Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-07
RAILROADS AND THEIR VALUE.
Extract from Letter from Washington to the
Editors of the Neso Orleans Bulletin.

Extract from Letter from Washington to the
Editors of the Nes0 Orleans Bulletin.
do not think the people Of the United States properly ap
precate the value Of railroads. duly estimate their import
ance promoting the growth, prosperity power, and esour
ces Of the country The income which these railroads afford
to their respective propresors is " the twentieth part the
1.-THE Of their value to the country and particularly if we
take into view their great tendency to bind the nation toge
her and to and continue the Union of the States,
no, hooks of steel least with bars ofiron" Just
moment imagine that all the railroads in the United
States by magical process suddenly and entirely
destroyed-where would be They tell the story Of
coachman England who lamentng the extinction
Of coaches in consequence Of the introduction Of railroads
and after explaining how much less the risk in coaches
than cars added And if you were even run away WITH
and soused into ditch by the upset of COACH there you
are; but train of the track and upsets There
you? IT, as have suggested, railroads all suddenly
destroyed could the coachmans langusge well ask
the question Of the whole naon Where you 2" Just
reflect the fact, for it fact that but for railroads
would at this moment be advantageous for the people Of
New York city to procure their breadstu from Europe than
would be from Chicago from any other portion of the
Western country. That single fact speaks volumes the
subject Of railroads Have you noted that that splendid work.
the Hudson and Erie Railroad, will very shortly be completed
and in operation from Lake Erie through the southern tier Of
counties in New York the ctya distance Of 40 miles,
and that railroad is now being made from Erie to Cleve
land, which will make continuity Of rails from New York
city to Cincinnati over which the journey between the
mercia emporium Of the East and the Queen City of the
West will be accomplished in thirty hours Pennsylvania,
too not idle, but rapidly pushing completion her
trail railroad from Philadelphia Pittsburgh and another
line Of railroad rapidly progressing, which to unite Pitts
burgh and Cincinnati, reducing the period Of travel from the
latter city to Philadelphia to wentysx twenty EIGHT hours
Is it not passing strange, that seeing these and other similar
works progressing in every direction her trade and drain
her hearts blood from her, New Orleans still looks list
iessy on, and is unwilling to strike blow, single
6b,C for her safety and protection Is she forever
fold her arms and point with foolish confidence the Mis-
ssspp and think because the Almighty, in bis great boun
t has given her that noble stream that
for her put her shoulder the wheel in order over
come to some extent the disadvantages Of her cdty in
being much further removed from the great Of the
world than Boston and New York and Philadelphia which
latter cities have, by their energy and enterprise in making
canals and railroads. given themselves the further advantage
cost of transportation concerned the great producing dis
rcs of the West. Why should not New Orleans too have
her railroad to the Ohio and another to the Atlantic through
Alabama and Georgia. and thus collect at her evee the thou
sands and tens thousands of Of Western produce which
now finds its way by canals and railroads and the Lake
the cities Of The NORTH and hundreds of thousands of
bales Of cotton from Georgia and Alabama, which 60 to
other ports the Gulf Savannah Charleston besides
furnishing supplies to the inhabitants both those lines Of
railroads, to the extent Of many millions, which they now
draw from other quarters 1t is time that the citizens New
Orleans awoke from their dream of security they will soon
nd out they already have not done that the Mississippi
p great and glorious the stream may be- is Of itself not
sufficient to maintain and increase the commercial pre-em-
of the city, and that its food of will by the
energy and enterprise Of other sections of the Unon made
subsidiary to the prosperity Of their commercial rivals and
will bear upon its bosom hundreds Of steamers stenng the
Northern railroads and canals instead Of descending with it
To the Crescent Civ. ,..t..a