Louis if this bridge is removed. The
meetings in St. Louis are connected with this case only as some witnesses
are in it, and thus has some prejudice added color to their testimony."
The last thing that would be pleasing to him, Mr. Lincoln said, would be
to have one of these great channels, extending almost from where it never
freezes to where it never thaws, blocked up, but there is a travel from
east to west whose demands are not less important than those of the
river. It is growing larger and larger, building up new countries with a
rapidity never before seen in the history of the world. He alluded to the
astonishing growth of Illinois, having grown within his memory to a
population of a million and a half; to Iowa and the other young rising
communities of the Northwest.
"This current of travel," said he, "has its rights as well as that of
north and south. If the river had not the advantage in priority and
legislation we could enter into free competition with it and we could
surpass it. This particular railroad line has a great importance and the
statement of its business during a little less than a year shows this
importance. It is in evidence that from September 8, 1856, to August 8,
1857, 12,586 freight cars and 74,179 passengers passed over this bridge.
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