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Hope you radicals enjoy this as much as I did:
Reprint of a letter from Martin Van Buren Governor of New York, January
31, 1829, to then President Andrew Johnson.
“The canal system of this Country is being threatened
by the spread of a new form of transportation know as
“railroads”. The federal government must preserve the
canals for the following reasons:
One; If canal boats are supplanted by “railroads”
serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks,
drivers, hostlers, repairmen and lock tenders will be left
without the means of livelihood, not to mention the
numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for
horses.
Two; Boat builders would suffer and towline, whip and
harness makers would be left destitute.
Three; Canal boats are absolutely essential to the
defense of the US, and would be the only means by
which we could even move the supplies so vital to
waging modern war.
As you may well know, Mr. President, “railroad”
carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles
per hour by “engines” which in addition to endangering
life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way
through the country side, setting fire to crops, scaring
the livestock and frightening women and children. The
Almighty certainly never intended that people
should travel at such breakneck speed.
Reprint of a letter from Martin Van Buren Governor of New York, January
31, 1829, to then President Andrew Johnson.
“The canal system of this Country is being threatened
by the spread of a new form of transportation know as
“railroads”. The federal government must preserve the
canals for the following reasons:
One; If canal boats are supplanted by “railroads”
serious unemployment will result. Captains, cooks,
drivers, hostlers, repairmen and lock tenders will be left
without the means of livelihood, not to mention the
numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for
horses.
Two; Boat builders would suffer and towline, whip and
harness makers would be left destitute.
Three; Canal boats are absolutely essential to the
defense of the US, and would be the only means by
which we could even move the supplies so vital to
waging modern war.
As you may well know, Mr. President, “railroad”
carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles
per hour by “engines” which in addition to endangering
life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way
through the country side, setting fire to crops, scaring
the livestock and frightening women and children. The
Almighty certainly never intended that people
should travel at such breakneck speed.