The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-01-06

[ as to insure the immediate settlement oi !
| great extent Of country. A wise, steady po
! licv, such as has thus far marked the Cours
of the company, while it is well calculated t.
advance their permanent interest, cannot ia
of producing the most favorable influences
upon the minds Of the people. Col. Mason
the CHIEF engineer Of this road, has compre
hended the interest OF the company as wei
as the state, and pushed forward this work
with wonderful ability and energy. The
whole business seems to have been reduced
ton system, and faithfully carried out by
those in his charge.
The estimated cost Of this road,
including equipment, is $50 rOOO OOC
/ Amount already expended, l7,D0o,Ool
/ Yet to be expended, S3,OO0OOl
Length of main line completed, 3Os miles
Gaiena branch, lac miles.
Ofwhichi is finished, l29
Yet to finish, II
Length Of the Chicago
branch, $50 miles.
Ofwhich is completed, 80
Unfinished, 100
Making completed, 6eI miles,
| And unfinished, III miles.
The amount 10 do on the Galena branch
/ will be done by the first Of April next, II the
weather continues good for work during the
winter, and the Chicago branch some time
during the summer OF lsj5. This road has
now lUi locomotives finished, Al passenger
cars, and ! ,lj4 freight cars.
Presumption claims si6nned on company's
land, ", 1920 acres.
Cash received on same e
Both November, S242,75s u
Sale of mortgage lands 70
goth November, 2G9Jii6 acres.
Cash received on same, 1928 20
Total amount Of sales, s293, ,3lS II
Average price for which the above lands
were sold per acre is slgsS. Large
amounts are now selling daily, and in near
ly all cases to actual settlers. This road
penetrates the best puf, Of Illinois, and will
cause rapid settlement on its line.
As intimately connected with this subject,
| beg leave to invite your attention to the
sttl-i-et a the improvement ei etiF nav ieabtr
rivers aud lake harbors by the general gov
Crnmcnt. In u former communication l took
occasion TO place before the legislature the
best estimate could compile, with the
means then at hand, showing the commerce
of some OF our cities on the lake, the canal,
the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, within cur
borders am satisfied that statistics would
now show that commerce, over the whole
state, increased full fifty per cent. in the past
two years, AZ d with this estimate desire to
solicit your attention to the views then pre-
scnted Subsequent observation has strong
ly confirmed my opinion in relation to the
claim which the west has upon the attention
and consideration Of the general govern
mcnt While the sales Of the public lands
are largely swelling the national treasury;
while nearly the entire national revenue is
drawn from the two sources Of taxes upon
commerce and the western lands, the west
is sending forward through the channels Of
commerce immense amounts of the products
Of her toll, and receiving in return those i'm
ports which supply national government with
treasure. While the hardy settler is doing its
battle with all toll of frontier lie, he is too
often doomed TO the melancholy destruction
Of his property by those continued marine
disasters which render transportion by the
lakes and rivers so hazardous. he marked
inequality which has distinguished the policy
OF the rational government upon TINS SUI
lect, between the east and the west mas
been TOO oiteh 'nc su2)ec' OF "iscuss'o,l 10
need repetition here' put IL Is dl'i'cu.t 10
comprehend mat constitution whlch uiSre-
CARDS the character OF tue commerce 10 oe
regulated and protected and is wholly CON
troIled by its locality. If there is any one
Subject upon which the general government
should cvince hVcly interest, u Is 'iia'
commerce when gives NE ana power =" .,'c
country at home, anu commands Tor u ',e
respect oi AL nations aoIoau' anu u '"''c 10
any SUBJECT ON which 'he general govern
ment should he naoonal' ana discard a.' sec.
tional iavorItism, IT'S thc Protec'ion OF tl'a!
commerce, Wherever IL Is lhc M,ss'ss,pp'
and Missouri rivers lorlh lhe dl'iu'he ~, ,''e
between a great number o' states. iTey
alHest di'lde ine eet'ttt'etft hsu''ueI' nv
pfouuctlohso OF lhci' '''e!S ''c ="
water TO almost every section oil tte haol'a'
able globe. In return, tie prouuclS or We
ry eniightend na,ioh nhuer tmc sun i,iu
wide market IN 'hese great 'aheys, anu Pay
an immense revenue INTO 'ie treasury Vi .''e
republic lhere Is no cleheNt III 'iic cur.
acter ol INC hatioh ",'ch gives i,o'c
strength at nome ana charac'ei aproau 'nhh
TINS VIDE Spreau commerce. II !. Is au.'','.'
cd 10 Dc national when !. reacles W. W 'irs' ,.''
iant'c haroor' now can II cease 10 oe so owner wheh
It passes beyond 'hat ana reaches ,he Mlss's, $
sippi; or even passing beyond mat ana IS
found hrst unloading on 'hc SHORES OF ,lic
Ohio, Wabash, or tne i'i'nosf lhese DC,
ing my settled CONVICTIONS upon topic OIL
such imminent moment 70 ihe interest o' our
state, surrounded ana cut through aswe are
by rivers and u lake. inc Improvement o,
which is so much needed ! nave deemed II
my duty to urge thc matter upon your spe-