Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-03-28
The Great Central Route.

Acc0rdDg.to en- announcement made for some days
past, meeting held Last evening. in Sansom
Street Hail. for the purpose of listening TO addresses
frum the Hon Oliver H. Smith, Of indiana, and Sui
ONION w Roberts, Esq. Chief Engineer of the Pitts
burgh and Ohio Railroad.
| Mr.. Roberts introduced to the meeting the Hon.
Oliver II. Smith, who expressed the great gratifica
ton he felt in addressing the citizens OF Philadelphia
on subject common TO them and those he repiesen.
ted After CHANGING rapidly ut the progress in the
means OF OcOmotUn, and referring 10 Whlineys plan
of railway to tie Pacific in terms of opposition TO
1t be turned To the maps, and commenced an able
and luminous exposition Of The Importance of the
great central route which is to connect this city with
ST. Louis, by continuous steam route.
4 The situation. character and Importance of rail-
roads In the west, Iitile understood at the
east. Commencing al St. Louis. and going eastward
he demonstrated That passengers could, by the great
central route, reach Philadelphia in fOTyeight hours
while passengers by the river would scarcely reach
Evansville IN the same space of time. We cannot do
anything like justice TO his explanation of this. and
other subjects linked with it, account OF the crowd
ed state Of our columns, but lie produced mass of
valuable testimony, which came with convincing eff
feet upon his >teners.
The route to ST. Louis stretches Vandalia; thence
to Terre Haute, ITO miles thence to Indianapolis.
the centre of Indiana, ~ miles; thence to Beefon-
tanc, the Indiana line 50 miles; thence to Galion
in northern Ohio, 100 miles; where it meets the west
ern terminus of the Pittsburgh and Ohio Railroad,
connecting at P,tsbnrgh with central road to this
city.
I His chief desire appeared TO be TO show the magni-
tude of the interest which clngs around this great
/ line. 1t midway Of the rivers and the Lakes,
and draws it the great wealth of the country through
which 1t passes.
1t is the proper policy of Philadelphia not permit
the trade of the interior, of Pittsburgh. to strike
the rivers, until it does ut Pittsburgh. If it does,
it may go to Baltimore, or other places but with the
opportunity offered by the Central route. it would
gather 10 IT, and find its natural outlet in Philadel
phia. No less than seven railroads coDcenter at In
dana polls, draining vast country, the richness oi
which he set forth by statistics would gladly give
place To if we had space. Indiana. State, stands
in the fourth rank aud will soon be in the third.
Upon the question of Cincinnati the western
terminus Of the great lne which many advocate. he
showed that there advantages in favor of the
route from ST. Louis TO indianapolis, which oyerbal-
anced it three-fud. Cincinnati has direct route to
the lakes md from the lakes travel naturally tends
10 New York at the expense of Philadt lpha.
He went into illustration of the riches OF the
West, especially with regard tn Its commerce; and
shall have occasion 10 on another occasion, the
valuable Statistics he offered.
In conclusion, he urged in the most forcibe man.
ner, the necessity of immediate action On the grea
matter city has in hand, and he hoped TO live tc
see the day, and that not far distant, when he could
travel continuous steam route from the MisSls
sippi, at St. Louis, TO Philadelphia.
| His remarks were received with frequent and en-
thusiastic applause, which they amply merted and
when he had concluded, the meeting brok. up.