The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1845-02-28
From the New Orleans Crescent City.
The Railroad 20 the Pacific

1 WGCatAAo
In our report of the Congressional pro-
ceedngs some days ago, wegmenlioned the
Introduction into both branches of the Ma
tional Legislature, Of a memorial asking a
grant of land for the purpose cf constructing
Rail Road from Lake Michigan to the Pa.
cifc Ocean, a distance Of 2,l60 miles
Without bestoWing much reflection upon the
project, people have generally concluded
that it is a very silly and chimerical one,
emanHting from The brain Of some visionary
speculation II appears however that the
memorial is from Asa WHITNEY Esq, we'll
known, wealthy merchant Of New York, who
has recently returned from China. 1t was
published in the Madisonian on the 18Th inst.
aad from il is derived the following notice Of
Mr.. Whitney's views Of this project:
He estimates the cost Of the road at six
ly five millions Of dollars, and thinks it could
be constructed in twenty Eve years. He
asks Ofthe Government grant ofsixty miles
wide Of the public land, from one terminus
OF the road to the other, for which full re-
turn would be made in conveying the mails,
transporting ammunition, stores, soldiers,
&c. free Of cost. The memorialist contends
that with such a railroad the distance from
New York to the mouth ofthe Columbia riv-
L r, three thousand miles, could be accom-
plished in eight days; from tie Columbia
river to the Sandwich Islands is two thou.
sand one hundred miles; to Japan is FIVE
thousand SIX hundred miles; to Annoy, in
China, the nearest port 10 the tea and silk
provinces, is six thousand two hundred miles
1Amaking from New York to Annoy only
| nine thousand two hundred miles, which,
with a rail road TO the Pacific, and thence 10
China by steamers could be PerfoTmedin thir.
" DAYS, being now sailing distance of near
lIV serenteen thousand miles, and requiring
from one hundred TO one hundred and fifty
days for IFS performance.
Speaking Of the innumerabla benefits
which would accrue from such work as he
proposes, the memorialist says
Then the drills and sheeting Of COnnecti-
cut. Rhode Island, and Massachusetts,, and
other manufactures Of the United States,
may be transported to China in thirty days;
and the teas and rich silks Of China, in ex-
change come back to New Orleans, to Char
lesion, 10 Washington, to Baltimore, 10 Phil.
adelphia, New York, and to Boston, in thirty
more.
Comment is unnecessary. Your honour
able body will readily see the revolution 10
be- wrought by this in the entire commerce
Of the world, and that this must inevitably
be It's greatest channel-When the rich
| freiehls from the waters Of the Mississippi
and the Hudson will 6llio OVerhowing, with
the products fall the earth, the store houses
Of New York and New Orleans, the great
maFls dividing the commerce Of the world;
while each State and every town in our vast
confedoracy would receive its just proportion
Of influence and benefits, compared with its
vicinity to, or facility to communicate with,
any Of the rivers, or railroads crossed by this
gssat vOad.
Il would be the only channel for the com
msrce q all the western coast Of Mexico and
South America, Of the Sandwich Islands, ia
pan, all China, Manila, Australia, Java, Sin
Qapore, Calcutta, and Bombay not only az
I ours. bat The commerce ofall Europe, to the
most Of these places, must pass this road
Your memorialist says MUST, because the
Saving Of time 50 all-important TO the meT-
chant, from the long and hazardous voyage
around either Of Tie capes, would compel
lit; and in few years would be built up
towns, cities, and villages, from the lake to
the ocean, which would alone support tbs
road
Il may Be proper 70 add that Mr.. = pro.
liect contemplate the settlement ofthe coun-
Try along tie route, as the work upon the
rail.road advancesin is progress towards the
Pacific.