Washington telegraph., 1854-02-15
The Effect of Railroads on Farm Products

The annexed paragraph. from address deliv-
cred by George +. Morgan, before the Des Moines.
Agricultural Society, in Iowa. will show our coun-
try friends what they may expect in return for
any aid they may extend to railroads;
naturally mention here. great aid to agri-
culture improved roads. Plank and Railroads are
simply science applied 10 locomotion. Why is a
+ larn railroad worth ten times as much as
one 80 miles Distant Because its products can
/ be carried swiftly and cheaply 10 dozen OF the
best markets, while the latter is confined 10 one.
and that poor one.* Railroads have increased
the amount OF milk bought in Boston fivc-:old.
and advanced, pasture lands one hundred and
thirty miles from New York GOO per cent. Pro-
/ perty IN seventy counties in Michigan has in
creased in value in a term of years S5j000oOO.
but three-iourhs OF the increase has been in those
twelve connties which are traverzed by railroads
The Illinois Central road will add Si0,00o000.
the Burlington and Missouri Railroad. Will add
10 or S20,000,000 to the worth OF the lands over
which they pass. You can raise a better and snr-
er crop than the orcharl;sts of Western New
York. but theirs is hurried by steam to the hest
| markets in a few hours, and sold three or four
/ times while you are getting yours To poorer
market Chicago has been supplied with peach
es. &c. this from Atom another season
and our own country viii pour into that market,
and the noble orchards and nuseries which flank
our beautfl. Orchard City. will rise 10 the value
OF a near neighborlood TO the Garden City of the
Lakes Some of you will yet send off your apples.
wheat pork, potatoes, beef mutton to the Lake.
they Will PASS from your doors by railroad, and
get your advanced price, and your return pass
an old iogy neighbor trundling bis into towr in
his slow and ancient wagon. Michigan farmers
changed the balance Of trade in favor of the State
s2000.0o0 one year, by putting in more wheat;
but without quick run to market their excess of
wheat would have rottei on their hands With
out railroads it would take two mouths. at s50or
$50 head to get beeves from the West to New
York. and they would arrive unsaleable.
Now they 90 in seven days. in prime order, at
a cost of $40 to sig, and at the rate of $4,000
week, they 90 even from the Cherokee na-
ton. west of Arkansas. marked with the hero
glyphics of the Indians who raised them. A Des
Mones county farmer has proved that it will pay
here to raise stock for the shambes of the Atlantic
cities. One advantage OF railroads is the dressed
meats that can be conveyed 1000 miles fresh
leaving hides, horns ofial &c. behind for fertiz-
ing and other purposes. Ohio dressed meats are
the tables of New York city. Another
advantage will be that artificial fertilizers can be
brought to use cheapy when we know how sci
entiically and proiitably to use them. Railroads
decrease the fluctuations of markets; it will not
long be true that ten wet days in England de-
range the exchanges OF the world" They i'm
prove the outward aspect of the country-farms
which are under the eye of passing thousands
daily neater cleanier and more tastetul-per-
haps the occupants are also would not say hoc
much our railroads. east and west. will make us
prosper, bnt will say that the men are now here
in their mdd e age who. before their white hairs
harvested by death. viii see the fruit and grain
and cattle Of Southern iowa and the Platte Valley
become an important ofisctt n New Yor; TO or
purchases OF English. French and German goods !
and in the Pacific ports 10 Importation Of silks
from India. and teas and porcelain from China
and Japan.
* 4 ton Of corn is estimated not 10 be worth
hauling by wagon when one hundred and sew |
enty miles from market: while at the same dis |
tance upon railroad it wcud be worth S22 o. |
4 ton Of wheat nine hundred and thirty miles !
fl ON market is net worth the hauling bv wagon. !
but by railroad it would be worth S4l 80.