Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-11-20

fifty miles in length, at cost of over six
millions of dollars, from Albany to the city
Of New York, and which runs the whole
distance, Immediately on the bank of the
Hudson, the finest stream an the continent
for navigablc purposes. On this river, the
magnificent vessels which navigate it, run
at the rate Of twenty-five miles an hour;-.
but this was altogether TOO slow, and hence
the rail road was constructed, over which u
large party from New York, were recently
conveyed 10 Albany, $50 miles, in three
hours and fifty minutes, or at the rate Of
more than forty miles an hour. Yes, my
!, friends, incredible as it would have seemed
thirty years ago, the time has arrived when
, the finest navigable streams, and the feetest
vessels that ever turned wheel. are to be-
in great measure superseded by their pow
erful rivals: the rail road and the steam
car. Nor is it difficult to comprehend why
this is so; for although the steamboat walks
the water like a thing of life," the Iron
horse" almost outstrips the wind in its
flight; and whilst rivers are locked up with
ice, or dried up from drought, the railroad
stretches its cold length along, defyny the
| frost and impervious to the hottest rays Of
: the sun. Hence | maintain that railroads
c are in all respects more valuable than rivers;
e and that the road from here to St. Joseph,
0 will confer greater benefits upon the coun-
. try which it will traverse, than il such q
= stream as the Mississippi, We're suddenly to
5 burst from the earth at St. Joseph and emp
;, ty its waters in yon magnificent stream at
It Hannibal. If this be SO, and in my con-
|. science believe it, you need indulge in no
: idle speculations, as to the amount of divi-
: dends, which the road will pay. Ii it pays
= none at all, you will have expended your
2, money most wisely in constructing it.
h Thus far l have spoken of rail roads
IL chiefly as they effect the physical condition
II Of the country-as they create wealth, fos-
II ter commercial enterprise, and encourage
: industry. But they accomplish even highe,
v and nobler purposes than these. They arc
is the pioneers of civilization the friends Of
Is education and art, the auXiliaries Of religion
= the great paciicators Of the world. A.
: the rail road enters the forest, it carries
with it, not only the plough and the loom
e but the spelling book and the bible. 1t mol
ct only opens farms and builds up cities, but il
re crccts churches and school houses, hos pital.
Il and aims houses. When it conveys to mar.
,e ket the wheat and tobacco Of the farmer, il
l. returns with the school master and the min.
. lister. When Ii delivers the merchant his
IS boxes and his bales, 1t puts down also at his
= door his books and newspapers. As il con.
y veys into the country the shrcwd spccu.atoi
! in flour or hemp, in chickens or cheese, il
N carries also at his side the poor artist OIL
to itinerant lecturer. In this way it diiluse,
e, knowledge, establishes religion, encourage:
a virtue, fosters art and science, promote:
t, refine mcnt, and tends in thousand way:
ID TO the highest civilization oil which man i:
.r capable. We may form some just conccp
10 ton OF the extent of It's influence in thest
l. respects, BY recurring for moment to tn
le results Of a similar nature achieved b!
d, steam boats Suppose steam boats had ne
a. yer been invented; what at this day woul
n have been the condition Of the AlsSissipp
~ Valley: lSpeak not Of its wealth, its com
III mcrcc' nor its agriculture, but Of the mora
i condition Q! its inhabitants, the extent Of it
n literature, the number Of its churches an
j. scAool houses. 1t needs not that Shou!
IL iunNh"n answer. 10 send rail road int
E. The midst OF an ignorant population, Is to un
tn lock their understandings and let nthe ligi