Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-05-22
Hannibal and st. Joseph Railroad.

court of Buchanan county, on the appica.
ton ~ that court for an increase of sub.
scripiion of stock to the Hannibal and St.
Joseph Rail Road. We would call the cs-
pecial attention Of our readers and the
county to the position of Buchanan couD
~ and the rich counties between that and
Marion county. But few years ago Buch-
anan county was an Indian country--now
it j, one of the richest and most enterpri-
sing counties in the State-rich in native
fertility, with Il representative wealth OF
three millions and Il half dollars! Nor is |
this an exaggerated statement. No inteIl'-
gent gentleman who has visited that coun-
~ and the surrounding counties, is pre-
pared to gainsay its truth. But tho coun-
Ties on the route OF the road--Livingston,
| Linn, Macon, Shelby, and Marion, contain
the same elements of weath--a itch soil,
an industrious population, AMI a location
and climate "irec as air" from all local eau
ses Of distress or death from disease. Rich
and healthy. what shall pre- vent them from
embaiking in the great enterprise OF build
ing up great thoroughiare equal to them,
to the great Father OF waters! Have they
the ability! Let them cnqure-not from
the sickly sources of "green.eyed jealousy"
nor yet from the "dog in the manger,'
who expects to live and get rich upon the
energies and labor Of Others, neither con-.
tribuiing Of his substance, nor yet of that
very cheap commodity, his countcnance--
from such turn away; but resort, rather, to
ftcts, and the necessity Of the case.
Let us look to the East Four years Il.
90 we read and heard of Rail Roads east Of!
the mountains--and of sage predictions and
even propositions for roads through Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois, to the Mississippi riv.
; er. What now! They are running, in OPP
Grafton and in course Of construction,
, through all those Statesl No fiction, nor
dream OF lancy-even the children know
it. They will soon be To the borders OF
our State; they seek connection with the
great River OF the contnent--they seek
"Mc I|cSt;" they wW come; they wW .fnd
me Vest, despite the puny efforts OF blind
opposition and seiis!! dcmagogues The
: march of intelligence and Enterprise is on
ra,H. But mhrc shall these great works
approach Our borders and pass through our
: country! Shall they pass through those
1, poor sections of country, which have nei
soil to producer nor tie inhabitants to vote ~
pay taxes!--or shall they pass through ~ re-
ward those districts favored by nature, and
destined, i nat prcc ntci, to give law to the
State, tone TO commerce., and happiness to
Millions
, Will the people look around them and
observe their advantages; and observing
them remember the reward of the sluggard,
"Time and tide wait for no man, >
neither will reward and honor follow in the
train oiidlc pomposity and dignity without
merit.
, If the friends Of advancement, enterprise
and prosperity, iocaRy or throughout the
, State, wish for success, they must come for
A ward with their countenanccs-theirv votes
and their reasonable contributions of ind -.
vidual stock. No great and useful enter.
prize ever did or ever will succeed without
such cooperation; nor was any such ever
u undertaken without some croaking, "ior-
G tunctclng" evil-prediclor. Such should
C be "but little minded
But can the country Immediately inter
ested in this road build IT, We answer, il
h can, easily, if the people will try. 1t can
be built, with great profit TO the stock hold
ers, by private subscription, or by the coun-
: ties in their corporate capacities, through
: which it shall pass.
The entire road can be built for three
n millions, ard furnished with cars, Locomo-
= tivcs and every equipment for one million
more. The whole not to exceed four mil
d lions.
:. The distance between each terminus will
> be about 200 miles, few miles over or un.
% der.
IT The district TO be benefited and no par,
to be injured, will be from thirty TO fifty
Is miles on each side. But say twenty-ioul
ID miles, the width from north to south of t
C common county, and embracing, often
=, parts of two counties.
- Then: 200 miles by IS (bcng , 1 ON cacl
= sidc) will make $500 square miles or sec
tons. Each OF these, at GO acres to thu
= entire line, will make G,l1l, 900 acres, sa,
&c G,lll,OUO acres to be bencliciaily ailecte,
is by the road. VIII any man in his sense
IL say that every section here described woul(
not be benefited! One half AT least, woul,
be benefited by an advance in value of four
fold; the balance would, necessarily double
These G,l1l,OOO acres are known to t.
worth now, mole than an average OF 81 3
per acre. But how much more. Ale the
worth 50 per acre! If so, the amour
would be twelve million, two hundred am
lightweight thousand ($l2 ,O0W dollars
But this tract OF country is now won't
more money! Nearly every quarter sectio
will furnish good iaru! while large pol
ton at each end, and much all along tn
route, is worth from So to SO yer acre
and parts OF it from $50 to $40. Mario