The undersigned committee, appointed "to examine into the character and validity of certain subscriptions made by certain counties, say, Moniteau, Pettis, Johnson, Morgan, Benton, Henry and Jackson, ask leave to report that they have performed that duty, and that they find the following persons fully authorized by the several County Courts to make additional subscriptions on the part of said counties, to the capital stock of the Pacific Railroad, to wit: For Jackson county, Wayman Crow, amount, $75,000 66 66 25,000 B W. Grover, 66 50,000 G. R. Smith, 66 25,000 do. 66 50,000 do. 66 70,000 $295,000 Making on the part of said counties,.... In the following named counties we find the subscriptions on the part of individuals, amounting to $117,200 .$422,200 Making in private subscriptions.. In regard to the private subscriptions above set forth, we are most positively assured by Messrs. Grover, Holden, Smith and Rollins, representing said counties, that the signatures are genuine, and that the parties are all able and willing to pay their respective subscriptions whenever the company may think proper to call for the same. The committee, considering the question of the "free right of way" in the Johnson county route as part of the duty contemplated by the resolution above quoted, have examined the bonds of various counties, and individuals guarantying the same, and find for Cole county the bond of Messrs. Price and Cordell. The original subscription lists, County Court orders, and right of way bonds, are in the possession of the proper officer of the Pa G. R. Smith do. cific Railroad Company, and can be referred to, if your Board shall desire other information than contained in this report. All which is respectfully submitted. (Signed) JOHN C. RUST, HY. S. PATTERSON, } Committee. To Thos. Allen, Esq., Prest. P. R. R. C. The following preamble and resolution was then unanimously adopted: WHEREAS, The counties contiguous to and along the line of the inland route of the Pacific Railroad, and the citizens of said counties, have in good faith, as we believe, secured to the Company the free right of way, and additional subscription of four hundred thousand dollars, as required by the eleventh section of the act of the Legislature, approved December 25th, 1852. It is, therefore, Resolved, That said Pacific Railroad, west of Jefferson City, be and the same is hereby located along the inland route, through Johnson county, to such termination in Jackson county, as shall be hereafter fixed by the Company, in accordance with the provisions of the Eleventh section of the act above recited. Hickman and Obion Railroad. South-western Kentucky and South-eastern Missouri, districts so long shunned by emigrants and neglected by capitalists, have recently become the theater of active and energetic measures in relation to public improvements. The men of these districts have had the sagacity to perceive and appreciate the fact that the natural point of connection between the railroad systems of the southeastern and north-western States is below the mouth of the Ohio river, and they have shown a wise forecast in seizing upon the proper time to commence their operations. Perhaps no other people ever had it in their power to develop their resources in as great a degree at so little cost. It is not necessary that they should build great trunk lines to connect them with distant parts of the Union. Let them ascertain and establish a point on the Mississippi where the two great systems can be conveniently connected, and they will encounter little difficulty in procuring the means to construct the short stems required to unite them with the great lines east and west of the Mississippi. By establishing the practicability of a direct line, at a reasonable cost, from a point opposite Hickman, Ky., to the Iron Mountain, Mo., they will bring the influence and capital of those interested in the great lines leading to Mobile, to Savannah and to Charleston, to aid in constructing the work west of the Mississippi; for it is obvious that the profits of all those works will be greatly augmented by a connection with the Mississippi valley railroad. It is not our purpose to indicate the point of connection on the Mississippi: we leave that to those more immediately interested and better acquainted with the country. The people of Hickman have acted with commendable energy; and possessing a good situation for a commercial city, bid fair to draw the lines of improvement east of the river to that point. We learn from the "Argus" that seven miles of the Hickman and Obion railroad have already been put under contract to be completed by the First of December, 1854. Nor do they seem to confine their views to their own side of the Mississippi the following preamble and resolutions adopted at a meeting of the citizens of Fulton county, on the 7th of November, 1852, show the enlarged and liberal views by which they are governed. Whereas, The time is near at hand when a connection will be formed by railroad between St. Louis, Mo., and the Mississippi river below the mouth of the Ohio, and Whereas, A railroad convention of the adjoining States is to be held at Benton, Mo., on the 14th inst., to devise ways and means to accomplish that object and designate the terminus for the same on the Mississippi river, and whereas in the opinion of this meeting, Hickman, Ky., presents under the circumstances the most favorable point for the same. Resolved, That Fulton county and the town of Hickman will cordially