The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-02-04
Oregon Railway Project.

OACSOA &SpA4Wdy LOJCCCs
If the General Governn ent is to do an
thing in favor Of this project, it should b
done soon. Now is the time for action. Th
lands from which it is contemplated to rails,
the funds for building the railroad, will soor
be passing out of the hands of the government
forever and thus the project itself may be de-
teated.
We have heretofore spoken at considerable
length, Of the practicability OF this great en-
terprize. A correspondent of the N. Y. Eve
Post gives the following reflections on its inn
mediate advantages while the road is being
constructed before the rocky Mountains are
reached, and its ultimate advantages after it
shall have been completed to the shores Of the
Pacific
" The building of this road will cause an
outlay Of from two to five millions OF dollars
annually, which must be distributed over the
whole country, for labor, materials and trans
portation. The greater part Of this sum will
be furnished by emigrantS from Europe, who
bring money with them, and will be so much
actual cash capital added to the wealth Of the
country. The opportunity for employment
and settlement which will be opened by this
great work, will have a tendency to increase
emigration, and by consequence increase the
demand for ships, and give activity to our
commerce. In country now a desert, and
remote from all communication with civilized
communities, and with markets, population
of producers and consumers will spring up
which will become the customers Of both our
merchants and our manufacturers
These are some Of the immediate advan-
tages of the project; the future are of strik-
ing nature. The report of the committee of
the United States Senate gives statement
of the trade of Asia, which it is supposed may
be made to pass through this channel. 1t en-
ploys annually 1880 ships, measuring G54 ,460
tons, with 35,64S men. Allow as is estimated
that these vessels will carry 818,100 tons
weight, and suppose they carry full freight
one way and half freight the other, we shall
have 1927, $50 tons passing over this road an
nually. This at half cent per ton for each
mile would give revenue of $14,725,8 800
and at one cent mile ior the roads which
lead from the Oregon railway to tine Atlantic
would give them $12,271'5O0 making a rev.
euue Of nearly twenty,seven millions of dol
lars, an amount sufficient to give all the rail-
ways liberal dividends and make the COM
merce of Europe their tributary. Let US see
in what manner this commerce will find it for
its advantage to take this passage to Asia.
GA ton weight of teas, or other like mer-
chandize, will measure two tons and upwards
of forty cubic feet to the ton. Allow seven
dollars and upwards as for the freight of a ton
of forty cubic feet from Shanghoe to Oregon,
and half cent mile per ton foNmeach mile
along this railway, and one cent per ton for
each mile from the railway to the Atlantic,
and you have S1S for the cost of transporting
one ton of forty cubic feet of teas from China
to New York. which is lower than the aver
age price for ships. Besides this the Com
mittee's Report has a statement showing an
saving in cost to passengers and
English mails Of $1S, 7GG,736, and saving in
the amount of capital invested in tonnage for
this commerce of $50, 493, els. To carry on
the commerce which would pass along this
road it is estimated that one half of the pres
ent amount of tonnage would suffice for the
present trade, as the sea voyages Will be so
greatly shortened that several can be made
in the space of time now required for one
But it is believed that the opening of a com
municaton so frequent, cheap and rapid will
vastly increase the amount of the trade, and
by consequence the tonnage also BY this we
see that we shall Immediately on the compile
ton of the road want city on the Pacific, to
accommodate more than thirty thousand sea
faring men"