The daily union., 1852-03-18


lhe Central railroad OF Illinois Is enterprise which
remarkable example Of the energy and spirit,
into the confederation State la 1915 with $4,000
has 400 square miles Of territory and
Centrs railroad is extend from is southwestern
l al the confluence OF the Mississippi and Ohio rivers
me north line Of the STATE with dlvergng branches
he total length OF this road including the main and
branches y 70 be sS hundred and esh miles The cost
ie work, without qopments for operating This 10 the
longest continuous line OF road now Ia Contemplation In
the United States, Of which there Is any probability of
speedy completion il has been commenced with such
"a no reasonable doubt that will be finished whin lew
In the year 1850 Congress passed am act aesa very
nIoaeed discussion granting the State OF Illinois about
27Oo 600 acres OF public lands aid construction OF
ash SsoG ne. Sssa Ss de sss
pany to which Illinois has condded the building Of the
wheh the ad oil the national government had been ex
tended 10 Il rsilroad project"
Here according TO this official document is instance
where, by grant OF TOO 900 acres 900 900 in
value, OF the public lands. you have given company
thongh the State $ls00o 600 and, you just
told by the honorable senator from Michigan il that cal
culaon is correc-and here is TO doubt il,
for II comes from very dslnerested sourcethe govern
ment also will receive SIS 00U 900 for the alternate sec
tons reserved. Is not this ndncementi This report
saes Will be observed, that in Europe, and in the old
States OF The United States. The average OF making
railroads Is from $4,000 TO $4,000 per mile. and that
one OF The great OF this large expense there is the
great value OF the property through which the roads
pass while in he valley OF the Mississippi, and in the
Great West generally, such is The advantage OF The soil
such is the advantage OF the timber, anxious the
owners oil property TO give the right OF way to railroads.
that II is well ascertaned that the average OF making
railroads there is $4,000 per mile. This expense
is much less how than il will be hereafter; for these
lands become appropriated TO individuals they will be-
come more valuable. In what position, them does
this place the couniry Here, now, is opportunity
which you have OF making immense mprov ement,
such the world has before witnessed; such
the governments of Europe, and of the old Sates would
have jumped at, they had had the offer; such
p.ll Fhut,s nta
lose IN lew years il you do not seize it now. Is not
haa strong consideration why you should not lose the
golden opportunity which is now before you
But there is another view OF this subject This pa
per shows that there are now completed in the United
States ten thousand miles OF railroad in round numbers
and some ten thousand more are in process OF consuc
ton; and there is TO believe that before the year
1860 there will be railroads in the United States in opera
ton to the amount of thirty thousand miles A large
portion OF this increase is, TO be carried out in the western
country, where II can be done at this cheap for
which purpose these grants OF lands required Now,
Is not that work OF such s,upendous importance 10
be sufficient TO induce TO give up some little scrupes
which they have Did the world ever see such speca
Gle has become old and re idea and therefore il
is unnecessary 10 repeat IT, that whatever divisions we
we may have had heretofore or may have hereafter the
great valley of the Mississippi never could and never
would entertain the idea of separation of the Union,
in consequence OF the intimate manner in which it is
connected by streams which penetrate it in every di-
recton, uniting in the great "faher of waters" the
Mississippi There is no doubt OF the truth OF it, But
what do these railroads do When they shall be con-
The general line OF intercourse. but they will bind the
ton together so firmly that il be dissolved BY
this railroad system you may say that you extend the MIS-
ssippl, IN parallel lines, in every direction through the
United Siaes Railroads have already been extended from
Charleston, and from Savannah. through Georgia and
s Al e gag M have chose % 1
now proposition TO run il across from Vcksbug to the
Red river, some hundred and sixty miles. Texas
WILL no doubt, carry II through her territory and with
the ample means which the United States have when
they get beyond Texas, the easily carry
It 10 the Pacific ocean What spectacle will this
h,bt! Instead OF the solitary Mississippi. channel
of intercomunicaton, the wonder of the world this
great railroad will give you the of intercourse
IRON the Pacific TO the Atlantic, rapid
nient more advantageous, more calculated 10 unite us
together, than that vast stream itself You may extend
these roads in every direction. Why, going on so
hai we scarcely ever iake time to pause and re-
fleet on the vast importance Of the changes which these
railroads are making and must continue TO make in the
business and commerce oil the country. What the
situation OF our commercial cities few years ago
Why, Of the principal cities OF the Union-he very
large city OF Boston-has not navgable stream near
III and yet believe il is fact that all will bear ,esii
mony IN sustaining, that OF all great cities, there is
rot one that has greater facility OF REORGANIZATION
with the commerce of the interior than that very city OF
Boston by these railroads. instead of navgabe streams
How is II that she taps the Hudson, and draws off so
much trade from IL She has no stream running In that
direction; but she has now what is better than branch
Of the North river, extending from Albany the city OF
Bosion and does not stop here but extends to the
miiable West and gives her advantages great that
il Is difficult 10 realize them.
we III Tue west cannot 90 tDls. we nave not the
means We have not the capital. Not only the West,
but the other States OF the Union would derive great ad
vaniages If could do it, We show you that you can
aid without any difficulty, without any loss and in
fact with advantage TO yourselves; bat the gentleman
says this is not 10 be done unless something also done
for the old States. AN glad 10 hear that this opinion
is not concurred in by many Others Early in this dis
cusson was pleased with the very and patriotic
stand which the honorable senator from Massachusetts,
tMr SUMSER] took upon this subject am glad to see
that he does not stand solitary and alone but that OF
the abes in the East whose opinions ought 10 be
entitled TO great weight this and all other subjects
has emphaticay and fully endorsed every sentiment
which that gentleman advanced refer TO the letter OF
Mr. Webster on this subject Speaking OF the Illinois
railroad, be says;
The undertaking Is equally its plan Its i'm
adopted the session before the last hardly whether
the present President of the United States has given his
sanction to act of Congress likely 10 have larger in
huence on the prosperity of the country.
Several years ago was in Illinois, and passed, for
great extent through the country in and through which
this railroad runs. though, had such i'm
of valuable land and subsequent discoveries
OF OF the valuable produce entire
conviction that the State Of Illinois may become p,os
in Its manufacture Ia Its agriculture. Ere long
shall another and similar work, mencing at
the southern extremity oil this road, and running through
the southern States I'LL IL reaches the Gulf OF Mexico This
Is only probable, but CERTAIN II great political evil
shall In the Time befall the country
The grant TO the Illinois railroad disposes Of large
portion OF The public donain but II will be well disposed
of and this grant and other similar grants made already
In contemplation, while they the residue OF
the public lands valuable do essentially interfere
with the objects which have thought just and have for
homestead every actual seter on the sole condition o
aotaai residences for short term Of In nv opinion
the following table presents a CONVENIENT
principal facts