Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1851-04-05
Railroads Of the West and their Con.
nectiAns


Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Michigan and Wiscon-
sin, comprised within the limits Of the old north
western territory; the state of Iowa, which is
beyond the Mississippi and the states of Ken
lucky and and Missouri. The states be-
low these belong to what is called the south
vest
The FIVE northwestern states (namely Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and wisconsin,
have about 26o,o square miles of surface
and but littlo less ihean ivemillions of people.
The east and west diameteris about $50 miles,
and the extreme north and south longitude
about 600 miles. The entire surface Of this
tract is comprised, with very little variation,
in an immense inclined plane resting with its
upper edge on the basin of the lakes, and
gradually declining to the southwest; the
lowest point being the mouth Of the Ohio and
Mississippi.
This whole tract is arabic. and therefore
must forever abound in surplus productions.
With such plain of soft-soil, and such a sur
plus production, this is obviously the country,
of all in Ike world, to which railroads are best
adapted, The fact is perceived, and the peo-
pie are now earnestly engaged in the construe-
ton Of numerous lines of railways.
Kentucky. which lies Immediately south.
and adjoining Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, has
$4,000 square miles, and is connected with the
Ohio river by the Licking, Kentucky, Cumber-
lnnd, and Tennessee rivers, The plain of its
descent is north-west-the lowest edge being
the Mississippi, south of the Ohio.
Missouri and Iowa, together, have about
10000 square miles. They lie in the plane
of the Missouri river and Upper Mississippi,
which inclines gradually 10 the southeast,
having IFS lewest edge on the Mississippi be-
low the mouth Of the Ohio.
If, now, the reader viii observe the planes
of descent we have described, he will find that
the entire West Proper lies in three gently
descending planes, which have a common
Junction, or center, near the mouth of the Ohio
This gives remarka advantage TO the west,
in the construction of railways. Some review
of these works. completed and constructing,
may be interesting. The fact that the charters
of railroads in the northwest must be granted
by five different legislatures, has prevented
even (if one had been planned) the adoption
of any general system of railways Notwith-
standing the difficulty. the result will probably
show-as in nearly all voluntary undertakings
that the best plans for profit have been
adopted If the reader viii consult the maps
he will see that there are now completed, or
constructing, in the northwest. four lines of
railway, running east and west, of which the
object is to connect The Atlantic lines with the
Mississippi river. Different links of these lines
are constructing by different companies, but
the aggregate of these links make up the four
east and west lines.
So, too, there are nine lines running north
and south. part terminating on the Ohio, and
part going to the extreme south OF these
thirteen great lines, many of the links are COM
plete; other parts are constructing, and all
give promise of being completed in two or
three years. These lines may be generally
described as follows:
l. The upper cas-. and west line viii be
formed by the lake shore line in Ohio. the
southern Michigan railway. in Michigan and
Indiana, and Chicago and Galena line. The
reader will see in the map that this viii be a
continuous line from the New York and Boston
railways. along the southern shore of Lake
Erie, across the Peninsula of Michigan, around
Lake Michigan to the Mississippi.
g. The third east and west line commences
at Wheeling, and goes TO Columbus with the
Ohio Central, thenceit viii probably pass by
Xenia and Dayton TO Richmond, indianapolis,
and Terre Haute, where ii will unite with the
second line.
a. The fourth east and west line is the
straight line route fran Baltimere ia st. Louis.
In Ohio this commences with the Cincinnati
and Belpre railroad, thence by the HilLS6or-
oaqh and the Little Miami TO Cincinnati, and
thence by the Ohio aud Mississippi road,
through Vincennes to ST. Louis Thence it
will pass through the state Of Missouri to the
mouth of the Kansas a company having just
been chartered, to which the aid of the state
has been granted. This line will be nearly
nine hundred miles in length flom the cross
ings of the Ohio, near Marietta, 10 the mouth
of Kansas river, and will be the shortest and
most central line in the west, running on par
allels of latitude.
5. The first line north and south, or longi
tudinally, viii be from Cleveland to Wells
vile, being the shortest line between the lakes
and the Ohio river.
@. The second north and south line is from
Cleveland, through Columbus, to Cincinnati
This is complete.
Z. The third north and south line will bt
from OauuuShyB tHtouRu mdISHeld anu NSh
ark, and Ey the Seioto and Hooking Falles
railroad to Portsmouth, on the Ohio.
8. The fourth north and south route is from
Sandusky to Cincinnati, and this is complete
Q. The fifth north and south line will be
from Cincinnati. BY Hamilton, Dayton, Green
vile, Winchester, to some point on lake Mich
igan.
AT Cincinnati 1t will be observed that tire,
Of the longitudinal lines meet; namely, thC
Cleveland and Sandusky lines. already com
pleted, and also line. or rather two lines, tc
Lake Michigan, one by DAYTON, Greenville anC
Winchester, and one by Lawrenceburg ant
Indianapolis.
From Cincinnati. these three lines will b'
carried south by the Covington and Lexington
railway, thence ultimately 10 Danvile, ane
thence to Knoxville. connecting with all The
railways in the south
TO- The sixth north and south line viii be
from Cincinnati through Lawrenceburg, In
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