Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1852-11-18


I'VE hope the edio or Of the Paris Mercury
won't misunderstood us We have not opposed
his railroad, we have only placed II second in
impcrinnce to a road through the river counties
taking short cul direct from Hannibal 10 81
Louis. We presume the obicci Of the North
Missouri Road is to establish connection be-
tween Sc. Louis aud the Hannibal AMI st. Jo-
seph Railroad: that is the lightning and the end
OF the whole graad scheme from Louisiana TO
Minnesota--ai least SO far as this generation has
any direct interest in the matter. d. not the
st. Louis people tell you as much? Is Il not so
laid down IN The railroad bull recently issued
from the Republican flee? Do iheI ROT say
therein--''iet us build len miles q; = time, or
so much as the country may need?" Which,
being interpreted, ns,--''lct IT'S build till We
reach the Hannibal aud st. Joseph Railroad,
and that viii do for the present''-aye, and a
good while to come We propose the river
counties as a medium for this connection, be-
cause they are most populous and wealthy, and
in them there is always most trade and travel 10
support railroad. II idle 10 talk about river
competition. Steamboats, never have and sever
can come into successful competition with rail
roads. The plain reason is that trade and trav-
eI always seek their destination by the most
rapid route. Now, friend Bean, suppose the
North Missouri Road built, and that instead Of
passing tAro;;E; Marion, it crosses Monroe or
Randolph--to be sure the hitter route would not
be quite So advantageous to this city as the for
mer, but where would be the positive harm? Ad-
hitting the fact stated above, that trade and
travel always seek their destination by the
most rapid route, the next questions are, what
would be their ultimate destination, and which
their quickest route
The trade of Northern Missouri will have
several destinations. Comparatively small pro-
portion viii go 10 supply the local wants Of St
Louis, Hannibal, and other points AT home
The remainder, whether it falls TO The Hanni-
bal or ST. Louis merchants will ultimately find
its market, by crossing the river, and hen taking
northern, or eastern, or southern direction
Remember that but few miles Of railroad east
Of this city will continue the Hannibal and ST
Icsenh Railroad on almost all ''air lne' 10 the
Atlantic, and that when the Central Railroad
shah have been completed, we will be in con
nection with the lakes, and the gulf Of Mexico
Il lin fact, with great system Of railroads ira
yersing all parts Of the Union, and opening to
us every principal market in the United States.
Under these circumstances, is it not clear that
our merchants can afford 10 give much for
produce, and sell goods as cheap as the ST. Lott
is merchants? To illustrate this, suppose a st.
Joseph merchant has bought up lot of produce
As q business man, he will determine its desti-
nation, before he makes his shipment. lie will
consider that, if he turns OF on the North Mis-
souri, road lie must travel tOrtuous route one
hundred and fifty miles, from the point Of inter
section, to reach a market. Besides the freight
at 50 much per mile, he must pay at ST. Charlie.
for unloading The cars; for drayage from the de-
pot TO tho ferry boat; for rerriage draysge agar
to the depot on the opposite sidei for reloadine
the cars, a task, the difficulty Of which viii
be increased when the river is at low watel
mark for it oyerhows ON the opposite side, ant
the cars and the depot must be placed above
high water mark, and the goods hoisted up
lie must lose all the time required FOR the tran
sit, and these re-shipmonts, besides the trouble
vexation and expense. 1t would cost as
much to cross the river at St. Charles, as il
would 10 convey the ffs.eei9. the railroad the
whole one hundred and fifty miles from the Han
nibal and St. Joseph railroad TO the Missouri
river. The results would be that passengers
would cross over, but all the heavy freight
would be shipped to ST. Louis by water, from
st. Charles. After loading il would not cost
much more for transportation. Boats could
take produce as cheap from Hannibal to St.
Lsuis, as from ST. Charles to st. Louis because
the former would have passengers, the latte r
none, as passengers would prefer the railroad.
Again, Hannibal being made great rendezvous
for trade, boats would be laden directly for New
Orleans, with no more expense for freight than
if the shipment had been made from ST. Louis
Beyond the special local demand for ST. Louis,
the merchants of uiat city can only buy for re-
shipment, and here they are on 40 better than
an equal footing with the Hannibal merchants,
whom the Saint Joseph dealer can reach by one
hundred miles less Of railroad travel, without
extra expense or trouble. If he should desire
TO take his produce TO the East, North, or South,
the case would stand precisely in the same con-
diton. We imagine the North Missouri Road
il built on the interior cute, would turn out toI
be feeder OF this end Of the Hannibal and Saint
Joseph Railroad, INSTEAD Of vampire drawing
its life-blooa. 81 the road were extended TO
Iowa Il would be still better for u.s.
Al