Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-10-02

assuredly prove so, in making rail roads, as in
all other works, for in these we shall have not
only "certain," "cheap" and SPEEDY" but
"safe" transportation, and from these will flow
wealth equalling that Of any other State. and
surprising most Of them. MISSOURI.
mo. IL
1t may now be asked, if these "rai roads" are
SO sure to produce ''cerlain," SPEEDY" "cheap'
and 'safe transportation" Where and how are
they to be built and by whom arc they to be con.
structed? The places where they are 10 be oca.
ted, as matter of course, must depend on the
will Of the people, in very great measure.
But yet, the situation OF the country, as inhu.
enced by the course and meanders Of its streams,
and ridges, as they are connected with large rich
bodies OF land and dense settlements Of people,
either no,o or in future to be congregated, so
as by these roads 10 benefit the greatest extent
Of country and population; having not only ref
erence to the present, but also looking mod.
crate distance in the future. These consdera.
tons ought to govern all, in the choice Of the
routes, for their location. 1t ought TO be borne
in mind by every person. that these roads canno;
possibly go to every mans door, and none ought
TO go for, or against their establishment, on that
account. Let every citizen consider, what is in
fact positively true, that unless such roads are
made, and until they are made, this State,
hardly e9ualled, certainly not surpassed in point
of natural resources Of wealth and power by
any State Of the Union, will continue 10 lag
behind nine.tenths OF her sisters; for as in the
houses OF the slothful there is poverty, and in
their fields, briars, thorns and blights, so it will
emphatically be with the State, which remains
sluggish and inactive, while all her sisters are al.
ready awakened to their true interests, and are
adopting with vigorous hands all the wonderful
Improvements OF this wonderful age. There
fore, let every citizen Of Missouri determine to
give his support to this greatest Of all works
and let some one, or more, great central lines
be determined on, to the extent and no .fu7the,
Of our means and resources, and trust 10 its par.
ticular location, by those who are selected and
best able to Judge OF the advantages or injury
Of particular routes, and il any are, at first
left 100 far from its path, to get all the benef,
he may wish, let him rely with confidence, that
as soon as one main stem is completed, branch
will reach him. In short, let there be no "doe
in the manger" policy thought Of by any one
on a subject that so deeply interests all the Cit.
zens Of the State, for all experience Of these
roads, both in Europe and America, proves tina
no general road is made, in Kingdom or State
but what the benefits are more or less felt by al
the subjects or citizens, and for some evidenc,
Of this, we ask attention 10 the startling, bu
authentic facts stated in my last number, in rela
ton 10 the comparative advantages Of railroad
over stage coach travel, which in Europe as wei
as America, was considered the best mode o
travel, before ailroads were constructed.
still, the writer should be asked his opinion, whcl
are the routes that ought first to be attempted, h
does not hesitate to give his opinion, but if othe
routes shall be preferred, he will be equal
anxious 10 see them completed. All he asks is
that those selected, may be the most likely t
advance the interests of the greater number G
people.
1t is evident 10 the writer, that one OF tn
most useful locations for rail road, ought I
begin somewhere at, or near, the Western lin
OF the State, on or near the divide between tn
waters Of the Missouri and Usage Rivers, an
as near as may be, pursue that divide, dowr
| To Ia
then cross the Usage and Gasconade rivers, an
when you reach the high lands, between III
latter and the Merrimac, near Massey's Iro
works, then it should fork, one going down thos
high lands 10 St. Louis the other going pal
Massey's and passing down through the mineri
country till it reached the Mississippi. either
Cape Girardesu, Commerce or New Madrit
that where the above road crosses the high land
between the Usage and Merrimac, there ougt
10 be stem run on the divide between III
waters Of the Usage on the one side, and Gascor
ade and White river on the other, through Sprin!
field and so 10 our south west borders OF III
State, which in very few years will be e,
tended 10 Texas, and which will be so far made
OF the great railroad soon 10 be constructed
Oregon and California. The extension to Tex
will soon be made because it is the direct lin
OF land travel, indeed the only practicable way
for travellers TO the United States from for
} out OF the five States that will be made OF Texa
On the north side Of the Missouri, the people al
already moving on this great subject, and al
projecting a road from ST. Joseph to Hanniba
The writer will rejoice to see it made. Whe