Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-07-31

give a decided impetus to every department of
business pnrsued IN such districts.
There are persons, l presume, in Marion
county now, who remember something Of the
creary and forlorn aspect presented by the
country along whst was then the stage road
from Fredericksburg to Richmond, Virginia
Fields turned out in the commons, house. and
farms in u state Of dilapida,on, were every
where along that route to be SEEN Some cap
Iitalists. despite Of just such opposition as we
have here, built Railroad between those two
places. The people of Fredericksburg and
their vicinity, believed that their town and mar.
kst would be absorbed by the larger city Of
Richmond. But wha, wonderful change a
low years have wrought there! Not only in
the mnds Of the popIe, hut in the face Of the
country. Fredericksburg, from an old super.
an mated town, has become thrifty modern
city, with double its population. Fields hi,h-
TO deemed unworthy of cultivation, have been
enclosed and improved houses and farms have
been renovated and enlarged and prosperity
and cheerfulness now occupy the former scenes
Of waste and decay. Indeed, 80 striking were
the good effects of even this one Road, that an
enthusiastic spirit Of internal improvement was
diffused throughout the State o. Virginia; and
notw standing the party in the ascendancy
there had always opposed measures Of this kind,
they were SO overwhelmed with petitions in
their session Of '46 and AZ, that they fe, o.
bliged to pass upwards of two hundred internal
improvement bills, including q large number of
Railway charters for almost every part Of the
State. Along the route of those roads, many
towns, counties and individuals took stock, to
a proportionably far greater extent than is pro-
p sed f,r Marion county. Virginia has long
since had time to develupe her resources, so far
as her natural advantages would contribute to
that result, but for years, her agriculture and
commerce have tagged, if not refrigerated
but now, sir, in those parts where Railways
are established, we witness remarkable change
for the better. Market. have been opened and
enlarged, demands have greatly augmented. and
many articles, formerly useless, are now eager.
iy sought for. Real estate has every where
gained in value, and in Many Instances, lands
contiguous 10 those roads have actually been
disposed Of at price ten times greater than
they have sold for within fifteen years. or
course, Mr.. Editor no sensible mau will un-
derstand me TO imply, that the mere transit Of
a Railroad through district of country, will,
in itself improve the lands, or increase their pro-
ducts. And yet the result is much the same I,
for it imparts such facilities for marketing, and
holds out such inducements for an augm mentation
Of agricultural productions, that the temptation
has always been, and will always be, irresistible
to men, while they are possessed of tho lucre-
loving propen,i;ies SO characteristic of the pres.
ent age. In the main, the benefits of Railroads
are unquestiohably general in their character.
This fact, observation ever where will attest.
And hold that where such is the case to all
concerned, to remunerati,e extent, that il is
} contemptibiy mean to object to any public meas
ure, because some will probably reap greater
advantages than others from it, Ono opinion
extensively prevalent, is, in my humble judge
rnent, erroneous, viz: that Railways build up
.ome places and destroy others; for instance,
Hannibal will prosper and Palmyra decline.
+ This view is doubtless founded in want Of
experience. L! would increase the growth of both
Of those places in my opinion, 10 have Railroad
communication with the interior; but if the
Road touched at both places, l can't see tha.
{ their relative condition would he changed.
, Hannibal having some natural advantages, of
course must surpass Palmyra in growth in any
I event. At pres, mt both rely upon wagons for
trans sportalion. In this respect, then, they are
. supposed to be equal. and the fostering friends
T OF Palmyra say she can hold her own. Now
Y il the wagons OF both towns are changed 10
1 Railroad cars, in what respect, ! ask, will the
/, condition Of those two places be changed as re.
= CARDS each other, since the means of tram por-
f tation are still the samep But Mr.. Editor, is
a il not to be lamented, that we have men in our
. midst, who can narrow down question Of such
Q magnitude aud consequence to pitiful wrangle
!. between two neighboring villagesP II the
. Railroad is 10 build upa market Of such ex.
= tent here at its Eastern terminus, as TO add "a
% the value of the land end agricultural products
d for several hundred miles back, and we, who
!, have this market at our doors, do not profit by
= it, the fault will unques.ionably be our own.
v Afloat in the community we find many errors
n in regard TO Rail cars-for instance, tina. they
. cannot or will not stop except al the dspots
I &c., 10 all ludicrous nonsense. The depots sub.
II serve merely the purposes Of warehouses along
1t river. There are also various "c cook anc
"a bull" stories circulated to lisparage Railways
~ which are 30 absurd and preposterous, that
Al incline to the belief that there those zeal
10 ously opposing the Road, whose practica
III knowledge Of such matters would not ehabl'
g. them 10 recognise the locomotive If they shoul'
IN meet on. There is numerous class o
of wo,ihies in this community, who occupy an On
of omalous position have heard some Of them
ID within The last two years, when the subjec
.e was one of Larty, abuse most rancorou'l!
at their political opponents, because Of their op
" position 10 internal improvements, and nov
or those very creatures, who are, or at least
would like TO bo considered wealthy, refuse nc
to only to invest their own funds but also to v0t
an for the county's doing so, And oh shades Q
,sl 81. Crispn they are still internal improuemer
10 men II requires no chemist to determine th
an fact that a sordid selfshness 10 the prsdomna
H. ting element Of such human compounds. Shan
er an such .Missourians their ,Oives ought TO slas
Il. them