Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-10-02
TO THE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI.
M az

foreign rail roads, so as be able TO use their
results as examples to US, find from various
statements in print that may be relied on, that
The first effort 10 make q rail road for general
transportation in England, was commenced in
1929 and opened for travel in $780, from Liv.
erpool 10 Manchester, a distance OF about 80
miles; that in June, 1915, there was 2 IS miles
in operation in that country, and that the re.
ceipts for passengers and freight, for the year
ending 30th June, 1915, was small fraction
less than 80 millions of Dollals! A fraction
short OF twelve millions OF this sum was received
for freight Of goods, and the other Is millions,
for passengers. The locomotives employed on
these roads for that year, done the work. in
carrying passengers, Of so thousand stage coaches,
and the saving to each passenger, per mile, was
% pennies over stage coach hire; that the whole
amount saved that year, by those passengers, by
going in the cars, instead OF coaches, according
to their previous rates. was over 26 millions
Of dollars; allowing there to be saving Of 8
hours each, by the speed Of the cars. over that
Of the stage coach, there was saving in lime, OF
near 46 millions OF hours; and allowing that
each passenger could earn Cd. each hour, nearly
six millions Of dollars was saved to the ndiyid
uals who travelled that year; while it is calcula.
ted that the difference which they saved in tavern
expenses, was over two and one half millions
Of dollars, by the rail road travel, over that by
Stage coach travel, as it existed previous TO the
rail road system
In Belgium, for the year 1914, there was
received on 34S miles OF rail road then compile
ted. about two and quarter millions Of dollars,
nearly one Of which was received for freight and
the balance for passengers.
In France there is probably now in operation
about $500 miles Of rail road. In Austria, near
1000 miles; besides, in all the countries oil
Germany, Russia and even Spain, rail roads are
being rapidly constructed.
The length Of rail roads, now in operation
in The United States, is about 1850 miles
How many Of these are in Missouri None.
And already there are active measures taken lc
swell the amount 10 10000 miles, which will
in very few years, not only be completed, bu
new ones will be begun and finished, 10 double
the amount. Will any of these be in Missouri
or shall we content ourselves 10 be behind al
creation? Remain satisfied with our "snags' anc
''sawyers,' that sweep off yearly many Of oul
valuable fellow citizens, into watery grave, anc
our roads, 'made without hands," there 10 tug
and sweat, and fret our lives away, in constant
and daily tolls which cease only with our lives
= and die behind, in many Of the valuable gih
of civilization; and live, instead OF life OF ele
gance, wealth and ease, as the richness OF ou
State promises, if her gifts are improved, a lie
of Improbable toll; and while our neighborins
nations and States, are whirling by us, at the
rate oil forty miles an hour, sitting on their luxu
rous cut velvet cushions, we are trudging upor
our miserable Buffalo paths" every now anc
} then prizng out our slow, but time honoret
vehicles with the rails from our neighbors
. fences, at the rate of forty miles day. at more
Than double the cost which our neighbors' pay
for their safe, speedy and elegant journey Of the
same distance.
| ask the people OF Missouri to consider these
matters; they are real and no fiction. The writer
as 10 the rail roads in America, speaks from
personal knowledge having passed over the mos
OF them time and again. Let them arouse them.
selves as one man TO the work, and rail roads
will be here as they are in every country, al
least century's advance to the people who
construct and use them. Let one and all Join
in the work. the butden will be light, the tGsk
easy, and the result no; only satisfactory, but
profitable. Let them remember an old and truo