H. Molder, E. D. Bigger, Geo. Whitcomb.

From New Madrid county:-Robert A. Hatcher.

From Hickman county, Ky.:-E. J. Bullock, James M. Moore, C Brite, Robert R. Walker, John G. Ramsey, R. N. Lester. From Fulton county, Ky. :-E. B. Fuqua, W. B. Wilson, J. D. Winter, Frank Roulhac.

From Obion county, Tenn. :-Geo. W. Gibbs, S. A. Warner. Gen. Gibbs, of Tennessee, introduced resolutions for the consideration of the convention. After some discussion Col. Bullock, of Ky., offered a substitute for the same, pending the discussion Gen. Gibbs made a motion to adjourn to the 4th Monday in January next, which was lost-Ayes 8; Noes 31.

The substitute of Col. Bullock, and the resolutions of Gen. Gibbs were both withdrawn, and the convention adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, Nov. 15th, 1853.

The Convention was called to order by the President. Geo. Whitcomb, of Mississippi county, introduced the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That we regard the Cairo and Fulton Road, and its extension through Texas, and to the Pacific, as being of vital importance to South Eastern Missouri, to Kentucky, Tennessee and South Eastern States, and that we believe the route from the Arkansas line, via Bloomfield, in Stoddard county, thence in nearly a direct line to Cairo, to be the best route for the same, and perfectly practicable.

Resolved, That we regard the extension of the Iron Mountain Road to the Mississippi river so as to form a connection with the Mobile and Charleston Roads, to be equally as important to the Southern States, east of the Mississippi river, by connecting them with the great mineral region of Southeast Missouri, and the hemp, tobocco, wheat and stock country of upper Missouri and Iowa, and by affording facilities to Missouri to transport her products to market without being dependent upon the high or low waters of the rivers, or impeded by the ice.

Resolved, That we believe it will be a saving of time and money, and afford additional facilities for business, to connect the Iron Mountain Road with the Cairo and Fulton Road, at the nearest practicable point, and running the same road to some point near Charleston, in Mississippi county, and from thence make a branch to connect with the Mobile road, at Columbus, and also with the Nashville road at Hickman.

Resolved, That we heartily approve of the energy displayed by the citizens of Stoddard county, in their efforts to cause surveys to be made and to secure the lands donated by Congress for making the road through their county, and would say to the other counties interested in the matter, "go and do likewise.'

Resolved, That we, the delegates from Stoddard, Scott and Mississippi, do pledge our respective counties, that we will make the local work through the same, and we, the delegates from Kentucky, pledge ourselves and those we represent, that we will assist the said counties in making the local work of the roads running to our respective points.

Resolved, That as Congress has donated the swamp lands in Southeast Missouri to the State, and the State having transferred the same to the counties, we do hereby recommend that the said counties grant alternate sections to the said roads upon the same terms and conditions prescribed by Congress in the grant to the Cairo and Fulton Road, believing that such grant would materially hasten the reclamation of said lands, as contemplated by the act of donation.

Resolved, That we deeply regret that the counties between here

and the Iron Mountain, and particularly the county of Madison, (upon whose call we have assembled here) have failed to meet us in convention, and we trust that hereafter they will be found with us, ready and willing to put their shoulders to the wheel and help on the great works so important both to them and to us.

Resolved, That we believe it of great importance to have a survey made from the Arkansas line, via Bloomfield, to the Mississippi river on the Cairo and Fulton route; and also to the terminus of the Mobile road at Columbus and to Hickman ir Kentucky. After an agreement among the delegates in regard to the se7eral surveys, the following resolution, by W. B. Wilson, of Kentucky, was adopted.

Resolved, That the newspapers in the cities of St. Louis, Cape Girardeau and Little Rock, and the towns of New Madrid, Ste. Genevieve and Hickman be requested to publish our proceedings, and that copies thereof be forwarded to the Senators from Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, and also to the Hon. SAM. CARUTHERS, LYNN BOYD, B. E. GREY, and E. ETHRIDGE, members of Congress from Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee.

S. A. Warner, of Tennessee, addressed the convention, stating that so far as local points were concerned he took no part, but that Tennessee was, and would be found doing her part in making the great thoroughfares of the South and West.

On motion of Col. Bullock, of Kentucky, the thanks of the convention were unanimously tendered to the President for the able and prompt discharge of his duties.

On motion of Dr. Ramsey the convention adjourned.
A. HUNTER, President.

GEO. WHITCOMB,
M. A. WILSON,

} Secretaries.

After the Convention adjourned a company was organized under the General Railroad Law of this State, called the "Columbia and Iron Mountain Branch of the Cairo and Futlon Railroad," to use the same track from Charleston to some suitable point of divergence to the Iron Mountain. The company was organized by choosing.

