Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-08-16
RAILROADS AND CANALS.

can OIL yesterday, exhibits IN strong point OF
the immense advantages derived from Railroads and
Canals These means of communication between
distant points of our vast confederacy cannot be
much encouraged. They form at once the founda-
ton OF social intercourse, of mercantile facilities
and of national defence.
The Trade of The West and The Cities Of the Easf.-rhe
Western Railroad, connecting Boston with the New York inn
provements, and thereby with the great West opened in
SAL The increase Of that city since, in wealth and popu
lation, exhibits astonishing results In Is4l the vaua
lion OF property in Boston, real PERSONAL was in ag
gregate s9s, 100000 The year following it amounted to
SiO6 1888 30O and in 1874 the gross valuation reached the
aggregate of Sis $50, 800.
Here in period Of three years increase is shown of more
than twenty millions of dollars and, what makes il the
Remarkable it advance of twenty per cent? or fifth
on the original valuation
Within three years after the opening Of the Erie Canal the
city Of New York increased about thirteen millions Of dollars
which was an advance of twelve and half per the
valuation of the real and personal property of the city
In connexon with these statistics the Albany Argus refers
to EDMUND BURKEs Of the g European Settlements
in America" written in l757-eghty- eight years ago
There in all the provinces Of New England" says
BURKE, "large towns which drive considerable trade Bos-
tom the capital of Massachusetts, Bay the first city Of New
England and Of Ameica contains least 20, 900
inhabitants"
Since that written, although Boston has in
creased in population than fouo she longer the
chief city OF America. With population Of $4,000, not
TO include Brooklyn with its 10000, the city of New York
has become the commercial emporium of the Western Cont
nent lightweight years ago New York had twenty
thousand inhabitants few years she WILL with her adj
juncts number half million What astonishing increase
And where when is it to stop Perhaps there those
now living who will her, in respect TO population, great
er city than London, Within the eighty eight years
Philadelphia has ahead of Boston in population has
Baltimore, SO has New Orleans Nevertheless the increase
OF Boston, since the opening OF the Western Railroad gives
foretokenng that she will remain aggnrd
in the of prosperity We quote Of the remarks OF
the Argus in relation to these wonderful transformations
$50 what may this change be attributed Is clear
y TO the influence Of the Western trade, which be
mine OF wealth, power and population, almost beyond hu
man calculation In the days OF Edmund Burke the West
was but little known II referred only a will
demess. America then bounded by the Aleghanes
Even such speculative minds Burkes the settlement and
future glory of the Valley of the Mississippi scarcely al
uded to- To their minds there seemed land enough this
side OF the Aieghanies for hundred years TO come No
monarchist could fully appreciate the progressive and
enterprise of the race, perhaps may rather
say Of AngloSaxon feemen. hundred years have not
elapsed and people have already crossed the Aeghanes
and advanced their settlements thousand miles beyond that
mountain barrier. No fancy wild to imagine such
progress in 1884, but that very expansion has built up the
great cities of America
'sThe settlement Of New York and Ohio forced
the construction of the Erie Canal which literally united the
of the Western with the Atlantic For
twenty years. the wealth of the eemng West has poured
down that avenue and already has placed New YoRK on
| an emnence the Commercial Emporium of America.
PHILADELPHIA and BALTIMORE have advanced under the
impetus, while New ORLEASs has marched with rail-
rapdity commercial greatness. CIScISNAT that
once wilderness valley, after the lapse of forty five years.
tains thriving population Of u.s. 600 inhabitants Even ST.
LoUs, thousand miles of the Aeghanies, is already
rivalng Cincinnati And PrTTsBURG, the iron city of the
West, is becoming second Birmingham. In vicinity
ALBANY, TRor, Urea, SYRACUSE ROCHESTER,, and Bur-
PALo look the West the great fucrum of their future
advance in prosperity and population. Such the remarka
BILE and oveshadong influence of the West upon the cities
America, in only fifty years after the first breaking up
its SOIL Who estimate its influence hundred years
hence ,"
The completion of our railroad to the Ohio would place
Baltimore in commanding position regards the trade Of
the West She would be the head Of the Great Contra
Route At this what immense benefit would the Go
derive from the Of that Here orders
from day day for troops go Texas, and from this
city Major RseeoLDs fine corps of Light Artillery abou
to be embarked by If the road the Ohio
finished they could be placed in Parersburg twenty hours
and thence, in few days, New Orleans In the Of
the communication by would be INSTRUCTED nigh
be entirely off The whole country would then suffer
the of this important link in the chain Of central
muncaton with the West But in spite of all difficulties
will look forward with full confidence the early completion
of this great route