Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-02-06
THE TRIUMPHs OF SCIENCE.

How strikingly suggestive of those delicate
gossamer threads of skeleton leaves is the
form and structure of our railroad system
delineated on a map of the country. The
Apian way was the pride and glory of Rome,
the browning achievement of her civiliza-
ton. But how insignificant when compared
with the grand triumphs of steam! How
comparatively recent the beginning, how
stupendous the growth of this wonderful
agent in the advancement of science, pro-
gress and Christianity. II would seem that
some modern Aladden, with his magic lamp,
had called into being these myriad compli-
Gated lines and ramiications, encircling with
their iron bands the girdle of the continent,
and in their steady, onward march, laughing
TO scorn the angry roar of mighty rivers,
Speeding on where the death dealing ava
+ lanche frowns upon their course. Still on
ward and upward in their wild fight, scaling
the lofty mountain tops, madly leaping from
erag to crag and descending in safety to the
valley beneath. What marvellous feats are
these Of mind over matter! With all this
boundless superhuman power over the op.
posing obstacles OF nature, man violates no
property of matter, but merely employs one
ibrce to overcome another. There is not a
physical miracle which man does not aspire
TO perform He conquers the law Of gravity
and ascends the sky in balloon. He
breathcs his soul into the iron monsters Of
the deep, moving like thing Of life across
the trackless ocean bearing TO foreign ports
\,he rich tributes of our nationality and re-
ming, like the winged horse in the fable,
with the precious argosies Of other
He trsnsmutes by chemical analysis
lZiad elements of matter and CLEANS
thousand antidotes to heal the
Resh is heir to- despite the law
bIesion he grinds To atoms the toughest
and fashions ii at his will. He calls
he cloud the iorked thunderbolt, and
ry, threatening CLEAN, tanned by the
Scence, sheds its harmless, cheerful
Hthe streets Of our cities, and soon
is subtle fluid will illuminate
d in the land. In this age
Id scientific discovery there's
heavens above or the earth
Itch the ingenuity, skill and dar-
Y Of nan cannot subdue He unites con-
tents whltlA seas had separated, and his
lron messengers go forth upon their destined
course, over valleys and mountain ranges,
As though endowed with the mystery of
hasua, aud A.. .,,ua,.sauooaa. Of 1,,ty nin
dent US wel-trainsd horse to the guiding
hand Of its master. They bring together
the commercial ends Of the world, and with
out them il may well be questioned whether
fallen To decay. II may well be doubted
whether the United States, 10 widely diverse
in lis climate and population, could have
preserved the cohesive principle of lis
strength and equipoise and kept in subjec-
ton the sovereign States Of the Union. in
obedience 10 the will and supremacy OF a
central government, had not our railroads
gathered in their embracing ever-expanding
folds the four corners Of the continent, and
spanned with their iron net work the grand
highways Of travel and commerce, bringing
together in mutual bonds Of interest and
sympathy the inhabitants Of the Atlantic
and Pacific slopes. Let us remember this
circumstance TO their credit when we be-
moan the corruptions and rings which have
been ushered in with the era Of rapid devel.
ppment In our system OF railroads. The
lnammoih corporations which have sprung
iniob being, and Anaconder-lik are eniwining