The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-12
COM M CATIONS.
For the Union.
RAILROAD TO OREGON.
WAsurNa1oN. Dec. G. Is4s

therefore had no opportunity TO reply TO il sooner
Your objections SHALL for brevity, class and reply
to under the following heads:
First. The route you anppose me to have Sc
| lected.
Second. The amount of lands asked for, and inn
i mense fortunes to be gained
| Third. That do not explicitly declare TO whom
the road shall belong when completed.
| Fourth Scheme too magnifcent--trust too great
power over the rights of the people, States, Terri
tories, and government.
| You then pass over, and allow me to surmount
all the above objections and doubts, and come to
| your last, or
FUlh, which is, that as am to raise money
the lands, and keep them from sale 10 settlers, until
parts of the road shall have been completed, will
obsruct settlement and keep the lands at high
prices; that the road will precede, not follow, emil
grafton; that it would exclude all inhabitants and
| improvement from within 30 miles Of the route on
either side, and to keep the whole line savage
wilderness, until the road shall have been COM
pleted; would block up the South Pass, and stop
the tide of immigration to Oregon, &c, &C., &c.
Your first Objectionable route.
| My exploration Of the last summer was not to
six route" but to examine the general surface
and soil Of the country, find if there suitable
materials Climber, stone, &c) for constructing the
road 10 ascertain If the streams could be bridged,
| and where; and to decide if the lands would be
likely to sell, and settle, and supply funds to build
| the road.
| And, as the road must depend entirely upon the
lands to produce the for its construction, il
was most natural and necessary TO 60 where the
lands are unappropriated-wh is not the case
south Of Milwaukee.
| The road which l propose requires all the lands
| have asked for from the commencement, where
the lands good, for its construction beyond the
| Missouri TO the mountains, where the lands are
worth but little nothing, and without which
whole amount Of good lands the road cannot be
| built.
| A cheap and easy water communication with the
Atlantic cities, to take aborers, Materials and set
tiers to the starting point, is ndispensably neces-
sary.
On the shore Of Lake Michigan, from Green bay
to below Milwaukee, is 80 miles in width of good
timber, then scattering small tracts to the Misss-
sippi. On the Turkey and upper Iowa are small
tracts. On the Cedars, 80 miles west of the Msss-
sippi, is Is by 80 miles of good timber, and then
none, or nominally none, on to the Rocky noun
tains; so that timber must be prepared near Lake
Michigan, and taken on the road progresses, to-
wards the Rocky mountains. 1t may not be Inn
extent of the very best quality of lands, between
the Mississippi and the Missouri, is entirely with
cut timber, and can never be settled without rail-
road to provide the settlers with fuel and with lum
Der for building purposes and fences, from Wiscon-
sin, until they can produce for themselves; which
they can do in ten or fifteen years--timber being
natural to all the soil. II springs up Immediately so
soon as the yearly fires are stopped There is good
building stone on the route over which passed.
The lands are good--unappropriaed except to a
small extent, and would produce the means to build
the road to the South Pass in the Rocky mountains.
| But il matters not where this great road has its
starting point, except for the above reasons; for
New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Mary
land and Virginia, are pushing their railroads into
the State of Ohio, where they will all join, and
Join this road either where it the Mississippi
or between that river and Lake Michigan; so that,
when all shall be completed, the route of railroad
will be uninterrupted without change from ocean to
ocean--givng all the States south opportunity to
communicate with, and participate in, all its benefits
either by the rivers which now are, or by railroads
which will be hereafter And the route, too, is on
nearly the same parallel of latitude the South
Pass, making very straight road to that point.
| Beyond, on the Pacific, its terminus may depend
upon our possessions there. St. Francisco has al
ways been my point of destination, though have
declined to present it to the people, as we have no
professions right to its ownership; but by the
time the road is completed to the Pass in the noun
| tains hope both Oregon and California will be
members of this confederacy, at least connected
with us by the ties Of territorial association; the
road can then extend either point the Pacific,
the distance from the Pass being the same.
Second oIjection--amo,,nt Of lands fortune, &c.
have asked for no more lands than sufficient to
| guarantee the complete success Of the work, and
without which il would be idle to attempt it.
|
they may be set apart expressly f,r this work. and
| as propose to assume the whole responsibility Of
the work; and its success failing, the government
1 can lose nothing, while must lose every thing
have asked for the balance Of lands should there be
any after the road is completed reward for the
work. but, sir, if you, or other persons fear that
the remuneration may be disproportioned to the
tent and importance Of the work, then / am ready
to renquish all claim Of this sort, and let the
plus money and lands, If any, go into the treasury
I'D hale tto tho utva
anything or nothing, they please If they will
but allow me to be their instrument to accomplish
this great work. it is enough ask no more
i Third | have expressly declared that the road,
when completed shall be free, except as to such
tolls as may be necessary to keep it in repairs and
operation-lcaving the and matter to be reg
| ulated by the wisdom of Congress. But am viii
ling to bind myself, and have all the surplus lands
held for that purpose, to keep in repairs and ope
ration for limited number Of years, at fixed tolls
and very low rates, transporting mails, munitions
of war, troops &C., for the government free, subject
to revision by Congress at stated periods, regula-
ting the tolls to produce no more revenue than
i will be absolutely required for the object specified.
Fourth. think you have COMPOUNDED the plain
| and simple work with its tremendous results Ii
must be seen clearly by all, that its effects are to
revolutionze the commercial relations TO say moth
ing of other vast resuls) ofseveral of the most inn
portant nations of the world; but still 1t is within the
comprehension of the most ordinary understanding,
and presents no serious impeachment to industry and
perseverance. Let the road be graded, the timber
and iron put down, the locomotive put upon it, and
all il done. II is no experiment.; for all the requisite
elements are now in daily use and employment
Therefore, say it is but simple work; It's extent
need not frghten us; for have already more than
/ 5000 miles Of railroad in successful operation.
i Can project be too magnificent which only re-
qures for its accomplishment the labor and indus
Try of man, with the prospect that both will be fully
/ rewarded think not | ask for no trust--I ask
for no power do not contemplate that the ands
are to be given to me for personal use, but as the
agent for the execution ofths work-the money from
their saIes to be paid to me only as the COM
mssioners are fully satisfied il will be applied to
/ the construction Of the road.
The people who buy and settle upon the lands
will be free and independent, all other citizens are
under our institutions, and much above any con-
troll or influence which might desire, or be charged
with desiring over them, as the people who are now