The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-11-18
TryOne Powers Impressions of
America.

proyements. The writer commences with
his opinion Of an article IN an English Re.
view, quizziug the Yankees for attempting
a rail road.
81 never in my life perused any article
more philosophical 10 spirit or more con.
elusive III argument the scheme was clear.
y shown not only TO be absurd but lmprac.
tlcable, the protectors proved either TO be
presumptuous lmIlaiors, or men profligate-
ly specializing upon the lgnoranl credullty
of their iellow.ciiiZens.
81 closed the Review, in short, admir-.
ing the clear judgment and practical far.
slghiedness OF the writer plying the Yam.
KEGS, for whom ] cherished a sneaking
kindness, and inwardiy hoping that this We.
ry clever exposition Of the folly Of their
seeking to counteract the manifest designs
Of Providence, which had so clearly demon.
stratcd their paths, might produce as full
conviction on their minds as II had on mine.
1--WE forgot the article aud its subject,
and was only reminded OF II by finding ny.
self ono iuo day whlsking along at the rate
OF twenty miles an hour, over well con.
s,rIcted railway, ono Of cargo Of four
hundred souls. The impossibihty had, IN
fact, been achieved and, 10 addition 10 The
natural roads offered by Sea, Lake, and
River, ! now found railways twining and
locomotives kissing like serpcnis over The
whole continent from Maine to Mississippi.
Binding the cold North 10 the eyer.Gowng
streams Of Georgia and Alabama, literally
Stih bagds Of iron, and forming indeed, the
natural roads Of country, whose soil aud
climate would set at nought all the inge.
uuiiy Of VI Adam, backed by the wealth Of
CrpsUs aud the fln, Of Derby SHIRE TO boot.
Nos, had such result been prognos.
itcaied only few Years back, the man
whose foresight had led To such large
view Of the subject would have been mouthed
al as a mailman, all over the American
continent, aud written down knase or ass,
OF boih, 10 every PRACTICAL Journal OF Ia.
rope.
"Sueh great changes constantly agita.
ted, are reduced to practice With prompt
iude OF which esen Eugl vIth her wealth
industry, snd enterprises, has little notion,
make discrepancies between tbs facts and
opinions Of rapidly succeeding travellers,
tor hich ocither the scrHctiy nor The Iudg.
menl ui the parties can fairly I've impugneJ.
Action here leaves speculation tagging
lar bcmnd the improvement once concciy.
cd is IN operation by such time as the op.
passing Iheorist has satisfactorily demon,
straied = lnpraclicabIliiy and tho dream
OF to-day IS the reality Of to morrow.
feel. ~ fact, difficulty IN describing
Without seeming hypefbole, the Impressions
! daily received, aud behold confirmed by
facts, OF the extraordinary spirit of move.
nent that appears to impel mcn and things
70 this country. thls grea, have wherein
there be no dtones this field, IN which
every man fluids place for his slough, aud
where each hand seems actually employed
either TO /" hold OF drive"
For ever wandering abou, as was,
and visiting, as frequently did, the same
places at intervals again and again, had
occasion TO be much struck with a state OF
things Of which was linus afforded con.
slant evidence !; take for instance;
Ny first journey in Sept. 1888, be.
tween New York aud Philadelphia, was by
steam buat aud railway, having cars drawn
by horS- over thirty five miles, which thus
occupied i've and half hours. In Octo.
Der OF the same year, did the same dis.
lance By locomotive IN two hours. When
first VISITED Boston, the Journey was per.
formed 10 twenty four hours, by steamer 10
/ Providence, thence TO Boston BY stage the
same distance now occupies fifteen hours,
railway having last spring been put IN
/ op. alton between Providence and Boston.
/ Again IN 1891, the traveller had but
one rough roue from Philadelphia TO Pits.
burg. lou eau now 60 third Of the DIS.
lance by rail road, and, getting into a ca.
nal boat, nrc dragged over the Allegheny
mountains, through series of locks no, to
be surpassed for strength or ingenuity OF
contrlvnncc.
In 1893, the journey from Augusta
Georgia, to New York, was an affair Of
eleven or twelve days; it is now performed
in three. Steam aud rail road, are IN fact
annlhllating time and space 10 this coun
try. In proof Of 1t, | can safely assert thai
ia traveller visiting the South. West SAY
from Savannah to New .Orleons, viii be a
the trouble OF recollectng this book in tn,
year 1897, he will fud the account of tn,
difficulties of my journey extremely anus
ing ; since, IN all human probability he vii
perform that in five days, which took me
with hard labor, perseverance, discomtor.
no, 10 say some peril Of life or limb, jus