co-operate with our Missouri friends in designating the point for said terminus, and aid liberally in the construction of the road. Resolved, That by tapping the Mississippi at Hickman, the chain of railroad connection between the great Northwest and the South and Southeast would be complete-that there it meets the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad in a direct line for Nashville, Tenn., Charleston, S. C., and Savannah, Ga., also the States of Virginia and North Carolina; also the Mobile and Ohio Road with all their connections south and east-thus opening up to the mineral and agricultural interests of Missouri, a market without a parallel in extent and value. Resolved, That the route from Hickman to Benton or its vicinity has been found to be entirely practicable for a railroad, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad via New Madrid. 121 presenting no obstacles which are formidable; the Mississippi bottom being already levied and protected from inundation. Twenty-eight delegates were appointed by the meeting to attend the convention at Benton. St. Louis and New Orleans Railroad via New Madrid. We find in the Journal of the Times, published at New Madrid, Mo., a well digested article entitled "St. Louis and New Orleans," in which the author proposes a railroad connection between these cities by a line crossing the Mississippi at New Madrid. The writer says: ,,In regard to this extensive road, this important fact should not be forgotten, that a large portion of it is already in contemplation, but with a desire to connect other points. This proposition is only an extension of a preconceived plan of roads. This proposed extension increases the chances of each division of the road, and strengthens the entire scheme. The New Orleans and Jackson Road is now under contract. The road from Jackson to Memphis is regarded as a certainty. The St. Louis and Iron Mountain road is under contract in part -all located. The only link in the whole chain from N. Orleans to St. Louis, missing, is from the Iron Mountain to Memphisdistance about 160 miles. The proposition and the facts are presented to the public. It may not be the best or most feasible plan which might be projected for connecting these points, but it is certainly the one some will regard as the best, most feasible, and more propitious of consummation. It is of no ordinary importance to this line that the point proposed for a crossing is superior in every particular to any other on the river, from Cairo to New Orleans. The Madrid Bend banks are high on each side of the river, with no impediment from high water-the country on either side being entirely free from inundation-from swamps, or anything that could be regarded as an obstruction-ad infinitum. The climate is mild; no obstruction from ice has ever occurred here, nor has steamboat navigation ever been interrupted at this point by ice, low water, or otherwise. Another advantage of crossing at Madrid is, the connection the line in question will have with the Nashville Road." We regard a railroad connection between St. Louis and New Madrid as being of sufficient importance to authorize the building of a branch from that place to some point on the Iron Mountain road, whether such branch should ever become a link in the line of travel to New Orleans or not. But it is doubtless true that an extension of the line to Memphis would enhance the value of the Iron Mountain branch, and, until a more direct route can be obtained to New Orleans, would be of great advantage to St. Louis. It should be borne in mind that the improvements of the age demand an approximation to air lines, and we trust that the enterprising citizens of New Madrid and Hickman will give this fact its due consideration before they determine on a route in the direction of St. Louis. Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroad. Few of our readers, we believe, are aware of the steps which have been taken in the prosecution of this important enterprise; and fewer still, perhaps, have contemplated the peculiar office which this road is calculated to perform, by connecting the Lake Erie and Canadian systems of navigation, railroads, and commerce with the great central system of the Mississippi valley at St. Louis. The following extracts from an "Exhibit of the Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroads" cannot be otherwise than interesting to all our readers. [From the American Railway Times.] The valley of the Maumee River, from the mouth on Lake Erie to Fort Wayne, and that of the Wabash River, thence to its south bend near Lafayette, form in their course a direct track, as far as the last named point, between Toledo and St. Louis. The work herein presented under the name of "The Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroad," is a constituent part of line from Toledo to St. Louis, and represents the Indiana portion of that line, in length, 168.54 miles. The following remarks, unless otherwise expressed, refer to the road in Indiana. The Ohio portion from Toledo to the State line of Indiana, 75 miles in length, under the title of the Toledo and Illinois Railroad," will be prosecuted at the same time and by the same parties, (though necessarily under different organization,) for which due arrangements have been made, by a perpetual lease of the Ohio road to the Indiana Company. These combined lines will introduce us into an existing chain of roads. now nearly completed, through Illinois to Alton and St. Louis, and |