Col. A. Hunter, of Scott county, President.
E. J. Bullock, of Kentucky,
S. G. Kitchen, of Stoddard co.
Jas. Nations, of Stoddard co.
Geo. Whitcomb, of Miss. co.
A. S. Henderson, of Scott co.
John Barnes, of Scott co.
A. Hunter, of Scott co.

Directors.

Cha's. D. Cook, of Scott county, Treasurer
A. Waugh, jr., of Scott county, Secretary.

Fort Wayne, Lacon & Platte Valley Airline R. R. 215

[From the Lacon Illinois Gazette.]

Fort Wayne, Lacon and Platte Valley Airline Railroad.

It is with feelings of no ordinary pleasure, that we are permitted to announce that at the meeting of the Directors of the several divisions of this great railway project, held in Lacon, on Thursday last, contracts were entered into for the construction of the whole line, by one of the most responsible companies in the United States!

The last week will long be remembered by the citizens of our town remembered as a landmark in the history of our growth and prosperity. Prominent railroad gentlemen from five different States were in attendance, drawn together by the deep interest felt, east and west, in the construction of this great central highway, which is, at no distant day, to be an important link in the magnificent railroad which will stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. Three companies were represented, each by a distinguished gentleman, to wit: Messrs. Buckingham, Love & Co., of Ohio, Bailey, Broad & Co., of Pennsylvania, and Burt & Co., of Ohio and New York-all companies of great strength and responsibility; the latter company was the successful applicants, who are to commence the work within ninety days from contract; and to be completed within the following periods, namely: From Fort Wayne to Rochester in twenty months; from Chicago and Mississippi R. R. to Illinois Central R. R. in eighteen months; and from Ills. Central R. R. to Lacon in nine months. From New Boston to the intersection of the Military Tract R. R. in twenty-four months; from the Mississippi forty miles west, and from Council Bluffs east forty miles, in twenty-four months - the Indiana and Illinois divisions to be completed in four and a half years, and the whole line in five years the contractors to have the use of the road until completed.

The terms of the contract are regarded by men of large railroad experience, as favorable; and no doubt is entertained but that the work will be entered upon at an early day, and progress with all practicable despatch to completion. The company agree to pay to the contractors, one-third cash, one-third bonds, and onethird stock..

PACIFIC RAILROAD CONVENTION.

At a convention of a large number of delegates from the States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, held pursuant to previous notice, at the Court House in Lacon, Illinois, on the 11th and 12th of November, the Hon. LOTT S. BAYLISS, of Indiana, was chosen President; G. W. Bailey, of Pennsylvania; G.

Buckingham, of Ohio; W. C. Barnet, of Indiana; Silas Ramsey, of Illinois; and Judge Jemison, of Iowa; were chosen Vice Presidents; and Thos. Tigar, of Indiana; and Wm. L. Toole, of Iowa; Secretaries.

The President, on taking the chair, announced to the convention the object for which it had convened, viz: to promote and advance the grand enterprise of constructing a Railway to the Pacific; and in some brief and eloquent remarks, urged the necessity of immediate action on the subject.

Col. Sam. R. Curtis was then called upon, and addressed the convention at much length. He advocated the Platte Valley and South Pass route; spoke of the superior advantages of this route over that of all other proposed routes, both north and south of its centrality, nationality, and easy adaptation to a rapid and permanent construction of a railroad. The facts and reasons presented in favor of the South Pass route were conclusive and inconvertible. The address altogether was a masterly effort, combining important information, sound logic, and patriotic and eloquent sentiment.

At the conclusion of his remarks, and at the request of the convention, he read an address in favor of the South Pass route, having been previously prepared from materials and investigations made with care, and derived from authentic sources; which report appears below.

We should take pleasure in publishing the able address of Col. Curtis, but for reasons heretofore assigned we have declined all discussions on the subject of routes until the reports of the engineers appointed to make explorations shall be made known. We copy the following resolutions to show the views of the convention in regard to the mode of raising the means, and carrying on the work.

Resolved, That the peculiar geographical position and topographical features of the Platte River Valley, South Pass and great Salt Lake region, indicating it as the route for the great National Highway-the Pacific Railroad-the Federal Government should at once appropriate such pecuniary aid as would insure its immediate commencement and completion at the earliest day; and more especially so, as individuals are ready to embark in its construction if sanctioned by that spirit of liberality and national patronage that has heretofore characterized that nation which alone stands pre-eminent as the proud champion of the rights and amelioration of the condition of the human race.

Resolved, That there should be selected from all classes and all parties of men, in this Union, a devoted, distinguished and competent directory who should be incorporated with ample powers to