New-York tribune., 1871-12-28

Ncw-YOrk, Philadelphia, and Washington.

The Mission OF RAILROADS "A kFMARhAbLf
PRoplECY BY WASHINGTON.
The mission of railroads is to spread civilization
and create national wealth. No better evidence 0i
this is needed than the great growth of the United
States which has resulted from the rapid spread OF
our railroad system. Emigrants, it is tTc, have had
much to do with the increase of our national wealth
but immigration has been encouraged by the direct
influence of railroads. The early statesmen OF the
republic saw the necessity Of internal improvements
and Washington was foremost among this class
TIe made this subject a matter of dcc2 study. and
after retiring from the army he made toir OF the
Middle and Western States, and submitted report
of his observations and conclusions to the Governor
Of Virginia.
Tie following extract from his :cpo.t. rel2tirg to
tho Western States, i'll be read win int res even
ct this late day:
"The Western States Il speak, says Gen.
Washington from my own O.'>eryat'"rl bang up0n
pivot. The touch of fo iil"r would ln"m ihcm
any way. They have looked Down the Mississippi
till the Spaniards. very impo.itl"iy, tbllh, Tor
Themselves, threw difficulties in the way; and they
!ooh,d that way for no other reason than hccallHe
tlcy could glide gently down the stream, without
considering perhaps the difficulties Of the voyage
back again, and the same necessary TO prIform II
and because they had other means of coming to
but by land transportation and uniinproNc'
roads. These causes have hitherto checked the IN
dustry of the present settlers for except the de-
mand for provisions occ;lsi0ned by the increase Of
population and the little flour which the necessities
of the Spaniards compel them to bny. they have No
indictments to labor. But smooth the road, AID
make easy the way for them, and then sec what an
influx Of articles will be poured upon us, how
amazingly our exports will Increase, and how amply
shall he compensated for any trouble and eA-
penSe we may encounter to effect it,
This remarkable prophecy of Gen. Washington
has been fulfilled not by tie primitive turnpike
roads, nor the canals, but by our net work of rail
roads The road to Increased prosperity is being
constantly made easy by the construction of and
important railroads. Prominent GIoIg these is the
81. JOSEPH ANp DEHvER CITY EAHIoAD FROM ST.
JOSEPH 10 Fort KEARNEY, now rapidly approaching
completion. The road will greatly shorten the dis
tance between San Francisco and the East, and Il
large traffic awaits its construction. Congress was
well aware of the Importance of this enterprise, and
granted the company l50u,OOO acres OF land III one
Of the most fertile and poplilos sections oi Kansas
and Nebraska. This land cannot be sold for less
than four dollars per and the entire proceeds
thereof are paid to the Farmcr-' Loan and Trust
Company trustees to retire the bonds of the COM
pany. According to The value of the lands of the
Illinois Central Railroad Company, the land grant
of the St. JOSEPH and DENvER CITY Railroad
Company Is morth than three times the dmount
of its tDtire bonded debt. We now Offering,
with perfect confidence, the FIRST MORTGAGE SINK
Ing FUND LAND GRANT BONDS OF THE ST. JOSEPH
AND DENVER CITY RAILROAD COMPANY. WEST
EIS DIVISION. at 81! and accrued interest i'll
currency. The bonds bear per cent interest, have
thirty years to run, and are payable principal and
interest, in gold con
a., IA
City Railroad Company the same as Gore'nment bo"dS
Those Of the Eastern Uirisbn originally marketed by
Our firm at 81, are current at 10la TO l23 and
dscrued interest. Ne W0uld particularly dircct the
attention Of investors TO this (lct, in rieW 0f the pro-
l,c;irt curly closing Of the present lOda
TANNER d Co.. Bankers
No IL Wall-St.