The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-08
Railroads in the United states.


science in facilitating and communication be.
tween the different portions of the globe. And in no
country, when all circumstances are considered have
those achievements been greater than in the United
States. England, with the accumulated wealth of Gen.
,uues of civilization and of maritime supremacy. may
,rpass us in the magneence OF her iron roads and the
sDeed of her locomotives but other nation
,oua u.s. France is a sighess distance behind Yet,
eomuared with France, nation is a nation of yester
dav Seventy-three years ago but three millions of Eng
h coonists inhabited Atlantic coast and they were
sDarsey scattered from the Saint Lawrence TO the Gulf Of
Mexico These colonies now sovereign States, and
the three millions of inhabitants have increased to
nearly twenty five millions. They longer
fined to the eastern margin OF continent They have
rapdly assembled the Appalachian chain, passed the
valley of the Mississippi, on TO the Rocky mountains,
ike an nundang wave throwing its spray even the
shores of the Pacific Steadily they have advanced
ouering the wilderness, building cities, planting
mopwealths, filling them with high hearted freemen.
and giving unto all the nestimabe blessings of free
institutions Such has been the rapid growth of our
country The thirteen colonies thirty sovereign
States united together, and with public domain extend
ing from the northern lakes to the Rio Grande, and TO
the shores of the peaceful ocean, There many
who remember when our nation was poor and despised
Those men are yet in the vgor of life; and they
us great and powerful, our commerce whitening every
sea- and our flag known and respected in every land.
Itwoul be not Improbable task to trace the pro-
gress Of great achievements and note the various
energies which have produced prosperity but that
task belongs the historian and the philosopher If the
historian records faithfully and the philosopher reasons
Justly they will attribute the great work which has been
performed on the continent TO the noble govern
men which was established by our revolutionary fathers
The freedom of speech and of the press, the safety of
person and of property, and the equal rights guaranteed
to all by our free institutions have but produced their
legitimate effects. Intelligent labor and enlightened
enterprise looking to the government only shield
and defence against violence and wrong, have built
up our national fortunes rapidly, and on basis
more strong and durable, than legislative wisdom
conceived although it has been attempting for cenu-
ries to modify and improve the laws of trade and
of commercial intercourse and To establish artificial foun-
datons for national prosperity. Our Institutions leave
each individual free to choose his employment, and each
State free TO regulate its own domestic concerns; and
whole country is monument OF their success. That
aested by many works which would do honor
any age; but il aested by nothing fully than
by the rapidity with which have been opened
for trade and facilities have been furnished for
cial intercourse But it is present purpose to speak
of only species of public improvement; and have
selected that because it is combination of two great in
ventions which the present century may claim as its
own. The force of steam known before the com
of the nineteenth century, but had not been
successfully applied locomotive power. Railroads
were utterly unknown. Now, the railroad, with its To-
connective, may be found in every portion OF our
try. They have become familiar to every eye,
that but few persons think of estimating the great
benefits they have conferred and the great change which
they have produced in trade and travel The following
extract from the London Quarterly Review is appi
cable to the United States 10 England; and we pre-
sent as simple but forcibe illustration of the prog
OF the age:
good many years ago. Of the toughest and hardest
riders that crossed Leicesteshe, undertook per-
form feat which, just for the moment. attracted the gene
raj attention only of the country but of tho sporting
world. His bet was that II he might choose his turf,
and he might select many thoroug horses he
liked he would undertake ride two hundred miles in
hoars.
The newspapers of the day described exactly how sthe
squire" dressed; what he had been living how
he looked; how the word away he started like
row from bow how gaanty Tranby, his favote racer,
stretched himself in his gaop; how, arriving his
second horse, he vaued from saddle another how
he then flew the surface of the earth if possible, faster
than before and how the astonishment and amid the
acclamations OF thousands of spectators he last in
a winner!
Now, if at this moment of his victory while with dust
and perspiraton on his brow-hs exhausted arms dang
ling just above the painting TANKS of his horse which his
friends at each side of the bride slowly leading in
triumpha decrepit old woman had hobbled toward snd
In the name of science, had told the assembled multitude
that before she became skeleton. she and her husband
would undertake. instead Of 200 miles in ten hours go
o-thatis to say, That for every mile the squire had
Just ridden she and her old would go miles and
hal-that she would knit all the way, and that
he should take his medicine every hour and read her
Just as il they at hona; lastly, that they would under
take to perform their feat either in darkness in da Wight,
In sunshine or in Storm sin thunder, lightning, -
who, we ask, would have listened to the poor maniac z?
and yet how wonderfully would her prediction have been
fulfilled! Nay, wagons of Goals and heavy luggage
days lily across Leicesershre faster and farther than Mr.
osbalestone could go, Notwithstanding his condition and
that of all his horses.
Yes the prophecy would have been than fulfilled
not only England, but in the United States In 1927
just twenty two years ag6-here were but two railroads
IN the whole Union; from Quincy to Boston, made
TO carry granite for the public buildings in that city, the
other from Mauch Chunk, to convey coal from the mines
10 the place of transportation Neither than few
miles in length and steam not used as locomotive
power At the close Of the year lsi7 there was actually
completed in country $40 miles OF railroad at
OF s22525.937 Since that time other roads have been
completed, many are in progress, and many in
contemplation. There scarcely be less than 1000
miles of railroad now completed in the United States
These roads are principally between the Mississippi
and the Allegheny mountains and between the Allie