Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-04-04
From the Phiiadslphia North American.
Substance Of Speech, OF Hon. Oliver II
Smith, of Indiana.

Smith, OF Indiana.
Al SAMSON Street Hail. The Central Railroad, on The
l4fh inst.
GErrLEMEE-Ii gives much pleasure TO have This OPP
nny sbdrd Of adies>ing lage aud fespeeiaoie an
audience Of ezrns # native Safe subject OF COM
interest all refer to the great Central Railway
We live, gen lemen progressive uf the woild men
moving the and III I'D with the velocity OF
1.-The wind.. while the cumnnnc ~ Of their thoughts
made with the speed Of the ghnng The world seems 10
be in great huty he rems 10 be too ardy
in lie movements The report from the lightning rods
mpaeniy wand f,l il a few minutes eape before the
receipt Of intelligence from remote parts Of the globe
gay il is wonderful aud astonishing people
AS Of yeelday few States fnei"g the Atlantic eompris
cd the Of Uni,n the Wct valley Of
the Mississippi The West then what The Centre
now AID the West then The nknowH. The spirit
# mprov and the OF the people have kept
progress Of the in pfe-emnent d~giee But
few years aud the McAiami.ed load ileed
canals locking the boats up
and down upon the waters, brought into use
supposed that further Improvement could be made wou
be necessary Still hayr lived the construction of
canals obsolete dea and the power of exrIs
its unIivaled sway The land, well the wa
With of the age, railroads be-
the order Of The day. and he who talks Of any other
mode 81 conveying freight and passengers between distant
/ points is behind The times
Cur possessions and people, have become vastly
extended covering Territory reaching em the shores of
the Atlantic the Pacific Ocean, that il is due TO our breh
Pacific well ourselves. reside
East aud the Centre that we should be connected by rail-
roads, extending from The Atlantic the Pacific aud eau
not permit myself to doubt the construction Of such rail-
way, at comparatively early day, and that
river. Such road will be demanded by both private
public considers ions, and hesitate say that il will
be made. The indefagabe Mr.. Whitaey is still pressing
his and his plan. cerainy do desire
ere in the matter but candor compels say that in
opinion, his route far NORTH the purpose
the centre and his plan wholly Prdctcdbe; The
he looks to construct The road. work of
magnitude and such immense (no than 500
600 0o0) will not in my opinion be constructed in this
generation, unless the government up the work
rectIy OF indirectly with energy and po,cer.
now proceed TO speak directly Of the Importance
TO Phil depha and the cities and country along
linz Of Constructing the g,eat Central Railroad from Phla-
dephia. through Pittsburgh and Indianapolis Louis
Gentlemen will please follow pointer the lines
the maps aud show their Connections aud the direction
the trade Of the West is taking Here Mr. traced
mnuely the lines, which The adler may do maps
BY these lines you have distinctly placed before you this
great chain Of railway which is yet the Atlantic
cities with the Pacific Ocean, passing through
The great Mississippi valley. apprised that many
of people OF the Eastern cities have
look the trade aud buiness If the Mississippi valley
Of consequence. From This remark excep, the
citizens Of New York That city has put forth heI energies
and her aud stands with etched
receive the commerce of mighty valley, and by aid
Of her railways penetrating the heat OF the valley and
connecting them Wi the lakes she is fat dveIng trade
TO her embrace, that in the grasp
dephaj and lei say, in fIankness The citizens OF my
native oiy that there Is time to be s business rca-
ODs daily pIinging up, channels of daily
opening rival routes to lyal cities that il will
il not impossible, for you to divert # lefi long.
am satisfied you will with in opinion, after
you have weighed the facts aud statistics about to
sent that the vasDes of The and business This
the greatest Of all the valleys in the known world eau
scarcely be realized, even at the present day. What will il
be in half century more Who tell ask your at
enOn 10 statistics connected with this
county, known the MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. There ave
674 miles Of rivers penetrating fourteen Stlies that empty
their into the below New Orleans while there
but 1884 mes Of Northern Lakes dschargng their wa
tiers through the ST. LswIence-l500 steamers besides 9TH
craft ply these iivers, with tonnage of over 2OO
600 ions. navigaed by 900 men, expense
over 000 and annually isn,poling mereh ind,s ia
100000 Take the single port of New
ORLEANS The produce Of the county reached New
Orleans in the year 1886, amounted To than $685.
