Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-05-03
ARAuRoAp TO OnEcoN.-We are

mittee on Roads and Canals, in rela-
ton to Oregon. The Committee say
that they have found it impossible to
give Mr.. Whitney's memorial the re-
Election necessary to form specific
opinion as to the expediency or practi-
cabiity of the project. So far, how
ever, as Neutrality-suspicious. have reach
ed, the Committee have seen nothing
that proves the impracticability of the
plan. But with the limited Informal
ton before them, the Committee are
not prepared to recommend that the
prayer Of the memorialists for survey
should now be granted; but they say
that public attention is already attract
cd to the subject; public opinion, in
regard to it, will mature in the recess;
and that a project SO vast can not with
propriety be entered upon, even in its
preparatory steps, in mannerso hasty,
and with lights so imperfect, as, if now
undertaken, it must be.
An extract from the memorial ofMr.
Whitney is attached. He represents
that "by rivers. raj roads and canals,
all the States cast and north the Po-
tomac connect directly with the wa
tiers of the great lakes. That there is
a chain ofrailroads in projection and
being built from New YORK. to the
southern shores Of lake Michigan,
crossing all the veins of communication
to the ocean, through all the States
south and east of the Ohio river, produ-
cling commercial, political, and nation
al results and benefits, which must be
seen and felt through all our vast con-
federacy." He says he has devoted
much time and attention TO the sub ect
Of a railroad from lake Michigan,
through the Rocky mountains, to The
Pacific ocean; and that he finds such
route practicable-the results from
which would be incalculable-fa be-
yond the Imagination of man TO esti-
mate. To the interior of cur wide
spread country, it would be as the
heart is to the human body. Itwould,
when all completed, cross all the
mighty rivers and streams which wcnd
their way to the ocean through our
vast and rich valleys from Oregon TO
Maine, distance Of more than 5000
miles.
" The incalculable importance Of
such chain Of roads will readily be
seen and appreciated. 1t would cna-
bic US, in the short space Of eight days,
land perhaps Less TO concentrate all
this force of our vast country at any
point from Maine to Oregon, in the
interior, or on the coast. Such easy
and rapid communication, with such
facilities for exchanging the different
products of the different parts, would
bring all our immensely widespread
population together as in one vast city;
the moral and social effects of which
must harmonic all together, as one
family, with but one intcrcst-the gen
cral good Of ALL"
He represents further, that the roads
from New York 10 lake Michigan, a
distance of $40 miles, will no doubt be
completed by the States through which
they pass or by private individuals
That from lake Michigan to the mouth
of the Columbia river, on the Pacific
2,lCo miles; making from New York
to the Pacific 5000 miles, and can be
performed in eight days. From Col
umbia river TO the Sandwich islands is
2,l00 miles; MAXIM from New YORK. to
the Sandwich islands $500 miles,
From the Columbia river to Japan is
$500 miles: making from New York to
Japan 5000 miles. From Columbia
river TO Annoy, in China, (the port
nearest to the tea and silk provences,)
is $500 matchmaking from New
York to Annoy only 5000 miles; which,
with railroad to thePaciic, and thence
to China by steamers, can be perform
cd in 80 days, being now sailing dis
lance of nearly 1900 miles, and re-
quiring from 100 to $50 days for its
performance. Then the drills and
sheetings OF Connecticut, Rhode Island,
and Massachusetts,, and other manuiac-
lures of the United States. may be
transported to China in 80 days and
the teas and rich silks OF China, in OK
change come back to New Orleans, to
Charlston, to Washington, to Baltimore,
TO Philadelphia, to New York, and to
Boston, in 80 days more.
He says that, from ali estimate as
near accurate "a can be made. short OF