The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-08-10
from the n. Y. Courier 4 Enquirer.i
Western Roads as an investment.

The Michigan Southern s. Northern In
diana Railroad is public work which was
commenced by tat-seeing sagacity, carried
forw ard in spite OF obstacles, and has been
crowned with triumphant success. It may,
therefore be pointed to as n model Ameri-
can enterprise; and we wish that our means
expended on western railroads could al
ways be as judciously placed as in this in
stance. For here is line from lake-head
TO lake.head as plainly Indicated by nature
for great ,horoughtare as if river ran
where now runs the rail. 1t is a bridge a.
cross III: land to unite two great seas, al
points destined to be their chief mar,s Of
trade.
Its also the natural highway Of that rap
idly augmenting volume Of travel which is To
come and 90 between the regions situated
east and northeast Of the southern projec-
ton Of Lake Erie, even to the seaboard on
the one side. and on the other. the .p airie
realms which stretch west and northwest OF
the southern extremity OF Lake Michigan 10
the Mississippi river and the Rocky Noun
tains The great Northeast and Northwest
travel of the American States will natural
Is 90 round the southern bend of these two
lakes This is, the New York axes Of trade
across tie continent, running through
Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, Rock Island,
Council Bluffs, and from the point where il
strikes the South Pass of the Rocky Noun
tains, net deviaiing as much is thirty miles
from an air line.
The Western key OF this line of road IS
the city Of Chicago, the population otwhieh
is now about 10000. Toledo also, at the
other end Of the road, occupies position
with reference TO Lake Erie analogous to
that of Chicsgo on Lake Michigan, being
the natural poin. Of centrilzation and dis
tribution torthe vast extent of country lying
west and southwest; and it may therefore
I look forward 10 similar prosperity. As
/ to the intervening country, we must say tina,
we saw no such length and breadth of cul-
tivated land on any western road as on
/ this.
I Except the regions Of the down on the
shore OF Lake Michigan, the whole distance
! is suggestion Of magnificent timber lands
and richly growing grain fields. Large
\ granaries have been constructed at all the
\ stations which send to market an annually
/ increasing agricultural surplus. We count
ed along the line of the road, upwards 81
twenty fourishing towns; and as several OF
4 them are county towns, The intermediate
travel must necessarily be large. The
great movement on the road, however, j:
that Of through passengers; the number o.
( whom, from month to month, increases be
yond all anticipations. And the next sea
son, the speed with which the new Goshef
(. branch @ill be run in connection with tbs
northern division ofthe Cleveland and Te-
/ ledo r K. will render this still more than
\ favored route OF east and west travel; fol
/ then the distance between Chicago ant
/ Cleveland, will be reduced 10 ten hours
The Mahoning road being also then open
ed with It's connections through to New
York, the traveller will pass on one I'M
broken guage, and possibly without even i
change Of cars, the magnificent distance be
tween the Missippi at Rock Island and thu
Atlantic at New York in thirty hours
The capabilities Of transit on this parable
of latitude will then be completely devel
oped an the value Of the Investment O
New York capital in the Michigan Southern
and Northern Indiana Railroad will first bt
\ realized.