The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-11-28
Then and Now.

Thirty-two years ago the writer of
these lines crossed the plains-the Amer
lean Desert-starting at independence,
Mo-, and bringing UP at Santa Fe, New
Mexico. 1t required twenty-five days to
make the trip-about half way across
the continent. Then the mail from the
States was delivered monthly to the
frontiersmen, and a treat it was indeed
when the coach carrying it hove III
sight. The progress that has been made
within a generation, is illustrated in the
fact that now the mails from New York
are delivered in San Francisco in four
days and a half-three times the dis
lance that it is from independence to
Santa Fe Where there was bat wagon
road, or the Santa Fe trail, thirty-two
wears ago, half way across the continent,
there are now four railroads trayerslng
what was then regarded the arid plains.
Where the prairie dog and the coyote
were the principal inhabitants, and one
vast sea of land spread out before the
traveller. there are now four great rail
cific, and cities and towns and farm houses
and school houses and church spires and
smiling verdure and cattle upon thous-
and hills greet the eye.
What marvellous strides in civilization,
in wealth and prosperity, are here lndi-
Gated, and all within Il generation. And
what may we expect i'll Il generation TO
come?
Twenty-Five years ago it cost the GOV
eminent to transport troops and sup
plies to what was called the outer from
tier. ST, 100000. Now since the Pacific
railroads have been constructed, the
outlay for an enlarged service OF thar
kind is $500. 600 And yet there are old
fopies who denounce the railroads as
robbers, because they cannot pay the
government the amount Of the endorsed
obligations assumed for their consfrue-
ton. Why the government has been
paid twenty fold for all it is bound for
in the reduced cost of freights and fare,
in the revenues which have been and
are being derived from the sale of public
lands and the resources accrueing from
the improved condition OF the country,
converted from a bowling waste into
busy scenes of industry and the centres
of refinement and civilization.
Jno c. Fremont has already been can
onized as the continental Pathfinder
Cakes Ames, the protector of the first
Pacific railroad, will some day be con
siderel a great national benefaetor, III
stead of malefactor The monument
to his forecast and sagacity already
exists in the great enterprise he far
thered and planned to completion. le
there are political sparrow hawks, inca
pable of the vision and reach of the eagle
who are constantly picking at. the grea
life-giving artery which he discovered
in a sensA, and utilized to the wealth
and growth and grandeur Of the nation
The men who conceived and executed
the great schemes which have linked
the oceans together by four great &C nti
mental railroads, made the desert t.
bios som as the rose, poured into the pub
liz. treasury oceans of wealth, and eX
tended the lines of civilization. are TIL
targets at which tile missiles OF merce
nary politicians and lilliputian states
men are being hurled. They decry th
great minds and the great corporations
which have been the instruments i'll con
summatng these marvellous results, ant
yet are the object of the coarse criticism
and vulgar abuse of the niggardly econo
anists who are incapable OF grasping
masterful idea, or reaching above TIL
Shiny AMI congenial atmosphere OF tn
political gutter snipe.