Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-09-10
RV- The following vas sent to US BY friend


GAS there seems to be great rail Toad excite
meut growing amongst our citizens, and as some
people from the nature of their pursuits, would be
seriously injured by the construction and use OF
railways through their county, while others would
be too INDECENT to make any surplus to furnish
them with freghts, and would rather rest than
travel with rail road speed; and some counties are
naturally destitute of any of the great elements
of industrial pursuits, that nothing could be made
to furnish employment to rail road en-
terprise. Let us examine these points, that we
may be enabled to arrive at proper conclusions on
this important matter. The building of railways
in the sandy deserts of Arabia could never become
profitable from the of that barren country
The construction and use of them in wilderness
country such as this when in possession of the
Indians, would have been injurious to the wild
people, as the numbering noise of the cars and the
loud snorting of the Iron Horse would have fright
ened off the game on which they mainly subsisted.
While the indolent African in his native country,
who for long ages when left to follow out his ma
tural propensities, has lived on the spontaneous
productions of the country, would feel very little
interest in such Inventions and would rather bask
in the shade ofindolence, than travel with rail road
speed Now as our citizens neither Indians
nor Africans wild nor indolent, but large ma
iority of them industrious and progressive, in
possession of one amongst the most favored Sec
tions on the North American continent for the
successful prosecution of all the great pursuits of
civilized man, we need not hesitate on going to
work at once in rail road enterprise. Ii we lay off
the roads properly, and construct them economic
aly all things considered, no investment promises
richerreturn. Through Alabama there muStpd8s
on their way to the Gulf, two of the most impor-
tant railways connecting the Lake country with
our sea coast Pensacola is the natural outlet for
NIX In +ba 9th Ihnca two tics are
almost surrounded by the best ship building timber
at the lowest prices, and should now rapidly grow
in commercial Importance. Above the live oak and
pine timber region lies the fine planting region of
Alabama next comes the broken country with It's
fine climate, abundant TIMBER immense water
power, extensive coal fields inexaustable beds OF
iron ore limestone and marble quaries. This re-
gon should now become farming and manufac-
turing country. Above it lies the greatest pro-
vision growing country of the age.
Here then lies a country mostly within the lin
its of Alabama, which is capable with proper skill
adequate capital and labor, of manufacturing halt
as much as Old England and more than all
our New England States, located in much
more convenient and desirable portion of the
worlds surface. Great Britain last year expor-
ted over three hundred million dollars worth OF
her manufactures, and had in operation seven
thousand miles of railway, which cost for construc-
ton seven times the amount per mile IN Alabama.
New England has near three thousand miles OF
railway construction at a cost of double per mile
the construction of similar roads in Alabama. Ala
bama has in operation between two and three
hundred miles, yet many intelligent citizens
amongst us cant see room for profitable invest
ment in a few more railway lines. We in
clined to believe of our good citizens having
been born in the dark nights of the moon. or
foggy days, are inclined to infections of Old Fog
ism, and opposed to lornen and progress on the
American Continent.
The first thing to be done in and wilder
ness country such as this was forty years ago is
to clear it of all sayages and wild animals to open
fields for agricultural pursuits. When a surplus
of agricultural products are made necessity for
commerce arises, the profitable prosecution OF
agriculture and commerce creates capital that
should be employed in manufactures, where natu-
raj advantages will justify the investment.-In
Alabama we have passed the first stage-should
long since have embarked more extensively in the
second, and should not take up the third, as well
as prosecute vigorously the second In our next
we will say something in relation to the proper
location of the rail roadsin the manufacturing and
farming region of Alabama PROGRESS