The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-02-28

Senate, few days since, Senator Sholes OF
City made an able and comprehensive
speech, in favor of continuous lines of Rail
Roads, and of such legislation as shall Sc
cure to the State itself, all the advantages
of its position in the strife for the trade of
the great region west and north of US. The
Milwaukee Nea0s, says of the speech:
Gas a clear and comprehensive statement
of the principles which should govern the
Legislature in all it's Legislation upon these
subjects, the argument is one of unsurpass.
excellence and strength, and we warmly
commend not only to the Legislature, but
to the people OF the State;"
In the early history of Railways in this
country, as section after section, route after
route were built and occupied and opera
ted under different interests and control,
the great ground of public complaint was
the frequent shipments, transfers and
changes of freights, and baggage, and pas
sengers, necessary, involving injurious de-
lays, trouble and expense. We can all
remember our first experiences in the mat
ter of transportation Of persons and proper
| ty, from the seaboard to the lakes. By con-
trasting those experiences with the present
in the saving of time alone, without refer
ence to other economies, we can appreciate
the advantages of close connections, as Sc
cured from time to time by the consolida-
great interests, until now we rejoice in the
almost unbroken transportation by rail from
the Atlantic to the Lakes and the Missis-
sippi valley and in silver palace cars, fur
nishing without single change, passenger
conveyance from New York to Chicago
Leaving out of view the comparative tariffs
and expense, who can estimate that most
important of all considerations, the value
the time saved
And who can question with reference
to this saving alone, that the
consolidation of continuous railways
all over the country would result
in a sum of public benefits far exceeding
any offsets which can be fancied or fgur
ed2 But concerning the tariffs. 1t being
demonstrate that as one interest, under one
direction and control, line of road of one
thousand miles can be more che1ply oper
rated and maintained than if said line were
divided into two or ten interests, under diff.
ferent and diverse direction and control, it
of course follows that cheaper rates of trans
portation can be Afforded. And if this
principle as to saving expense and time by
consultations is good for thousand miles,
is it not better for two thousand miles P
If good as between New York and Chicago
is there good reason for refusing to extend
it to St. Paul or even to the Pacific !?
graphing, when, to reach New York there
were from eight to ten different circuits to
be brought into use-every one in the
hands of separate company, and under
independent control. A message in being
transmitted from Milwaukee to New York,
would have to be rewritten and re-checked
as many times as there were different COM
panies. The experience was, that while
cost of transmission was comparatively
large, two and three days frequently eIaps-
ed before a response could be received to a
telegram sent, if indeed, from the mistakes
constantly occurring a message were receiv-
ed by the party to whom it was addressed,
in sufficiently ineligible shape to be an
swered at all. One by one the separate
lines were consolidated and circuits extend
ed, until finally complete consolidation of
continuous lines was effected from the At
lantic to the Lakes Now there is an I'M
broken circuit between Milwaukee and
New York, and by the touch of the key the
communications, from one to the other, are
direct and complete, and while correctness
is secured and the time of transmission has
been diminished from days to seconds
Were the tariffs not reduced, or even advanc-
Cd 60 DIFF To lNx, r.hiob -,
the use of the Telegraph, the public inter
est is best subserved !? The time may come
when by the consolidation of continuous
lines, the entire circuit of the earth may be
made by single fash. Is there any one
to raise his voice against this on the ground
of fancied danger from the combination of
capital, or the monopoly involved; and as
the means of averting this danger, is there
any one who would insist upon return to
the old fragmentary systematic GnnibiLG-
ton Of time and space! 1t was the dream
of world wide circuit, the earth to be grid
ed by a continuous wire, when the anti
podes would be gathered as within span,
and the continents speak to each other thro'
the depths of the sea, that moved the men
of genius and giant will to this great work,
which the last year has seen nearly accom-
plished, and which another year, by the
completion Of the Russian extension, may
see entirely accomplished.
A vision akin to this has doubtless been
nerving the activities of the leading railway
projectors of the country in the work of
carrying out schemes which have for their
object no less results than the welding to-
gether, as by single link, the remotest
extremities of the land, and the eventual
harmonization, or consolidation, if you
please, of these great interests which, more
than all things else, are found to be promo
tive of and essential to the Development
and progress and wealth and civilization of
the country.
The central idea of the railway system is
like that of the telegraph, and continuity is
as essential an element to the economy
and success of the one as the other. What
ever tends to secure this continuity, and the
greater the extent to which it can be secur-
ed, so far, and so much greater will there
be a realization of the benefits which it is
the ultimate of this system to confer upon
mankind. Would we stop this progress
Would we, if we could, prevent these re-
suits If close railway continuity, by
any action of ours, could be established and
secured between New York and st. Paul,
and the Pacific by way of our own CONNER
cial city, in the use of our own roads as a
part Of the great through route, would it be
wise for us to withhold or refuse this &C
ton? understand the report of the minor
ity of the committee to mean that it would,
but cannot believe that this will be the
enlig htened judgment of the Senate.
My argument thus far has been confined
to the question of consolidation of contin-
uous lines Of railway. The committee in
their report have suggested the grounds of
objection to the consolidation of parallel
roads. But when the question presents it
self in the shape this does, | am not sure
but an exception should be made, and that
sec. 2 should be adopted without the
amendment. The object of this section is
to secure to our own roads and commercial
cities the avoIuSiva happ 6tc 90 for &c ,,r,o