The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-20
For the Union.
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.

RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.
Some calculations concerning he advantages Of rail-
road 10 the Pacific, 10 The american people.
When spectators in town lots are DESTROYS of
realizing the greatest amount Of money from their
operations, the first thing they do is TO lay out con-
yenent streets and avenues and the land contained
in them they give away, well knowing that the adj
joining lots are more valuable in consequence Of
having free and open access to them.
When a city corporation wdens a street, II taxes
the adjoining property to pay the expense, because
it increases the value Of the lots by making better
thoroughtare TO them. u.
It may be assumed that the most valuable land
in America is in Broadway, in New York; and IL
is valuable in that particular place, because wide
thoroughfare was opened through the length Of the
island, connecting the business Of the country with
the seaboard. Shut up Broadway, and | apprehend
the value of the lots would be diminished. ..
Leaving our cities, the next most valuable land
in the country is along the lines Of canals and RAID
roads-perhaps the first IN point Of value Is adjoln-
ing the New York and Erie canal, and the second,
that land adjoining the railroad leading from Boston
to Albany. n'-..
suppose it may be assumed as general princi.
pie that the land through which street, road, or
canal passes increases in value equal 10 the expense
Of opening said street, road, or canal. ... ....,
Upon this principle, large operators in the pur-
chase Of the public domain lind it to their interest
to give away part Of their lands for the purpose Of
opening roads through them; and some of the most
Knowing ones have made their fortunes by pur-
chasing the public land and giving away a portion
Of it, having found out by experience that the
dement's Of the people make the land valuable, .
The people OF the United States own, and have
the presumption right to, about one thousand two
hundred millions of acres of land; greater part of
this land is now inaccessible for want Of roads, and
Of course at present valueess. The people know
that great part Of this land would be very valua-
III CT, olo ,,n
ocean; it is therefore the business of the people 10
make the road. ...
The distance from Lake Michigan to the Pacific
may be about two thousand miles. A railroad may
cost fifty millions ofdollsrs. This road, then, will
make front lots for four thousand miles. One quar-
ter Of mile front and one mile deep contains one
hundred and sixty acres, and may be valued at six
dollars per acre. Receding from the railroad another
mile will give another range of lots OF FIVE dollars;
the next mile four dollars; the next three dollars;
and the next two dollars. Thus the average price
of land each side ofhe railroad within five miles
will be four dollars per acre, A strip Of land ten
miles wide and two thousand miles long, at four dol
lars per acre, produces ffty-one million two hun
bred thousand doars-enough to build the rail-
road. The land through which it passes for thirty
miles on each side will be increased from nothing
10 the government price of one dollar and twenty
five cents per acre.. Dedncting the ten miles already
computed, the balance amounts to the sum of eighty
VI uOiiaIsf eboWiHR CedI gam pcU-
pie Of the United States, in the increase of the value
of land Alone Of this large amount, besides the cost
Of the road and this is independent of all the profit
to accrue from the use of the road. ... .'
To build this road energetic man is wanted,
who will devote his time exclusively to that object
One man is appointed head of your armies and he
takes the responsibility of conducting the campaign
to a successful issue; one man 10 appointed presi-
DENT one man is made governor one man has given
to him the sole command of ship of war; and so
one man should be appointed to build this rail-
road, if you wish 1t done with promrtness and de-
spatch. Mr.. w hitney appears to be that man. Let
him have the order to build it. ....r.. ,.
When the road is finished, let collector be APP
pointed under the control of the Treasury Depart
ment, to collect the tolls the road which may be
fixed by law, and pay them into the public treasury,
the same collector is appointed to collect the du-
ties in the port of New York, ....... ..:
An additional advantage to the country, and to the
finances OF the government, will be the duties which
will be paid on foreign merchandise by the inhab-
tants who settle this country. A great additional
impulse will be given to the manufacture OF Ameri-
can railroad iron. The making fthis road will so
far advance the science Of the manufacture Of that
article, that the country can, in all future time, be
supplied by our own citizens. ..,. 49, AL. 3.
In conclusion, the land belongs to the people of
America. The road will increase the value Of the
land. 1t ought to be built by the American people,
and be controlled by them, as being public high
way for the use Of the people, and the revenues
ought to go into the treasury of the people.
c. F. l.