Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-01-23
Report cf the Committee on Internal
Improvement


Report of the Committee on Internal
improvement.
Mr.. PREsIDENr: The Committee o. luirrt
lnpr p,tneu,s, Ia whom was retired Me tni
to expedite the construction Of the Pacific Rail-
toad, AID also To" bill 10 expedite tie construc-
li1n "i th. Hannibal and II Joseph Railroad,
h,v" hah the under cons drratOn aud IN.
siruct the Ia report TIE sane back 10 the Sen.
ate. united IN "n. .Ill, with some amendments
only /" the phr,'r"igy, ~ we're necessary 10
,ut NE unang- H. ih.r { lnti ms, and recom-
mein ia" pas,"g" hereof
The tunniu-- au,hur ze ne Ia add further,
thai thry a,r unau'm"u.'y "I thr opiunn that
these Two proposed r ilruad, NJ. n.,d.s a i'm
prnvemrt oI the nu>t rrufinn! interest and
Imp"rtnnce. perfectly " tain ,ur ahin> to ac-
cnnpli'h, and olr ily al general "nd peImeu.mt
utility. The late experience OF the worid has
placed railroad, far brI ond oil other modes of
locoinuiiun and trans pnrtation. For pa SEN
gers, and the more valuable articles of oerchan.
disc, they are far superior I" the most splendd
water cnur.,s Wherever Ioc,.ed they eXer-
else astonishing i, huerce in amcliorating the
condition Of society, in stimulating productive
industry. IN developing the resources Of coun-
try, aud in augmenting The public wealth. They
are no. les. valuable to an agricultural cominu-
nifty, than 10 one engaged exclusively in COM
ncrce. The farmer is obliged To paw for the
trans por"tion Of his produce 10 market, and al
50 for The transportation o! the commodities
. which he prorures in exchange, for mis- own
consumption. lie i. thus doubly interested IN
'i,",rr,h,mg i,' cost. Taking every thing into
consideration rn'lroal. cheaper mode of
! rr.u,';,ou trt trans portaion than any other
r''y nu'l, rn in iheir charges, Iunc'ual md
>pr,'i,l",,s in 'h.r work, aud while they may
b. cru-i'.fed as almost perfectly safe, as well
III regard t. iunr,J, l'fe as in reference 10 tie
carriage and delivery o. properly, ,hey also al
'ar wonderful ,in- Of time, labor, money,
... ~ .'d ter ~ mind and body.
~ caicuIo, ,l, "utc u, - the experience of
r'Irond> in England, it is regarded as truth
,uiicicntly enact for all practical purposes, that
the chances against passenger losing his life
in travelling 800 miles npun railroad, are PIT,
SO to !, and out Of 400 600 packages Of mer-
chnndi.o Transmitted by railroad. only one was
lost.
Missouri at this time occupies a rare posi-
'l"u. \, i, remarked BY the Governor, the
'y". nj the nat"n are now upon her. Her
DESTINY is deeply depending ON the movement
ia" makes. The question Of location for
=, = c",tnrit,l road to the Pacific is now pending
in Congress. n survey Of the southern rvu.e
is bow going on, and is PARTLY completed. The
, northern project with which the name Of Asa
Whitney i. identified is recruiting new strength
1t is for Missouri to say whether she will not
irterrcse 81 this time voice louder than can DO
raised lrom any other State west Of the Mis-
, si'sippi.
, Railroads. have been resortrd to by nearly
, every State in the Union, as the greatest mod
ern levers Of power. to speed them onward in
tie race Of civiliz ,lion. Over two hundred
royd- are now in active and useful operation in
, the ULnrd States constructed al a cost Of some-
! hing like three hundred millions Of dollars.
They are compensating the States which have
: .rtr',d them a hundred fold, while they arc
earning -, the same time a fair profit on the
Il c,p,l lu,,st,.i. IL thi. spirit Of enterprise,
. and race Il public IMPROVEMENT, Missouri 10
| h-h' 4 nearly III If her sister States. The
a Com,ni'trr r"i .Lcmly hope that from. this peri
T., "d sh" will EFT upon u new career, and take
that hlgh r,nk which she is evidently capahla
Of assuming and which her geographical posi-
i tim, and unexampled natural resources will
enable her easily t" maintain.
y The two railroads mplated seem to the
d Committee to be entitled to the aid Of the State.
;. The companies engaged in them are further aG-
Y vanced IN their organization md preparations
q for work than any in The State known TO thiI
by the people. and such their means already
subscribed that the Com mi,ee are firmly Of the
opinion that the passage Of the bill herewith
- reported will insure the construction Of both o.
= these works within period to be limited only
u by the prac'cahility Of procuring labor. The
i credit Of the State is firm good. Her bond'
Y can be easily negotiated md the money realized
II as needed by the companies. The compsne'
- assume TO exonerate the treasury from the pay
If ment of a dollar in cash. No new taxation i,
r.. proposed none viii be necessary though III.
revenues Of the State will be increased. Tn,
Il work. themselves are looked upon sbroad al
:. work, Of grra, merit. The passage of thi. iii
viii piye 10 them new confidence, ard brirl
{ , 90 fresh support, Subscriptions to th'
....| stuck "ill Immediately Increase; III,
.g,u,ru, -r.ur pf uu'iic land, and 81 cure, r
the resources Of the companies thu. increase
IL the nrrr. say for hr issue Of all the bonds au-
t, tho'iz b., The hi will bo proDolt'onably di-
# mnshed.
d In regard TO the mode proposed of ad
ID ding these works, the committee feel assu