000000 requiring over 2O00 vessels 10 cary off surplus
Let up the river Mississippi the map to ST
LoUIs where my pointer Iest In year iS49 the
exports and imports of the city of ST. Luis were over
O0O0-equal one-thid Of all the foreign commerc.
Of the United States that flats in American bottoms.
arrived at that port the same upwards of 5000 steam
ers 900 fats keels and barges The com mece
the city Of Cincinnati am unable give but appox
that of ST. Lpui; its population il much geater
having increased within recollection from about 5000
100000 souls and only the beginning of the end
These facts give faint idea Of The business of thu
West present and prospective, and Of the importance to th
city Of being connected with IT, at the earliest possible day
| by a continuous line of substantial railway.
am that the eyes Of many look TO Piffsburg Al
the goal Of their rishe aud hopes If they look beyond
merely step to Cincinnati ST. Louis noddips
u to Western Ohio, Indiana and Illinois they pass, 1t i
assuredly That the road must be made Ptbugh be
fore you avail yourselves Of any special benefits from
the interior of the country roads beyond equal
Iy tue, shall attempt to show you, III 4 however i'm
portant aud profitable road be when constructed
10 Pittsburgh its greatest benefits be ultimately de-
rived through the country and road. passing through
teor upon the direct line to 81. Louis 1t would qur
time than would be prudent for occupy on thi
OCCASION you have heard address already this even
ing. 10 speak of Western Ohio and Illinois, their trad
and business; you may Judge Of them from what have
say of INDIANA, Of which it becomes speak When
first her beautiful forests and praes year 1917
q she contained population Of about 10000 We nov
n have population of at least 900 00O and are standing
fourth rank of States, and by the Of 1850 sh
will advance step in the galaxy of States form
u this glorious Union The most OF her territory consisting
Of AGO 600 acres then 10 the occupancy of the
Of the Forest who has long since departed
either beyond the Mississippi TO another, and hop
happier state Of existence. AT This lime there are bu
900 of public lands State and in
few years every will be held by The
!, of the State 10 unsurpassed for fertility while the prae
large preclude settlements them Their
in the State 7740 miles Of bituminous COAL
in abundance, and The water power ample for
bushels. pork raised for the mark.
100000 hogs, So The crop proper
tionaby larger than that of the wheat do moi propose
into the statistics Of the products Of the State spea
Of her colleges sciences and schools, merely refer to
few articles Of produce to show the char Of
10 tIy, even at this day.
10 The lire Of the Central Railroad with which your roa
! viii connect, running from Terre Haute the wabasi
I'D hrugh Indianapolis the line of the State of Ohio wi
the line containing axsbes the amount Of $50
and SO 63S taxable polls Our seat Of Government contain
in lS40 only population Of 692 contains abou
1000, aud is iadidly swelling into inland city. Yo
gentlemen. what Indiana and is, from which
may Judge what she will be- Has Philadelphia no inefe
in trade Of Indiana Nev York has the qus
IN ton herself and leave il for Phade phans
T. for their beautiful city, cannot doubt the
or But how she goodly portion Of Ia answe
but 10 way and that by availng herself Of DC
son, and by using her in the only way
hs pish the end and that by completing her
Ike railway continuously to Ptsburg without moments
to necessary delay and then, by aiding with lines
of Of Pittsburgh in constructing roads through
OF great valley with you. Donations
purpose asked; not expected; but do ask h
you shall subscribe work that win add largely yo
estates and yet have the effect to aid work; ye
will first the stock, worth all you give for M and
ondy will enhance the value Of your real lrg
y while you will add much to the prosperity busine
VI. Of your cherished city. hope learn that you have
given the aid ynur