Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-09-04
1,H fuy L.wI.nuIs CHRONICLE.
THE RAILROAD.

my former dTtlClc ndu 3" y''
umns until a day or two since, or should have
been equal to my promise in continuing the
subject. Indeed, was fearful that my f'"S
at the good people Of Lewisburs, would be
misunderstood cd by you, and thus its Pnniica-
ton withheld. In singing out Geo. +. Miller,
Esq, did not intend TO detract from the many
enterprising gentlemen of Lewisburs. but
spoke or wrote of him as one whom knewto
be not only active in all public improvements
but Of the Spruce Creek Rail Road in Pariicu'
lar. Nor did alude TO the amount OF stock
subscribed BY Mr.. Miller. or any one else.
Money, it is true, is called "substantIal and,
but il requires more than money 10 induce the
most Of those who possess il, TO invest II IN
enterprises with which they are not well ac-
quainted, no matter how much their Individual
interests may be identified with it. This is the
point on which | believed some Of your people
were a, fault. The construction Of rail road,
50 miles long, in any section OF the country.
is no small undertaking; but, in country like
the one between the two extremes Of your con-
lemplaied road, isolated as it is from all the
successful Improvements Of the country, II
can no, be expected that the people will GO
blindIy into the matter. They want TO be as.
sured that their money will be properly ex-
pended, and that it will be ultimately, either
directly, or indirectly, returned to them. To
effect such feeling among the people, and TO
make them FEEL an interest in the construction
of the road, is worth more than the money sub
scribed by any gentleman. That such feel
ing can be produced. and that the road can and
will be made, have very little doubt, and
with the aid of your columns. and without be-
ing able to subscribe $4,000 TO the stock CT the
Company, will endeavor 10 assist those who
have so galantIy undertaken il.
In the construction of rail road like every
other enterprise. the first consideration should
be, will it, when completed, remunerale those
engaged in it, for their Time, trouble and eI-
pend.turei This conclusion can only be Safe
~ arrived at BY a knowledge Of the country
through which the road is 10 pass, Of its pro-
ducts Of agricultural and mineral wealth, its
population, and its connection with other i'm
provements in successful operation. With
the whole extent Of country. from the beautiful
and nourishing town of Lewisburg to the con-
nection with the Central road a,Spruce Creek,
have for more than forty years been familiar,
and believe arm not saying too mach when
say know it well, and have tolerable fair
knowledge of its products and the amount Of
local tonnage it would furnish. The face Of
I the country only needs to be seen TO convince
any one OF the beauty and fertility Of the val
lies. producing at the proper season Of the
year the appearance Of one vast field OF bread,
| while the mountains and hill sides are filled
with the far famed Centre County iron, which
require but the facilities of rail road TO in
crease the one. and bring into active and prof
liable manufacture the other. To these asri-
cultural and mineral resources, must be added
the extensive forests Of fine timber ct every
description, and the abundance Of wafer power
| that ahonnds throughout the entire county.
capable of propelIins any amount Of machl'
merry necessary for the manufacture OF the re-
sources along and adjacen, to tho line Of rail
road.
This, then, is as briefly as have been able
TO express i,.the kind Of country through which
this road is in contemplation Of construction.
| But, from my own knowledge Of it, it was the
same kind Of country forty years oe", that ii is
to-day! Its population was nearly the same
II produced about the same amount Of every
variety of agricultural products it does now
1t manufactured as much if not more iron
while its vast forests Of pine timber continue
to extend their evergreen boushs towards the
clouds in the same majestic reverence as ol
yore. The natural inquiry is, Why is this
Bu, the reflective mind soon finds the cause
II is in the fact that this valuable section ol
our State has been outstrippedby the enterprise
and public spirit Of ofhsr sections Of the country
In a word it is cut of from the great thorough
fares of the country, and the industry and en-
terprise of the people is confined 10 the de
mand. of local market, not being able 10 com
pete, with their old six horse wagons, with ih'
expeditions and cheap facilities of a rail road
But let this road be made, and the whole pic
, ture will be changed. Population will increase
, forests will disappear, and ,her products, alte
naVihS iurnisneu employment ioi 'hous"i"
j. Of industrious workmen, will be shipped I,
our eastern markets, and returned in larg,
profits 10 their owners; new machinery vii
be erected. and that which has gone down TO
; want Of facilities to market will again Tis'
! from their ashes and give new life and yigo
! TO everything around them.
With this view Of the prospect Of the road
have examined with considerable care tn
Report Of Mr.. Warford, the Chief Engineer
and while admire it as an able, fair and Sat
,sfactory exhibition Of the practicabili,y an
cos, OF the road, without any attempt at any
J thing beyond the plain facts connected wit!
it, and although some may suppose his calcu
: la,ions in regard to the amount of bushes
q extravagant, | feel confident that in the aggre
6 gate he is below the mark. But as this artici
is already too long, will reserve for ano,he
the pleasure feel in being able TO show tha
the business must be much greater than tina
contemplated by your intelligent Ensineer,an an
y ,ha. the people Of Centre county alone, hav
!. an interest equel 10 tha whole expense Of III
road, and that if every dollar expended wer
to be (what it can not) an entire loss, yetthos
expending it would be doubly indirectly pal
u by the increased value of their properly an