FARMERS' REGISTER— MISSISSIPPI AND CHESAPEAKE RAILWAY. 431 



tributary to the same, about 10 miles, on variable 

 groundVequiring much excavation and embaidc- 

 nient in jiiaces, and then crosses Cainy creek, 

 which requires a bridge about 60 feet high, and 

 250 or 300 }ards long. The ground continues ra- 

 ther unlavorable lor a distance of about 2-|- miles 

 further, when we enter upon extensive glades with 

 a slight imdulating surface, over which the route 

 passes for a distance of about 12 miles. We next 

 ascend to the Bee creek summit by a horse plain, 

 rising at an angle of about one degree, in a dis- 

 tance of three miles, where we reach the highest 

 part of the mountain travei-scd by the route. 

 From this summit we descend about two miles, at 

 a similar inclination, and then pursue a North 

 easterly course, descending at the rate of 40 to 60 

 feet per mile, till the route crosses Daddy's creek, 

 Avhich must be done by means of a bridge 50 or 

 60 feet high, and perhaps 300 yards long. The 

 route proceeds thence on a level, or nearly so, 

 three miles, to the head ol" Crab-orchard creek, 

 and thence down the ravine of Crab-orchard, 

 Piney and White's creeks, by a meandering course, 

 and descending at the rate of 40 to 60 teet per 

 mile, for a distance oi" eight mdes where it leaves 

 the mountain and enters the Tennessee valley; at 

 a point 10 miles distant fi'om the Post-oak spring, 

 or by estimation, 18 miles from the mouth of 

 Emery's river, between Avhich, and the point at 

 which the route reaches the easterly base of the 

 mountain, there is a continuous valley route. 



The ravine through which it is proposed to car- 

 ry the rail road from Crab-orchard to the base of 

 tiie mountain, is narrow, rugged and rocky, but 

 according to the best information we could get 

 from persons who have explored it, the valley is 

 generally free from short curvatures, and of near- 

 ly an uniform declivit}^ The road formation on 

 this part of the route will of course be expen- 

 sive. 



The distance by the route from the westerly to 

 the easterly base of the mountain is estimated at 

 sixty miles. 



Hence the entire distance on the proposed route 

 from Memphis to the Easterly base of the Cum- 

 berland mountain, is 358 miles. 



It is to be presumed that the route above desig- 

 nated has the best approximate locality, in every 

 part: on the contrary minute examinations which it 

 was not in our power to make, may show the pro- 

 priety of very considerable deviation; it is never- 

 theless confidently believed, that no general route 

 can be found, leading in the same direction, and 

 traversing this exceedingly chversified, irregular 

 and broken piortion of the country, that can have 

 any fair claim to a competition with the route de- 

 scribed. 



In the selection of a route no regard has been 

 paid to sectional interests or local accommodations. 

 There is not a single town or village in the whole 

 line likely to be invaded. The only considerations 

 that have governed the choice, are shortness of 

 route, cheapness of construction, and facility of 

 transportation. 



In connexion with the above route, numerous 

 branches leading to important points are deemed 

 practicable: among the most important, probablj' is 

 a branch, connecting with the main road in the 

 Barrens, near the head of Charles' creek, descend- 

 ing about 500 feet into the valley of Stone's river 

 by one or more inclined plainis, and proceeding 



thence along the valley of Stone's river, which is 

 remarkably favorable for a rail road, to a point near 

 Nashville, and thence by the most iiivorable route 

 to some point on the Ohio river suitable for its ter- 

 mination. 



Other branches of less extent may lead from 

 the main stem, to the several towns and villages 

 situated in the neighborhood of the route — for ex- 

 amples, to Sommerville, Bolivar, Brownsville, 

 Jackson, Lexington, &c. in West Tennessee — to 

 Mount Pleasant, Columbia, Farmington, Mur- 

 fieesborough Shelby ville, M'Minnville, &c. &c. in 

 middle Tennessee — and to such other points as 

 may be deemed advisable. 



The main route extended to the line dividing 

 between the States of Tennessee and Virginia, 

 embraces an additional distance of 152 miles fur- 

 ther, making the entire route within the State of 

 Tennessee 510 in length. 



The distance on the route from the Virginia line 

 to Harper's Ferry on the Potomac, is estimated at 

 394 miles, making the entire distance from Mem- 

 phis to Harper's Ferry 900 miles. 



The distance from Harper's Ferry to Baltimore, 

 on the Chesapeake Bay, is about 85 miles, mak- 

 ing the length of the entire grand route from the 

 Mississippi to the Chesapeake Bay, 985 miles. 



The range of the Alleghany mountains, which 

 is pervaded almost throughout its whole extent by 

 this extensive route, has been very appropriately 

 denominated the Back-bone of the United States. 

 The contemplated rail road may with equal pro- 

 priety be denominated its spinal marrow, alike es- 

 sential to the protracted vitality of our confedera- 

 cy, and to the hcallhliil condition of its several 

 members. 



The cost of such a work will no doubt be very 

 great; amounting to between 20 and 30 millions of 

 dollars. — But it is believed that the means of its 

 accomplishment may be obtained without serious 

 inconvenience, either to the community or to indi- 

 viduals; and I here take leave especially to suggest 

 the manner of procuring them. 



The United States riow pay annually for the 

 transportation of a daily mail weighing less than 

 half a ton, one hundred and twenty-five dollars per 

 mile, the daily distance being only 70 miles. 



This annual expenditure regarded as interest at 

 four per centum, the rate at which government 

 loans may be effected, answerto a capital of ^3125 

 for each mile, or ^3,078,125, for a distance of 985 

 miles, the computed length of the contemplated 

 rail road. 



For the transportation of a mail the weight of 

 which does not exceed half a ton through a daily 

 distance of 200 miles or nearly three times the 

 present daily distance, the United States can af- 

 ford to pay double the price above stated, viz: 

 $250 per mile annually, Avhich is equivalent to an 

 interest of four per cent., on a capital of §6250.— 

 This sum for each mile on the entire distance from 

 Baltimore to Memphis, 985 miles, will give for the 

 aggregate amount .$;6, 156,250. 



Let the companies organized and associated for 

 the construction of the road borrow this amount 

 from the general government, giving proper secu- 

 rity for the payment of interest thereon, till such 

 time as the road shall have been completed; and 

 for the subsequent transportation of a daily mail of 

 the weight and through the distance last mention- 

 ed: — and in addition to this amount, let the associ- 



