Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-11-20

TO paint portraits or portray landscapes. We
Light our cities with gassts extracted from
the bowels of the earth whilst the web Of
the silk worm is fashioned by machinery into
beautiful raimcnt to adorn the persons. III
we have not taught the blind to see and the
dumb to speak, we have at least, Eliminated
their darkened understandings with the
rays of religion, truth and knowledge. We
cross trackless oceans, with as perfect a
knowledge Of courses and distances, as if
we were upon some well beaten highway
We ampu,ate limbs and perform the most
terrible surgical operations, whilst the pa
tient is luAuriating in pleasant dream. We
have asccrtained with perfect precision, the
almost infinite distances TO the sun, the moon
and the stars, whilst we can define with un-
erriag certainty the courses of the planets,
as they sing the praises of the Creator
Lately it has been announced, that hence
forth we are to subduc terrific connagrutions
with little vapour which may almost be
carried nyour trunk. There are but few,
a very few of the triumphs of science and
art; and yet they will suffice to remind you
Of the immense progress the human mind
has made in the march Of improvcment.-
Amongst the various inventions of the last
half century, there are few, if any, destined
to exert more potent influence upon the
physical condition Of man, and perhaps
may also add upon his intellectual and moral
nature, than such enterprises as that whose
commencement we are this day to commem-
crate. The rise and progress of railroad en-
terprise will hereafter form one of the most
intensely interesting chapters in the history
of physical science. The invention of the
railroad has indeed marked new era in the
social condition of the world, and will exert
an influence upon its trade inferior only tc
that of the application OF steam to navigation.
In many respects, think, the results will
be even more important than thosewhich have
ensued from the application of steam to the
propulsion of vessels. Whilst the steamboat
is necessarily confined to the courses of riv-
ers and lakes, and can on y dispense its bless
ings upon their margins, the steam car is
sent wherever the demands of commerce
require it. 1t is confined TO no particular
locality, nor deferred even by the most for
midabie obstacles. 1t runs over or under
mountains, crosses rivers, g!ides along the
Drinks OF preci pices, is stayed in its career
by neither winds nor waves, and yet ii is a:
submissive to the will of man, as a vel
trained spaniel. With its shrill whistle il
startles the denzcns Of populous cities, oil
frightens the wolf from his lair, in the depth.
oGthe forest. 1t breaks down the apparent.
ly impossible barriers Of nature, almost an.
initiates distances, and brings remote point:
into close juxtaposition. 1t stimulates in,
dustry in a thousand forms, encourage,
trade in its various ramifcations, gives life
and v,gor 10 commercial enterprise, build,
up cities with mngc power, and people:
the wilderness with incredible rapidly
But am anticipating my subject, and an
presenting in general terms, results whlcl
deserve to be illustrated in detail. Let II,
enquire, therefore, with more minutcncss by
what process railroads achieve these aston
ishing results. The projectors of the Han
nibal and St. Joseph Railroad, have embark
ed with most commendable zeal, in a vas
enterprise, involving heavy expenditure o
money, and il becomes us TO examine, at tn
commencement of the work, into the wisdom
oftheir conduct. Let US inquire for mo
ment, whether they are likely to realize nd
) vantagcs commensurate with the expense q
, the enterprise. or whether they are bestow
ing their time, labor and money, upon fruit
t less undertaking. In the latter event, the
: had better abandon il at once, but if the trut
| OF the first proposition can be demonstrate
, they will have the strongest possible motive
to prosecute the work with increased en-
l ergy and zeal. For myself do not enter
, tain doubt, that this road is destined
e confer benefits upon the country which
Y traverses, far exceeding the most sanguin
: hopes of its projectors. In the first place
: it will be built at very moderate expense
= compared with the cost Of similar enterpr
n ses elsewhere. In the second place, it wi
= traverse country of unexampled iertilit!
b capable OF sustaining in comfort, as dense
}, population as any portion of the globe. Th
n road will not only double, but in very fe'
: years will quadruple, the population with
;, the range of its influence. 1t will attract
= our beautiful prairies multiiudes of emgran
S who otherwise would seek other homes, mol
C convenient to market, with greater comme
d cial advantages, and from whence they cou