Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-10-09
From theoBlOomington Gazette.
The Steam Wagon, No. 8.

II is not necessary for us to say any thing,
concerning the accounts Immediately connected
with Railroads, further than the matter of trans
portation. That, has already been subWitted to
your consideration, by abler hands. We have
but one QUESTION more; to which we wish to cali
your attention; and then we are done.
What inducement, have capitalists, to improve
the inland counties of Missouri, by the estab-
llishment Of manufactures, and by such estabs
ilishmenn, to benefit the citizens? What in
ducement to erect Touring mills2 None. What,
to erect tobacco factories? None. And why
mott Because there are no facilities for trans
iportation; and the interior market is not suffi-
lcient Have we good Touring mills now? not
one. All,our supplies of fine flour are from
Hannibal, or other places, on, or near the Mis-
ls;ssippi Riycro Still VIC can very easily raise
wheat enough for ourselves and 10 spare. We
need not depend on the River region, for our
Ibread-we have better soil than they. But
the reason is this, let man take twenty thousand
dollars and build mill; buy wheat at 10 cents
or 81 per bushel; grind it out, and haul it to Han
nibal, at cost of one dollar per barrel; and can
he realize the interest of his money? Never
When he has it in market the wheat of which it
was made, has Just cost him ninety cents
per bushel. Now what is to pay him for the
cost of manufacturing. And farther, where viii
he ever, at this rate be repaid the money spent
in the erection of his establishment. You viii
see by this that he must continually be looseI
and the more extensive his operations, the great
Ter the loss. Whereas If ouEraiiroad were COM
pleted, transportation would be easy, cheap, aad
certain; not as heretofore, depending on contin.
gency. As things are now, the man who iDoulC
improve the inland counties by the establishment
'tof manufactures sees no prospect of being abl'
10 compete with those, who are near the mar
ket, or who have facilities for for transportation
and thus you see, If our country is not improves
i-we remain in the back ground, as to the man
ufactories and trade; il is our fault, and ours q
lone. Let US only create the means of trans
| portation, and they will be eagerly applied, b,
those who have the will and capital TO place TIN
} section in the position which she is designe
ito occupy. Then instead Of having your car
daily and hourly panied and disgusted with tn
, stale slang which is now being uttered, by you
Young sister Iowa, and responded to by all tn
States of East, and North, that "Missouri
! fifty years behind the age-her people withou
: energy or enterprise, and her territory withou
improvement n-=you viii see the need Of prais
; awarded 10 her,.Nghich she deserves. And in
stead of being passed by as unworthy, you WI
find the tide Of imagination, which has been ris
1 ing, and flowing, far and wide, over the State
. of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, change It
: course and flow in like deuge, upon the wild
! hut fertile lands of misunderstanding all he
: herde-s. and filling up the uhole Of her territory
0 with useful, intelligent, and enterprising cit
e zrns. Her local institutions wlll improve. He
a manufactures will incfease;--her trade will n
crease, and the face of the country win be graC
5 lually improved and, beAutihed, until the nan
!, Iof Missouri, viii be registered high pp-au h
; catalogue af States,