, 1859-01-29

ali of which concentrate upon Chicago and Mil
waukee, and then consider the eastern routes
from Chicago and Milwaukee, including the
Chicago and Pittsburgh road. and it vii be
seen how tbs great trade currenta are lowing
to the North Of our city, while 1t is mainly BY
crots eonntetions that we gather BONO coutt1nu'
tions from the main stresnd-
This immense Development Of the country of
the Lakes and the Northwest has taken place
mostly within ten years, and the tacta which
hnse been stated. sufficiently explain why IN
that time this city has not advanced 81 rapidly
as some Of It's friends predicted then; psttiou-
larly aa for most Of that time We were without
my direct railway connection With the Misais-
sippi.
The sxme map will also show "a what our re-
latons arc 10 the trade. and more especially the
trdrt} between the South and tho North which
hy the ideal plan wns to be thrown in upon the
Queen City. For all the purposes Of this state
nent, the roads from New Orleaus aud Mobile
to the Lakes BY the woy Of the Central Illinois
Road, and others, may be considered IS tniebed,
aud ne have in this greet line main thorough
fare from the Southwest to the Lakes aud the
Northern cities which takes The tide OF Southern
trove1 far to the West of Cincinnati.
II now We turn Eastward from Mobile to
Sarauuah ard Charleston, we shall see
that they are already connected through
Chattanooga aud Memphis with the great
route from New Orleans 10 Chicago; and
next year they will also be united With
Louisrille By the way Of Nashville, and thus 1t
comes to pass that in the same mauner that the
commerce OF the Northwest passts 10 the North
OF Cinc,unnti, SO does the trade, but more
especially the trnyel, Of tile South and south
west pass TO the westward Of us; nor Will our
Mississippi, road answer the necessity OF The
case, and turn these currents upon our own cen
tfe. This is not the mission OF our Western
railway.
Nor does this complete our survey Of the octu-
al condition OF Cincinnati and her railroads.
Directly south Of US, md midway between US
aud the Southern seaboard there stretches
great trunk ruilnay reachinK-trom the North
crossing every route which has been or can be
devised from the South 10 the Western valley,
and this interrupts tr4de and tEnve] both, which
naturally belongs 10 Cincinnati. and cnrries it
partly through Tennessee and Virginia towards
Philsdelphia and New York. and partly to the
Northwest By Meu1phis and st. Louis. or Nash
vile nnd Louisville. ln this manner Cincinnati,
ere another year is over, will be left commer.
cially gu leland. The great streams Of t7ade
and commerce will How around her in every d.
rection, or at least on the three principal sides
from which ulone her business can be derived
Let the business Of the country through which
these various roads pass over, settle in the chan
nels Indicated, and business relations be formed
independent OF this city, ard it is easy to fozesee
the ultimate result. Cincinnati would. in that
caae be compelled 10 contend against great odds.
Tic bu.lnes Which sue requires would not flow
naturally toward leT It would lie necessary to
IneYcrpt and divert it Oh all sides from these chan
nel-, wlI!cl, are bving Rapidly perfected. The
Queen City could, doubtless, with her capital,
skill manufactures, aud her established buainess
Relations, amt all the combined Influences ot
leading city, do much tt sustain herself against
every disadvantage, lut she caEnpt couthcIact
1erte'uaily the drawing around hfT these line, of
hes, and shut cr in like the trenches Of Lesics
ing army. We link We do not exag.erate tile
influence which our city will feel ere lung, from
these great lines which are bss inning to close
around lter, and hem her in.
Tie very same process is now going on with
the country south and southwest Of us which
has been completed to the north and northwest,
and which hEs carried the business to the north
Of us. Tht direction Of the southern lines thus
for is such as 10 bend the southern commerce
and travel purity to the west and partly to the
east Of us; no. is ii eusy to gee how this iso!a-
tion can be prevented By any communications
which Cincinnati has now ut her command.
By her present channels this trade cannot
reach her without going far out Of its way, ex-
ceptiug only that part which We control By tie
river.
As to the "pos,il,c," the Ga=ettc suggests tho
opcninS Of great through line Of railway from
ClicagD TO Charleston, making Cincinnati tic
erntri dcpot Of the route. Nearly tile entire line
Is already i'll operation, and the opening Of i ie%
more links will complete it. II may lie doubted
whether the remedy proposed will prevent the
evils 81 clearly aud iorcby stated by the editor
Of thc Gasctte. The ccatre Of wealth, population
aad power must soun lie west Of Cincinnati. There
is still so1ne discussion as to whether St. Loul, Or
Chicago will win tie prize hut it cannot lung re.
main 1n1tter Of doubt. Holding the keys to the
trade ol 1hc treat inland sras Of the continent
with c"au:ry nEeqaallcd Ill mineral and agricu-
turll riches stretching far away 10 the Rocky
M"an'u'ns aud pouring it, we4l'h into llcr co1tr<,
Chicago, within the next decade, will yindica1e
her right to tue position Of tue grel. central city
Of the continent.