Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1852-03-11

company, with which TO begin the work. of nea,
$2,60o,OOO. On the 3D. Of November last The
work was commenced and the first spadefuI
OF earth was thrown up by the president Of thai
road. The Oher road--the road commencing al
the city Of st. Louis--has made greater progress
than the Hannibal road. II was commenced on
the fourth Of July last. Il has capital, as I am
informed by the Secretary of the Board Of Di-
rectors, amounting to 81 $4,000 by private
subscription and the subscription Of the city Of
ot Louis and the counties upon the line Of the
road Y has also the credit Of the State in the
shape OF its bonds, for 81 500, 600, with the un-
derstsndilg that when indiwdAnl subscription
snail have raised the amount Of stock TO So. 600.
600, the bonds Of the State TO like amount
shall be Issued by the Governor of the State
making an available capital of Sd, OOO, 600 with
which to commence the work. Near forty
miles OF the work is under contract, and have
heen advised, since have been in the city, bv
The secretary of the Board Of Directors, that by
Ne eth OF July next, the cars will be running
uPeU thse road, and that by the LIST of January,
AanS, thu Dhole forty miles will be completed.
The length OF Tint road is about two hundred and
eighty milea in direct line; but as l remarked
with regard to the other road, the engineer up
on that road reports it will be about three hum
dred miles in length according to the survey Of
the route, at a cost of 500, 900 per mile, making
tho aggregate cost Of Che road to put it in condi.
ton for running cars npon it, $4,000 600; and
OF that amount we have an available capital Of
81 600, 600, or two-thirds of the whole sum-
And now Missouri comes TO this house, to this
Congress, and asks that portion Of that great
domain which lies within the limits of the State
Of Missouri-of that domain which is to be bene-
fitted, as hope TO be able to show by the con-
struction Of these roads, shall be granted to aid
us in the construction Of these great works of
improvement. The territorial possessions of
this Government, embracing the lands ceded by
Aome Of the old States, the lands acquired by
the purchase Of Louisiana and Florida, and by
the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo, constitute a
domain such as has fallen to no other Govern
ment or people Of ancient or modern times. But
here, sir, speak not alone of the vastness of
its extent, but speak Of the fertility and exhu-
berance Of its soil; / speak Of the salubriy Of
its climate speak Of the richness, the variety.
and extent of its mineral predictions | sneak
of the great length Of it's rivers, as indicating
the vast extent Of that domain-a domain which
embraces an area of l ,584 100000 of acres, as
appears by the report Of the Commissioner OF
the General Land Office. And out of this
,584,OO0,000 Of acres, there has only been
sold by this Government the amount Of l46,-
OOO,O0O OF acres, leaving of consequence more
than 400 100000 of acres still the property of
this Government. / know that gentlemen of
the Eastern States who have never visited the
great valley of the Mississippi, can, by looking
at the map before them, form very inadequate
conception of the vastness Of the extent Of that
mighty valley.
remember an anecdote, which is related by
very distinguished divine in the State Of Ken
lucky, believe very near relative of an hon.
orable member upon this floor, which is illus
trative of the idea have advanced. That gen.
tleman travelled few years ago over the CONT
nent of Europe and through England; and while
passing through the latter country, he was
thrown into coach with an Englishman, who
was descanting largely upon the mighty resour-
ces of his sea-bound isle, of the vast extent of
his rivers, and Of the great advantages and ia
cilities which they enjoyed for inland naviga-
ton. The reverend gentleman listened 10 him
FOR while, as you may well suppose, with al
smile mantling his cheek; and after John Bull
had exhausted all his eulogies upon his own
land, the reverend gentleman told him of the
length of the Ohio; he told him Of the length Of
the mighty Mississippi; of the length Of the
turbid Missouri and he told him that these were
the stems of mighty rivers with branches larger
than all the streams Of England. And, as you
may suppose, the eyes and mouth of John Bull
indicated his hesitation to believe the story
which was told by the American gentleman
and, as the gentleman says, he believed that he
was attempting to quiz him with Munchausen
atory, and actually cut his acquaintance. know
that gentlemen from the East, who look upon
the map Of the country, cannot realize what it is
what that valley possesses-what it contains
until they have measured it by trips upon our
steamboats from the city Of Pittsburg to the
great city Of New Orleans, distance Of more
than two thousand miles. Then, sir, let them
ascend that noble river to the mouth of the Mis-
souri,, more than twelve hundred miles and
then let them, if you please, go eight hundred
miles further, to Council Bluffs and then let
them ascend on and on for twelve hundred miles
further, until they reach the mouth of the Vel
low Stone. Then only can gentlemen appre-
ciate the vast extent of the domain belonging to
this Government.
Perhaps, nv. Speaker, the conceptions Of
northern gentlemen who have never visited the
West, with regard to its extent, will be rem
deFed more distinct by comparison of the area
Of one State Of the number Of those which NIL
up that great valley. Take, II you please, my
own State, Missouri end compare her area and
extent with the six New England States;
Area Of s4usGs niles IN Missouri, $3.50
Maine, SSvO
Vermont, o,W
New Hampshire, 6,OSO
Asssac husstts, I2OO
RAods Island, l2o0