The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-06-15

set uponit, with his own almighty hand, the
seal Of imrershable greatness and power
The contemplation of natural objects SO
striking and so vast, leadsthe miEdirresi St
ibly to their divine author; it tends to en-
large our thoughts and, Let us hope, to i'm
prove them.
70 vou, Mr.. Mayor AMI your fellow citi-
znns Of Davenport and Iowa. to the lnhabit-
ants OF the towns in Illinois, Wisconsin,,
Iowa and Minnesota. which We have visited,
eur grateful acknowledgements are de for
the Kindness we have every where received.
We have come among von as strangers:
You have greeted us with the cordially Of
friends and kindred We shall bar the re-
menbrance OF your kindness with Us TO our
homes and treasure it in our hearts
To the gentlemen who have planned and
carried out this excursion, our thanks
are especially due for tbs qualification they
have afforded us. We are nearly a thou
sand IN number. Many OF us have been
brought from the Atlantic to the Mlss,sslp,,
pi through the Courtesy Of the Railroad aud
steamboat companies IN the intermediate
States. We have been carried by Messrs.
Sheffield & F0rnam and the Chicago and
Rock Island Railroad Company more than
five hundred miles up the Mississippi IN tive
beautiful steamboats,, furnished with every
luxury the heart could desire; and we ara
now ON our way to our homes, where we
are 10 be taken 1t their expense. Some OF
rs, before our Journey is ended, Will have
been transported by land andby water more
than three thousand four hundred miles
as the guests Of the gentlemen and
companies referred to. Such an exam
ple of liberality and muRiticenee has
no precedent ii any country. Indeed, there
is no other quarter Of the globe where such
an excursion could have been made. Airi-
en- and Asia are for the most part the abode
Of barbarnus and half civilized races, almost
destitute OF the great improvements Of the
age. Civilized Europe Is split up into 4
multitude of independent States, filled with
jealousy and apprehension OF each other,
and fenced in hg commercial restrictions,
which are framed with an express view 70
obstruct familiar intercourse. | do not
hesitate Is say that party like ours, coming
upexoected a custum-housc on the con-
tinent OF Europe, with all lis machinery fer
the scrutiny Of persons aud passp aud
baggage, could not have got through tim the
time occu2ied by our Eastern friends II COM
ing twelve hundred miles from TIE Atlantic
ocean Ii the Mississippi river, II the thou
sands of miles Ut country We have pass
cd through, there Is no man authorized Is
question us rs II onr names, our busl-
ness. our destination, or what We carry
with Us. This perfect liberty Of locoma-
ton, this immunity rom all eustom-hpus
inauistion. i tile fruit of tile union oi
the States, and il should be the iirst
wish in the heart, and the first prayer On
the iipS, II every honest man, that il
may b. perpetual.
W. have e9me here, fellow citizens.
10 lebrate the completion of the last
LAX IN the FIRST direct unbroken line a.
Railroad communication between the At.
mn,ic ocean aud the Mississippi river
We have come from differ II States.
geographically emote from each other,
but brought into virtual contact BY the
power of human genus and enterprise -
Some of rs came 10 the Mississippi from
the Atlantic, distance Of twelve hum
dred miles, in forty eight henrs. -
The completion Of the various IaiiWays.
which form this CEtcnaed chain, is far
greater achievement, under any aspect
IN the Arrangement .! time. The stimulus
TO enterprise. the augmentation Of the
productive power Of III eountrv and the
association vi distant States and terrific
RES in commerce and social communion
than any enterprise ever executed on this
continent The union Of the waters Of
Lake Erie and the Atlantic ocean ia 1928,
through the Erie CANAL work for which
the State Of New York u mainly ndy b.ed u
the perseverance al De Witt Clinton and his
associate was far inferior in Importance 70
this. efficient as i was in its influence upon
her prosperity and Tint OF her western ueigA-
bors From Boston ON the Atlantic 10 Rock
Island on the Mississippi, portions Of eight
States, with population oil more than eltv-
on millions Of Inhabitants, are trayerscd and
i halls the time which was necessary fifty
years gro % travel conveniently through
Massachusetts, from East 10 West.
Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and MIME to,
ara side hv SIDE with Massachusetts, C5unnc-
ticut ard New York They have a common
interest--the Interest reeiprgcally Of prasiu-
GERS and coHaumers-the strongest interest
that can bind communities Of men to each
other. excepting that congeuial.ty ol prnci-
pie which springs IrUm identity Of political
institutions.
nave lIt b@Ell4f>Stbllr 445ttS dli1! GtHiit-
men, to speak in behalf of the Chicago &
Rock Island Railroad Company anl u
very small stakeholder, but a larger bond
hoder--one Of the very earliest, telieve,
in the enterprise and can say sincerely
that am entirely satisfied with my connec-
ton with it in both relations. Mcssrs-
Sheffield q Faruham, who took this work
into their oHn hands and have carried it
through, in IN almost incredibly short pc
Rod of time, by their uuassisted means and
credit, have displayed Il degree OF energy,
active perseverance, discretion and know
ledge Of their business, worthy Of the ex-
traordiuary success, with which their iabors
have been crowned They collected III ten
months on an unfinished road and on an
expenditure 81 less than foGr millions ofGol-
lars, over six hundrcdtb1Hsa dollars. They
are now receiving on finished road, and on
an expenditure Of tuur millions and Il
half Of dollars, at the rate 81 over twelve
hundred thousand dollars per annum. Tie
receipts Of the road for May, the third month
after it was pu' in operation, were one hun
bred and nine thousand dollars. Making a
liberal deduction fer the season, when bust
ness is less active aud the an ual revenue
Of The road will exceed million of dollars
1t Wili defray NIL expenses, pay ten per cent
per annum tU Its stockholders, and leave
S rpus for extending its accommodations
II would no. BIZ surprising II The stock
holders besides receiving seven per cent