The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-09-22
Twenty-Five Year.-A Retrospect.

l"tIIN I'VE years. ne great uiSCONcIitS w
science and the arts. the numerous useful in
venuons, the wonderful expansion of COM
merce, the finding OF inexhausiible mines OF
precious metals, and the rapid growth in
wealth and population, all tend to make the
last quarter of century unparalleled III the
worlds history. The whole civilized world
has felt the impetus of growth and e1pan-
sion, and we ire happy to believe that our
own favored land, untrammelei by the tra-
ditions and de FIRMS OF the Old World,
has not only distanced all other nations in
the race Of progress but has by its example
o: energy aud enterprise, infused new life
into elieJe and decayiug natonalites.
Less than twenty lre years ago the first
successful experiment with electro telegraphy
was made, though it had been the subject of
investigation for some years previous. \
wire was stretched from Washington TO Bal
timore in 1914. and soon after extended to
lew York, and very rapidly throughout the
earth IS girdied, and time and space are
literally aunlhIlated. The author OF this
wonderful discovery still lives, i'll the enjoy.
ment Of a green old age, rich in honCrs and
the substar tal rewards Of his genius
Twenty-Five years ago ocean steam navi-
cation new thing, and its prccticability
had lust been demonstrated. II, c, wears
be:.r- a little steamer. known rs the .SIraJ,>
Hah, had crossed the Atlantic, Dut her daring
feat bad l0rg been forgotten, never, perhaps,
10 be recalled, had not the Western World
been walked up one morning bv the aston,
ishIug news tina; the .Suius. a4.I L.-iish
built steamer, had arrI,,. ...H London.
The Sirius was soon fol-" a. tue great
Wtst-rH-aud theucetOrih. 0-... steam nav
igat.on became fixed fact = !,,e, there
had been no steamships, only steam boats
useful craft on lakes and rivers, and other
inland wat rs-bgt the idea that steam could
be made available for navigating the ocean
had long been secuted ~ high places.
Twenty-Five years ago there we're 10 steam-
ships of war, but, ocean steam navigation
having been demonstrated as practicable, the
nations ceased to build sailing vessels for
war purposes, aud rapidly substituted steam
erS
Twenty-Five years agO most Of the inveu
tious Of agricultural machinery, wL.eh now
s. tighten the laJJrs OF the farmer, while
they increase his gains, were unknown. Who
ever heard of tAc reapiaG machine til it
made sensation at the London Exposition
in 1859? II must have had b..rt exist
cuce before thai. for It was sent, "a per c.,ci
&. giue from Chicago 70 I.gulJa; bat how
few had ever heard Of .i,; am row, who
woalI t.Iak Of working 4yen Iwe4ty-4cre
farm without It's all?
Iwcutg hse " lrs ago there wers railroads
with locomotive engines, but they datc uu'y
q few years anterior. The writer Of tins
well remembers reading the account Of Mr..
Stepheusou's first succe+s IN England, and
he has uJl fJT-Ju-r Sc ael the FIRST short line
.,., f,.. Ia op--l,15n tu th.. country. Twea.
tr,fve y-t-s 'a.-l railroad connection between
the Hudson River ami Lake Ere was scarce
jv comy.=..t. the Fri, and the Hud,,. River
Inc. ,s.rs hardly isoa,lt Of. and In ,h-
Gr.lt Wet. where the railroad may be s4ii
+, have achieved ITS greatest ;rl.uphs. it had
d., existence a. all. II the last ,aeury>f,e
vs.r, ID. ut v.i;-sss The ori-i.. oi the rail-
r,.I las s-eY lis wonderful eYaar.ioa.
ul;!r this a.,4.,rr a..I Western Ear5p. have
besa converted into gigantic crdiruus b,
the crossing aud IatariacInE ot iron bands
and an o,Hef modes OF is.id travel have De-
come nearly obsolete, and a i!.= fa4le Journey
ia an oid-t.-u.J.gi sage coach J. more 'n
be dreaded tL-a il huuI-cl Hli-s IN a rall
car.
Twenty-Five years so California vas un-
explored and uulu uaolted, save by I"4laua
aa4 "a les: Mexican adventures aad outlaws,
au3 IFS wealth. %. preti'us ORES was we'll
kept secret; "ad the other -oid-rr'iac!ug
States and Territories -Nevaua, Colorado,
Ar.zgaf, Montana and llaa"-"yw 50 iamii-
I Iar 10 every -sE. had 40 existence, save as
thy formed fNt- VI tie great u'is XP'oced
Tar " est oi t-e .raE I.4at-in region.
iwe"'y-uEc years a-o = -Iui'ri thousand
dollars Wa !e-''deI as q maSn.L- Hui i5T'
/ tune, to "h.-h, though many ",p'rvc, iv"
attained, aHa 'le number 10 the metropolis
. OF the eetrEn " orid whose esi";e7 reached
/ tbs hFuEe could be coun'e't Oh one hnEer >.
! There are more ms1 III New York to>tay
whose aanH" incomes Fe'eh one hshared
/ tAJus2L4 dollars, '-ea tHt7e were twenty -A'e