Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-01-06

the favorite routes ofltrayel to North Mig
souri,, Western; Iowa, NortfleYn Kansas, Me-
braska, and the great plains of The sWesf;;
and wnenaextended 10 the Iowa. Lime winch
should be done without delay, and connected
with the railroads Of Iowa and Mi,,nesc
the extent of its business cannot we'll BE
estimated. Isi 5n- s-Easa1 = O. lasTyol1zs
/ Before snatching the private stock from
those who were the pioneers in these enter
/ prises, it would be well to consider the nm.
favorable circumstances under which fhe
railroads ofsthis State we're first ltiridertsl
ken, and have thus been, prosecuted. 1Thev
were commenced under extreme disadvars
tages; when suchsimprovefnentsI were Y,of
appreciated IN this Stale; when there was
notoonly a iamentabls Indifference il, regard
10 great public enterprises, but'a determined
and active 'hostilitysto them; time when
the earnest advocates Of such measures of
public policy were not only subject 10 the
jeers and r1dicue Of many who had never
experienced the advantages OF the improved
modes of conveyance, butw obliged also
to labor arduousiy 10 convince those more
conversant with their benefit, that the bafla.
ing Of railroads in this State,- was then Az
nancially either safe or possible {: 7s'Ia7
The first railroad charter under which
any work in the way tfl construction way
done, was approved February 18th, I947.
nearly twelve years ago. At that time any
propesltionio aid in the construction Of a
railroad IN this State, was looked i,pon -
an act OF folly or madness; even the dopa-
ton OF The live hundred thousand acres of
land, granted BY Congress TO Missouri. with
The express provision that the proceeds of
the sales OF SAID lands should be faithfully
applied 10 the construction of railroads. etc,
had been divided out among the counties
without any reference 10 tbs letter or sDiri,
Of the act oi Congress, which intended that
the donation should be applied 10 she con-
struetlon of such facilities fos travel and
commerce as would not only benefit, the
State, but The General Government, AZ -
Ii will be remembered that when an AZ.
tempt was made 10 repeal the act referred
10, and apply the proceeds 10. objects con.
tempiafed by Congress, the friends Of ihs
measure, were charged with getting up a
scheme 10 ruin the the State. Even pro74
osition 70 defray the expenses ofa preIimtl
nary survey Of q liDs Of railroad, to test ns
practicability, was considered an entering
wedSs 70 policy tending 10 destruction.g
Although at the session referred TO, seys.sI
bills were passed in the Senate, fayorab;s
70 railroads, theY were voted down IN ,hs
House. And the proposition to postpous
the aetion of the distribution act until the
people could be consulted, was. defeated
From that period 10 the time of the passage
OF the act TO expedite the constructors %
the Pacific and the Hannibal s. ST.. Joseph
Railroads, approved February 22d, 1851, a
period of four years, nothing was or could
be done, except by individuals Of the greatx
est personal sscrifice. - -, -,
During that period the SURVEYS Of these
two lines were made at the expense Of
public spirited citizens, whose effort,
brought these projects SO prominently be-
fore the public, that the. Governor Of the
State was induced 10 recommend, and the
General Assembly TO pass, an act erantine.
them the aid Of The State, although its advoc
Gates encountered the most violent opposi-
lion. And under the provisions of that aci.,
granting 81 600, 600 to the Pacific, snd ST.
800, 900 to the Hannibal & St. joseph Rail-
road authorizing The issue sf 5O,O00 usou.
the expenditure Of $50 ,000 BY the companys
stock enough could moi be taken to progress,
with the work. Yet those who had pro-
jected these improvements, and kept them
alive to this period, not , only commenced
the work, but succeeded in. making sueir
demonstrations of their feasibilify,ss brpughto
them prominently befnrs Congress ,whlcIf.,
without any costto the State, resulted in
the passage an act granting lands 10 aid,
in the construction Of these roads.
From that period, June 10Th, 1852, the,
public began 10 feel confident in the sue,
cess Of these works, bat owing tn financial
crisis that occurred shortly after. IT was i'm,
possible TO raise money, even with the land
grant, without additional State. aid. which.
was consistently resisted by the same class
Of political economists that had opposed the
earlier efforts in their behalf. ANY. sris-.
pension ofthe work on these roads, how
ever temporary, occurring at any period,
since their commencement, would have, re-,
larded their progress for years, had NOT,
proved fatal 10 the cause OF internal i'm
provements in this State. This would have
given its enemies an opportunity Of. pro.
claiming tha. their predictions Of ruin. had,
peen realized, and 10 exult over The success,
Of their own negative policy. -. 81
IL was this absolute and Imperative me-.
,essiiy, which compelled the companies To,
sell their bonds during an, unparalleled f.
nahcial crisis, and at rates that, under or
binary circumstances, would have been nm
dstifdble sacrifices The heavy in,erest'
md discounts THUS ,peeessariiIy and una
rOidably incurred have been borne by the
companies, and have been uniustiy charged
o The increased cost Of construction over
he original esiimaies.s 500 'fi $50 81 "a
1t was under CIRCUMSTANCES suoh as have.
,een here recited, that those. 10 whom .ihs,
State Is indebted Tor the. existence Of ,onr,
'oads, spent their lime and private means,
n bringips lhese enterprises inio public no-
ice, and. Then aided, teths extent Of their
lvailable means, in their construction. Al.
The Subscribers 10 The private stock in eur