The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-08-23
RAILRoApg M KANgAs.


that there is no use of being 10 too much
Of hurry about them; thata railroad
within fty or sixty miles does very well.
aud tha, at al events one railroad is
enough for al practical purposes, and all
dat could be desired, or at least that it
would be safe to undertake to build.
This is an age OF rapid progress in
material things Communities aud in
dividuals areill content to co without any,
the least or greatest, Of the co .venisuces
Of modern civilization. Railroads are The
greatest OF these conveniences. Commu-
niliss that are content to do without them
one moment longer than is absolutely nee
essarY must take the consequences II sec
ond or third rate inheritance, with CORES
poudiug disadvantages Of low priced
property, poor markets, small capital aud
general lack Of thrift aud energy. There
is one fact which the " hols history Of the
West demonstrates, that almost any com
roupi,y can bstter afford 10 build rail-
road solely out of tie own means than do
witboutiE. And this cannot be done TOO
quick. Tens 81 thousands of em:grap;s
stand resdy to rush in and I'll up auy
new country, as fss; as railroads are built
that will enable them to reach them with
rspidi,y and safety, Il is like the rush
OF air OF water TO FL vacuum.
| Look a: Illinois, spanaed by railroads
( in all directions In l850-ooly seven
tesu years ago-ihe Stale had but twenty
Two miles of railroad. During the mex.
eight years over three thousand miles
we're built, and the State sprang at Oucs
frem comparative nothingnesa to gigsn.
TIC proportions. Immigration was directed
thither; nsarly all that for Wisconsin and
Iowa passed through is borders. The
country settled along the lines of its rail
roads with astonishing rapidity. VssI
areas of uplands hitherto considered
worthless were brough! under the domin.
ion Of Tie plow, d,ciies aud towns rose
! like emauatioGs ofmegic in the midst @
the prairie wilderness. and tie prosperity
of the State through the influence Of
these works Of internal improvement be-
came SO general, that before 1856 the las
acre of government land was disposed of
Kansas has projected aud under Bonn
sort of endowment, either of lands o
/ county bonds, or both, about one thous
3 and miles Of railroad. exclusive of ID
Union Pacific. being built Oy governmen
aid. Every mile of these roada are nee
essary TO the proper development of III
State, and should be built in the mex
three or four years at the fartbest. Kan
sas will lose the beue FL Of its Central p
sition if this is not doLe The Mother
Tier, the Border Tier, the Laavenwori'
y Lawrence and Galveston. the Neosho Val
lev, the Fort Scott aud Sau;s Fe. tn
Atchison aud Nebrasks city, the Aichi
son Topeka and Santa Fe, all open u
large districts of rich country TO com
. rnerce aud travel. all are more or less ia
dependent lines of road aad vii, becom
. great thorougbiares connecting impor
tant sections of country. 20 delay thes
enterprises is to perPs,uato poverty, an
remain lsggards in tbs race for wsslt
aud prosperity, II Illinois could bull
three thousand miles in eight years
-, from 1850 to l858-ought not Kansas {
build one thousand, 10 one third the tim,
with such 4 superabuDdsnce Of money
- :, there is st Preseutin the county, ard
: greater desire to embark il in en:erpris,
: Of this character?
Let no man act IS check rubber on Il
wheels Of our mstsrial progress. lie! Il
ID speed 10 rather accelerated. This is {
At age Of steam. The pioneers of to-ds
e may be the men of ease and of wealth
= tomorrow, instead of wearing ihemseiy,
re out with labor long maintained and barr
ID coniending with poverty to subdue III
J. ture aud make these prairie wilds ct hal
SO ilations for the abode Of civilization
st Why should not this come to pas.
IS Why wait for a consumation so devoul
as to be wished for? The State is of sue
u natural wealth that too much cannot |
spent 10 developing it. lie. us Ieali
q, this fact and act accordingly.