The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-11-02
From the Democratic Review for October.
F"'t RAILROADS, ao'i +ea

lmmense changes in the condition of ocal-
flies, called firth resources that otherwise
would have lain dormant, and greatly en-
hanced the welfare Of The people al large
as well as Of those in the particular sections
ihtpugh which they run. 81 They aro the
means by which, in default of natural means
Of transportation, the interior of a country
communicates with towns; and the growth
of city, which formerly depended upon its
geographical situation, now depends upon
the enterprise Of its cilizeDs in making
larger extent of county, as it were, tributary
to lis growth, by means of connecting rail
roads. Before the era of railroads, cities
were the result Of slow and expensive tran
sit, and beyond certain limits their growth
became almost impossible, unless natural
advantages Of water cdrriago gave them
greater breadth Of Territory whence TO de.
itivc support. With the advent of railways,
this difficulty ceased, and cities and towns
may now expand almost indefnit, ly. Twen-
" miles Of good railway are but'rs three of
land carriage; and farm one hundred miles
distant ilom city. and which was formerly
valulcss asa means ofsurplying it, becomes
now available and necessary to its swelling
growth. London, as an instance, increased
during the twenty years ending with 1881,
from l,0l3,O09 to l,56S,469. In the lat
ter year raj roads came into operation, and
tho, increase for ten years ending with lS4l.
was TO s,5G0,2Sl or 100000, being dou-
BILE the increaee which took place in the pre-
vious twenty years. From 1900 upto 1880, |
the population Of Boston increased from
$4,000 10 6l,302, or $4,000 souls; from
1880 TO lS45, il increased 52,G74 souls--
Ia this last fifteen years, railroads began to
connect il with the interior, and there are
now seven hundred and ten miles ofrailroads
that cost $22, 2,202, 200, all paying dividends,
aud radiuting frofn Boston to every part of
New-England. The increase of the populs-
tior Of Boston proper, by no means repre-
sents all the effects of the roads in swelling
the number of IFS people; the surounding|
towns contain great numbers of persons do
ing business in this city, whose dwellings
have been crowded out. Seven Of these
towns, on the outskirts Of Boston, had in
ls40, population Of $4,000; and 50, 900 in
ls45; and SO grsa, is the enterprise Of its
silizsns, that from being peninsula conhec-
ted nnly by a narowneck with the manlund.
The stupendous work Of filing up portion Of
the bay by earth Brought by railroad from
Rhode Island. has been undertaken, the re-
sui; of which must be TO give Boston, by
aid ofsihe railroads, the means of Indefinite !
expansion. Her railroad connecting with |
Hudson, and across it, with the northern
line Of New York railroads 10 Blffalo, has
opened vast resources TO her command
The Lake navigation throughout the west to
Chicago, brings through tho Welland
Canal TO Montreal, produce5laden vessels,
without transhipmen. The Canadian gov
eminent is about 10 cut a ship canal 10 |
miles from the ST. Lawrence, 10 let those
vessels into lake Champlain, where, at Bur
llngton, they will be met by a railload, TO
take the flour, &c. 10 Busion. A strong
movement is being made TO enlarge the
Champlain Canal, running GO miles from
Lake Champlain 10 Troy, 10 permit those
vessels, instead of discbarging a, Burlington,
to pass through New York city. BY this
means vessel laden at Chicago will clear
for Montreal and market; and instead OF
passing down the ST.. Lawrence TO Liver
pool, will come down through Lake Cham
plain 10 New-Y York, in, competon with the
Boston Railroads at Troy aud Burlington
Flour has this season been sent from Mon
trael to New York by this route, and is
found to be the chespes, by SO cents per
barrel. The comptroller of the State Of
New York has reported the canal lrevenues
for the fiscal year ending August 3lsl, at
$3.470,9O4, from which is 10 be deducted
100000 for superintsndence, $780, 600 for
the treasury, and 81 $4,000 pledged by
the constitution 10 the sinking fund.- leaving
The sum of 81 ,020,904 available for the pub
lie works. The largest portion of this ought
to be Immediately appropriated to the en-
largement of the Champlain Canal, With
view TO the western and Canada trade. II
will 90 far towards the annexation of Canada
to the United States. ~. i4H
While the Country, which but few
years since was the remote West, is thus
pouring forth its. wealth, and exciting The
Of rival cities for its enjoyment,
the distant regions beyond the lakes are
filling up, but more slowly, for want Of that
great facility for trade which the Lakes al
forded. The first settlers in any country
usually select for thsirabodes the banks Of
navigable waters, because there they find
cheap transit. Hence leaving the Lakes,
the settlers keep on the banks of streams
running into them; but as the western shores
have become comparatively crowded, they
left them and departed 1900 miles 10 the
shores of the Pacific. A means Of connec-
tion with those new setilementsi is indispen-
sable, and as the river is natural avenue,
50 is the railroad an artificial enc, and can
supply the route with all the conveniences