Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-09-18


which would appeal. in inevitable terms,
to the local interest of each portion of the
country.
The Legislature of Missouri, at its last
session, incorporated a company to build
and manage a railroad between Hannibal
and ST. Joseph, and granted charter TO
said company, which contains, in the main,
appropriate provisions. The people, in
many Of the counties, during the pas, win
ter and spring, held meetings upon the
subject, and solemnly resolved that such
an undertaking is not only practicable, hut
obviously demanded, by every con,idera.
ton Of interest. The Delegates of the
Chillicothe Convention, after full consid-
Grafton of the subject in all lis bearings,
have returned TO their constituents with
deeper feeling and stronger convictions of
its utility and expediency; and during this
week, the company will be fully organized,
and books opened for the taking of stock.
In view of these facts, it is now demanded
Of every individual to investigate the sub.
ect patiently, and to determine positively,
what he will do in the premises. Will you
seek to defeat the enterprise by speaking,
writing, and voting against it, in every
stage of its progress! Or will you urge
it on to a successful termination, not only
by lending an approving countenance, bu,
by literally investing your CAPITAL therein?
These are the questions which the import
ance of the subject, and the attitude in
which it now stands, address themselves
to citizens and property holders in Northern
Missouri, and demand speedy and intelli.
gible answer. Unless you who are most
thoroughly acquainted with the whole mat
ter, and are most vitality interested in it,
shall prove by your deeds that you are in
earnest, and shall manifest willingness to
embark your own capital in the enterprise,
it may be safely affirmed that THE Han.
nbal and Saint Joseph Railroad" will not
be built; for when man abandons his
own cause and interest, no one is found TO
take them in charge. The fate, then, of
the whole undertaking, depends upon an.
swers to be made 10 the above interroga.
tories. Come. let US reason together, and
determine VIVA, shall be the verdict.
The citizen, farmer or mechanic, who
proposes to take stock in the Hannibal and
ST. Joseph Railroad" should not suppose
that the money subscribed will be lost to
him and the community in which he lives;
for il will almost instantly return with ten.
fold increase, and open demand for the
very things which he and his neighbors
have in abundance, but cannot sell for
the want of market. Ii is to he observed,
that for every dollar advanced for the road
by citizens, eastern capitalists, and others,
will advance five, perhaps ten; and that q
large portion Of the whole capital stock
must be expended along the route for labor,
materials and provisions. The strongest
possible reason exists why labor should be
plenty and cheap along the route-which
is, that being so far from navigation, and
the costs of hauling being so great, the cli-
zen does not find it profitable to work upon
The farm, and can find no other work ia
do; hence, thousands would rejoice at an
opportunity to labor near home, at a nam.
moth price. All The materials for building
the road, except iron, may be found in
abundance, Immediately along the route
and the iron would be bought in the South.
ern part of the State; and provisions for
the men, cattle and horses, would every
where be obtained when needed. This
view Of the subject leads to the conclusion
that the farmer or mechanic may take stock
in the road, and pay for the same, (for thi:
would, in effect, be the operalion) with hi:
labor, or produce, and al the same time
furnish good market, and fair prices for
the labor and produce of his neighbours
Thereby bringing about not only individ,
ual and personal gain, bul general prospect.
~.
By constructing the proposed road, and
keeping the same in use. the real estate in
Northern Missouri will be much enhanced
in value; property will be advanced in
price in proportion as i, shall be convenien,
10 The road, and the appreciation will vary
perhaps, between ten per cent and one
hundred per cent. Indeed, it may be OBJ
served by any one travelling through the
intermediate counties, that the bare talking
of the road, and the granting of the char
ter, have already advanced the price Of
land between twenty five and one hundred
per cent, so that the Davies or Caldwell
county farmer, who was few short month!
since worth two hundred dollars, now con
siders himself worth double that amount
or nearly so. Hence, the land owner woule
not lose anything, were that necessary, by
donating one-half, perhaps more than one
half, of his land. Such donation would
be upon the same principles of economy
upon which the General Government ha
acted in regard TO internal improvement
in the new States, since the time that AL
/ bert Gallalin was Secretary of the Treas
, ury, who most urgently urged the appro
priaton of money TO the building of road
in the new States, for The purpose of en-
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