The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-11-12
a RniIroad Argument.

boats have met with accidents? upon the
Ohio River, by which some $50, 900 worth
of merchandise has been either injured
or destroyed. 1t may be said that it was,
and doubtless with truth, the result of
carelessness, But for the purposes of our
argument it makes no difference. Such
occurrences have taken place and will
take place, for anght we know, 10 the end
of time.
The loss that fell upon this town is
very small in comparison with other pla-
ces. But it was loss, dead loss, and
future exertions must repair it.
Who can tell upon whom the next loss
will fall2 Some men in other towns,
were almost ruined-- may not the very
next accident cripple, ifit does not ruin,
some of the merchants in this place2
Sufficient unto the day, is the evil there
of" may be avery wise maxim in some
things; but it is not in this. Our mer-
chants and capitalists can almost entirely
avoid any such risks as sending by boats
upon Lake Erie and the Ohio River.
Ono such loss as this takes off much more
from their capital than would pay the in
terest on a very handsome railroad invest
ment, while at the same time they stand
a chance, if they make an investment of
this kind, of receiving from the stock
more than the interest of their money.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
Another thing. Loud and repeated
have been the complaints'we have heard
for years past, of detention of goods. of
failures 10 receive them in proper time
and of course failure to change their
capital ia the usual time. Within the
last few years, how many have been the
articles and how great the amount, which
have been detained until the season was
past and our merchants compelled to keep
them for another season or else sell them
at reduced prices Is there no loss in
thisl
Thelat storm has destroyed the Penn
sylvania Canal--to such an extent that
no goods can be shipped in that way du-
ring the present season. Large quaint.
ties of purchases will not reach their des.
tination until spring and then the greater
portion of them will remain in the hands
of the seller until the next season when
they must be sold at reduced prices. Is
there no loss herel
These things will be remedied by
Railroads. You do not have to build
them along water'courses, where every
freShet endangers transportation. The
cars will not sink and should they be So
on fire by spark from the locomotive o.
2 friction, the goods can be all thrown ou
before they are injured.
Our Farmers may think that they are
not interested in this part ofthe argument
' Yet upon reflection they will find tina
they are, almost as deeply as the Mer
chant. Commercial men make the
profits correspond with their capital in
9 vested, their facility to change none.
= quickly, their expenses and their risks
They must do this or else they will fnC
a themselves loosers in the end. The great
i ter the expenses and risk, the create
o must be the profits to make living bust
Il ness--and consequently the higher vii
- be all articles of commerce to the farmer
SO far also is the mechanic equally inter
ested.
All this, however though of considera
= bic importanceis is but small part of,he al
i gument The transportation ofproduc
Il the other way is subject to the same risk
=" the same delays and the same exper
ses. When the price is the highest, it
u locked up in the warehouse of the mel
u chant or the barn Of the farmer, with n
" way of getting it to market
We must have railroad and the soon
9 er the better. 1t is to our interest to hui
d ry the matter--for each day that is los
is of immense disadvantage. BY putin
it off, our merchants and our farmers pal
,. ticularly loose largo sums upon what the
=. buy and sell, while at the end of fe,
3. years the road will nave TO be constructe
at the same expense, when almost ever
.r one will look at the past and lament tn
e, sums they have lost by not taking earle
nd nd action upon the subj ect.
Another Argument.
The late freshets have damaged til
Pennsylvania Canal, the Ohio Canal an
: : the Hooking Valley Canal, so that nav
-, gation is stopped for several weeks, ifnc
. forthe season. Merchants goods are d,
" tained-Salt aud Coal are prevente