The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-07-11

By last springs emigration, and decided |
in favor of freedom, it is but natural to |
look over the Territory, and begin to lay |
the foundations of ultimate greatness. A
State cursed with negro slavery has no |
stimulus to exertion. Though rich in
natural resources. yet, if lacking the en- !
ergy which freedom inspires, she reposes
in idleness, and contents herself with
standing halfa century behind her neigh
bors in real progress, Take Missouri and
Illinois, OF Ohio and Kentucky, and con-
trast these States in Improvements, and
whats striking difference is observed. Or,
nearer home; contrast Missouri and her
infant neighbor Iowa. In the latter, rail-
roads are stretching out their arms, and
making an iron network all over the State.
Missouri, on the contrary, is but just wax
ing up to the importance of great routes of
intercommunication; and even now, looks
to New England for her capital with
which to build her railroads. And but
for the opening of Kansas to free labor,
another half century would have passed
away ere single railroad route across the
State would have been completed. The
emigration Of the last spring has done
more towards bringing forward the Pacific
Railroad to completion to her western
| borders, than would have been accom-
plished in an age. without such a stimu-
LIANT.
1t is less than three years since the tide
of emigration began to set towards Kansas,
yet now the people begin to feel the need
of railroads, and are talking in. earnest
about their construction. They arc not
willing to wait the slow and tardy pro-
gress of their Rip Van Wrinkle neighbor,
but are contemplating the completion of
their inland routes, SO as to have them
/ in readiness to connect with Missouri,
when other circumstances shall infuse
new life and energy into tho business men
of that State.
The Hannibal and st. Joseph Railroad
is the first one which will be completed
across the entire State of Missouri. Bos-
ton capital and Yankee energy is enlist
ed in the enterprise, and it is bound to
triumph. The first of October, year
hence, will witness the completion of this
gigantic undertaking, and two or three
trains of passenger cars a day, and twice
as many of freight, will be required to
supply the immense travel and bust
ness over that route. The first rail-
road route completed to Upper Missouri
will monopolize the travel and business
to Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah,
and the overland travel to California and
Oregon.
The Hannibal and st. Joseph road
crossing the Mississippi at Quincy, Ill, is
the favored route. While the eastern
railroads will all labor to converge there,
those in Kansas will center at st. Joseph.
and direrge from that point to all places
in the Territory. 1t becomes a question,
then, with interior places in the Territory,
to know which points will be connected
by iron bands with St. Joseph, Mo.
The citizens of Topeka, we believe,
have the honor of organizing the first
Company which looks forward to an early
connection of the valley of the Kansas
with the Missouri at that point. While
Lawrence has been engaged in looking
after other peoples business, our friends
at Topeka have been looking after their
OVID, and rich reward will be theirs.
Though Leayenworth is waking up to
the Importance of tho enterprise, and
Delaware is determined to urge her claim
with great force, yet the first railroad
which reaches the interior of Kansas, trav-
~ersing it in southern, or southwestern
direction, will cross the Missouri at Elm
wood, opposite st. Joseph, continuing its
course down the Missouri, touching at
Geary City, Doniphan and Atchison: else
keeping down the Missouri on the eastern
side, until it arrives opposite Atchison,
where it will cross over, and diyergc from
the river at that point in a southwesterly
direction to Tecumseh or Topeka. From
thence, its arms will be extended to en-
brace the Santa Fe trade, in the same
general direction, passing Burlingame.
Maria DIES Sygnes and Empcria; @hefc it
Will only rest f5f time, until emigration
shall have gone in advance of it to well
come its arrival on the upper Arkansas,
and, in time, to Santa Fe itself.
Ii has been said that railroads are never
built in any other general direction than
on lines OF latitude or longitude. This is
owing to the fact that the demands of
business and travel has not required them
IN any other direction. For the first time
In the history of she cu,intr5, the immi.
grant ifoih Now England, or the Middle
States, has diverged from direct line
Though anxious for years, to find more
genial climate; yet the institutions of the
more southern States, have been such as
to prohibit the emigration thither of the
surplus population of the North; hence it
has been content to push on scest-"West-
card the star of empire takes its way.i'
1t Is not so any longer. The rich and
fertile prairies of Kansas are open, wooing
to their embrace the sturdy pioneer of q
more northern latitude, while capital,
Prosean IN form, stands ready to deviate
from its former convictions, and constructs
arteries Of travel to supply the growing |
wants of the many thousand who have