Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-11-15
nail Road Fever.

ukosA 1Oo0 Eevef.
Euaorr, q The present time, seems tobe
oven over tcshe rail-road manin. In Eng
land, particularly, The fever has reach ed an
une anpled height, = ~ examination Of
Tie foreign intelligence conia;nrA in our
paper Of to-day will show. Capitalists
stand ready to take. up the stock OF every
new project, without, 1t would seem, ever
stopping to enquire into the utility OF the
contemplated Improvements. We see it
ssased that The wAole q the London Sun Of
the ID If October il occupied with rail-
road advertisements; and it Is further adj
led that the Londen Tines, Chronicle and
Herald, are such 1t present making from
$4,000 to f50O0 week BY these advsr-
Elements. Iron, in consequence Of dse ex-
trsordinary demand, has risen handsomely
IN price. and Is SIN advancing. Where
and when the mania 10 to end Of course no
one can predict with absolute certainty;
but many Of the wiser and more rejecting
men Of the land, we notice, predict great
ruin and loss to vast numbers who have
been induced thus to invest their means by
the pervading excitement, while others
even 60 80 Ear as to prophecy general ex-
plosion.
But It s not in Europe aloae that this
rage for investment in rail-road stocks pre-
walls. In our own country, and particu-
larly in the Eastern States, the moneyed
men have been seized with the same cpl
demic, and stocks that have been in the
market for years are now eagerly sought
after, and obtained only al greatly advanced
rates. Within tho last year or two the
railroads Of New England and New York
Trade, a. they were, at COST but little
over half Of that which had previously at
tended the construction Of such roads
have yielded, besides keeping themselves
in repair, handsome per cent. upon tie
amount Of tie original cost; and it is to this
fact, We presume, chat the desire which
has recently manifested itself to make in
vestments in works Of similar character
Is to be ascribed. The utility of railroads,
and the advantages possessed BY them over
all other kinds Of inland communication,
are, We believe, now generally acknowl-
edged; and should experience demonstrate,
As we doubt not il will, that with judicious
management they can be made source Of
profitable investment, the fact will be re-
sarded as most important BY every well
wisher Of the country,
The happy effect Of railroad improve
meuts, in binding together, ~ It were, our
widely extended country, is conceded, we
believe, generally. Through them time and
space have been ,neasurably annihilated;
citizens Of the remotest States, separated,
IS was supposed, by an ,mpassable gulf
Of distance, have become, comparatively,
neighbors, mingling with each other in al
most daily intercourse; sectional preiudices
have been eradicated; the cohesive power
OF the Union has been strengthened, and
our people have been inspired with re-
nswed faith in the perma nency oflheir hap
py institutions. These ale some Of the
beneficial results Of the introduction Of
rail-roads and other speedy modes Of CON-
veyance-resulls which have only TO be
contemplated to npress all thinking mind.
with their vast Importance. We hope,
sincerely, that in this country at least the
numerous protected roads in which our
men Of enterprise and capital are about in
ves;ing their means may be carried on 10
successful completion, whatever may be
the termination Of the mania on the other
side Of the water.