Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-06-04

because they are obvious to the humbest capacity Among these, the general appreciation of landed property all through the Valley would not be among the least, It would be the means of building up Decatur and Tuscumba, into towns of great commercial importance, and of giving to COurtland consideration which no town in the north at tbis time possesses
 To the town Of Tuscumbia it is a work of the last importance as to that aone she must look for the means, Gas Florence does 10 the Canal) of sustain ing her preCocious growth. Let this work be accom- plished, and what change would be wrought in the aspect of her affairs. X general advance in the va iue oi every species ol property would be the i'm mediate result. The ROW tenanlIess stores and man sions, would at once be filled with enterprizng mer- chants and industrious artizuns The appearance of dleness and inactivity which now presents itself to the eye of the stranger would give way to life bus tie and activity. From its beautiful localities the saubrlty Of Its climate and 0ter advantages its dis tinguishing characteristics wonld undoubtedly be, "--- noise and hurry nll-ihe thronged street, The close piled WAIT house and the busy shop" II cannot be considered an mm0derate computa- ton, or beyond the bounds of reasonable calculation when the enhancement o the value of real estate in that town alone, IS estimated at $l00,000 and so in proportion through all the circumacent country.- The mighty revolution which tie propagation of the Rail Road system s destined to effect in all tine ci- vii and social relations of liie almost oustrips the extravagant conceptions of poetry. They operate upon the general interests of society, in tlesamc way that machinery for saving labor do in manufactures; they enable the farmer the mechanic, and the mer- chant, to convey their commodities 10 market, and to receive return, at least one hundred times cheaper than by ordinary roads. As 10 all the purposes of beneficial communication, they diminish the distance between places, and therefore encourage the cutva- ton ot the most extensive and remote parts of the country. They create sources ofiniernal trade, and augment lle old channels; for, the cheaper the fru fnf ,t,l o, ton, and the greater the of the products of the country for sale, the greater will be the commercial exchange of returning merchandise, and the greater the encouragement 10 manufactures by the increas- ed economy and comfort of living, together with the cheapness and abundance of raw materials they are advanace0usto to towns and villages by destroying the monopoly of the adjacent country ani dsribut- ing the advantages of easy transit through the whole country; for though some rival commodities may be introduced into the cid markets. yet many new mar kets will be opened by increasing population, en- larglng old and erecting new towls angmenting irl- dlvidual and aggregate wealth, and extending for | eign commerce.
 The prosperity of ancient Egypt and China may in great degree he attributed to their inland navi- gailons and consequent facilities of internal inter- course. With little foreign commerce, the former of those countries by these means attained and the latter possesses population and opuence in pro- portion to their extent unequaed in any other And
 
 of modern times depreved of their canals, would lose the most prolific sources of ther prosperity and greatness The means of internal communication, ls in fact to the community, what exterior navi- satl7n is to the great family of mankind. As the Ocean connects the nations of the earth by the ties of commerce, and the benefits of communications so do lakes rivers, canals and rail roads, operate upon the inhabitants ofthe country. And it has been well observed, that |" were to make the supposi- ton Of two States, the having all its cities towns and villages upon navigGble rivers and canals and having an easy communication with each other the other possessing the common conveyance of land carriage and supposing both States to be equal as to soII climate and industry, commodities and manu. lectures in the former State might be furnished tlir- ty per cent cheaper than the atter orn other words the first State would he third richer and more af: fluent than the other" So much for the advantages of Rail Roads, with the ordinary propelling power | The progress that has been made within the last few years in the adaptation of steam to road car rlages, has been most extraordinary, and the pros. poets which it holds out of human improvement are almost beyond the power of imagination tc contem. plate. The Steam Engine Sampson, lately drew from Liverpool to Manchester, freight of Onc hn1, drcd and tJiy-0He tons, in two hours and twenty minutes. And we think we hazard nothing in say ing that the day is not far distant when one hundred tons will be transported from Decatur to TuScunJia in two hours, task easily accomplished by an en- zine of eight horse power. Then may the citizens iehbors, and the ladies make their morning visits lrom-town to town without interfering with their domestic arrangements.
 l We will now close this communication by ex- pressing q desire that it may meet the eye of some more experienced hand, and elicit the support of some better able to do justice to the subject .an we are. CLINTON