Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-12-27

road are to be applied to the construction of the
road, under the superintendent Of commission.
els to be appointed by the Government, The
lands to be sold a. the work advances
Between Lake Michigan and the Missouri ri.
yer, q distance o! $50 miles, the lands are fer.
tile and m,ist be valuable. The country is well
wooded and offers every facility for the ron-
struction of a railway. Beyond the Missouri
for long distance the lands orc poor and with |
out timber. Lake Michigan is therefore selec-
led as the point of beginning because the requi.
site material may he had there in abundance
also because the value ofthe lands may be made
at once to pay for the construction and afford a
surplus to be applied to the cost Of the work in
the barren district beyoud the Missouri and
for the further reason that It Is necessary to
have cheap and easy water communication
from the Atlantic cities to transport settlers. Ia
borers and materals directly to the road. When
the main line is established there may be con-
Meeting roads to unite with it from st. Louis or
any other point
This gigantic undertaking starles at the first
view from its stUpenGous magnitude. But as
one considers it and looks at it in detail the sim.
pllc,y of the design becomes manifest and its
practicabty seems, TO say the least, very plau.
sible. There are already more than 2lO0 miles
Of railway in the United States probably
nected, as in the course Of time the main routes
will be, it would be an ordinary thing for ira.
weller to 60 over the whole distance. 1t would
excite no surprise if he were 10 traverse the
whole extent with safety and drspa'ch.--lt is
the idea of a single continuous route uf2i00
miles which s,artles<he Imagination. lfit be
considered as road made up Of many parts and
connected at convenient points, the wonder cea.
ses. And it is to be remembered tha, IN the
progress Of events, az our settlements extend to.
wards tho Pacific. this very connection by rail
road from the Lakes or frsm the Missouri TO
the Western Ocean will undoubtedly he made
The question then arises why not make it
, now How can the required portion of the
public domain be better appropriated IF the
work is finished as proposed the result will be
that the Government will possess the most mag.
nifcent rail way in the world for which it will
have paid not one dollar from its treasury FOR
which it will not have levied one dollas tax
dividend. on the capital expended, and upon
which the charges Of travel and transportation
may be put so low as almost to make it free
rosd-for no more revenues will be required from
it than mere suf1icicncy to keep it in repair
and in efficient operation.
1t is scarcely possible that Mr.. WHITNEY can
over estimate the important changes which the
opening OF this road would bring about in the
commerce Of the world. 1t would place us in
direct connection with The western coast of
South America, with the islands OF the Pacific,
with Japan, with China and the East Indies,
ana would form the avenue through which would
roll the traffic of eight hundred millions of peo-
! pie. Mr.. OWEN Of Indiana, chairman of the
Committee on Roads and Canals in the last
House of Representatives, to whom Mr.. WIS.
memorial was referred, reported that the Com.
mttee were "unanimous in their opinion Of the
subject and in their judgment, that it is one
which well merits and ought to obtain the care
! ful and deliberate attention of Congress, at
! period of greater leisure than the present. be.
/ ing convinced that there are very .ew subjects
which offer themselves to the consideration ot
I Congress, that are better worth its patient and
deliberate investigation"
| The Report further added that "ss the public
domain OF the United States is rapidly taken up,
! year by year, your committee, while they de.
precate over has,y action, feel also the necessi.
! ty tina, the plan, if practicable and eNpedicnt,
should not be too long delayed"
Henrietta, the Emperors Little Flower
Gtrt
/ From translation, by Mr. Thomas, of General
/ ST Iilare's recent work, entitled Facts II.
| lustratng the Public and Private Life of Ma.
| poleon.'l
! Al Saint Helena, when the weather was ia.
vorable, Napoleon always rode out either in his
carriage or on horseback but as soon as he had