lroads now ceased to be local
works and became interstate or national thoroughfares. Extensive new
lines were built and through routes were formed by the coalition of
local roads. It was during this period that railroad companies first
became conscious of the importance of their mission and that they
commenced to compete with river and canal carriers. In 1848 a through
route was completed between Cincinnati and Lake Erie. A more direct
line, the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati road, was opened in 1851.
During the same year the Erie Railroad reached Lake Erie and connected
the lake with the Hudson, and a year later Chicago received railroad
connection with the East by the completion of the Michigan Central and
Michigan Southern. In 1854 the Chicago and Rock Island reached the
Mississippi River, and in 1855 the Chicago and Galena was opened. One
year later the Illinois Central reached the Mississippi at Cairo, and
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was opened to Quincy. The
Ohio and Mississippi, between Cincinnati and St. Louis, was completed at
about the same time. The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago, an
extension of the Pennsylvania road, was completed to Chicago in 1858. At
the beginning of 1859 the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad reached the
Missouri River, and eight years later the Cedar Rapids and Missouri was
completed to the Missouri at Council Bluffs.

To encourage the extension of railroads into new and thinly settled
territories, and to thus hasten their settlement and the development of
their resources, the people of the United States began at the
commencement of this period to favor the policy of land grants. Such
grants had repeatedly been made to roads and canals prior to the crisis
of 1837. The first railroad that received a land grant was the Illinois
Central. The scheme was proposed as early as 1836, but the act making
the grant was not passed until September 20, 1850. Other grants followed
in 1852 in Missouri, in 1853 in Arkansas, in 1856 in Michigan,
Wisconsin, Iowa, Florida and Louisiana. As a rule these lands were
granted by the National Government to the States, and by them to the
railroads. The land grants made during President Fillmore's
administration amounted to eight million, and those made during Pierce's
administration to nineteen million acres. The financial crisis of 1857
and the War of the Rebellion again checked railroad building, but this
period developed a new phase of r