Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-07-07
From the New York Tribune.
If RAILROAD no THE PACIFIC


the Pacitc,' on which it was my intention to have
made some remarks. The paper is not now before
me, but the principal point which attracted my at
tcnton that, i'll your opinion, g some central
point in the Mississippi Valley should be fixed
upon as the starting point" for this great highway
for nations, and that g near to the mouth Of the
Ohio River should be that point Now, my view
Of the subject is that are bound for the Pacific,
and not to any central point i'll the interior OF our
country; that railroads destroy localities; that Il we
attempt it, cannot build up great central de-
pot but that our wants and the wants of the world
demand an uninterrupted intercourse from each and
every Atlantic State to the Pacific, where all the
streams can be bridgcd, and where, as nearly pos
sbe, the whole extent of country is capable OF 'us-
tanning populations; and at the same time, where
the distance from each Atlantic city to the Pacific
shall be nearly equal possible, which, it APP
pears to me- should satisfy all. But there other
and still more important considerations.
First of all is the MEANS then material, then ca
pacity of the country the line of the route for
settlement with the supply of material, timber, &c
for habitation. And the route; will 1T shorten the
distance between Europe and ASA sufficient to
change the present route of that vast commerce and
intercourse and the climate for the route and at
the tcrmini at both ends such as would not damage
and destroy animal and vegetable products, and
thereby defeat one of the greatest objects of the
road the safe of transit for the vast products
of the Mississippi basin to all the markets of Asia!
This, though a vast subject, is as simple as it is
vast and a very easy matter to decide upon and
settle; examine it it is, and speculation must
cease.
We all know that Iong-cstablishcd routes for in
tcrcoursc and commerce be changed only by
reducing distance and time, lessening expenses,
creating new facilities and advantages Now, can
this be done for the commerce and intercourse of
Europe with Ashland where ? And one can easily
decide this question by taking globe and placing
the end of a string cord at Canton, bring it down
tbrniuh Sunni. Straits I'm thp Indian Ocean. then
straight to Ae Cape Of Good Hope, then inside of
the Cape dc Ncrd Islands and up to England. \
vessel leaving China with a fair monsoon, Gas they
always do,) would have a fair wind almost the en-
tire VOYAGE, and ON the lines which your cord has
Indicated; the Distance $3.50 miles; requiring 107
DAYS for its performance. Now, again. put the end
Of your cord at the same point OF Great Britain
where you stopped, and bring it down through at
Panama to the Pacific; thence south of the Sand
witch Islands, as the fair trader would take vessel
to the Ladroncs, where, if the monsoons should
blow from northeast ship must beat up north, and
go down inside of Formosa to Canton; il the monsoon
is from the southwest, then the course would be
from the I.adroncs to Balingtary Straits to Canton,
and distant from England 15,S7S miles, requiring
100 days; 2,51S miles greater distance than the
route around the Cape of Good Hope. Again-pacc
the end of your string at the same point OF Great
Britain, and bring it over to Charleston, $. c.;
thence directly across the Continent to San Diego;
thence, the trader would take ship to the north
ward of the Sandwich Islands, to the Ladroncs;
thence to Shanghai down to Canton, which by
your cord appears little shorter than the distance
around the Cape of Good Hope; but, owing to the
necessary windngs of the road the Continent,
Sc the distance, possible to he calculated,
would be 13,35S miles, Is miles more than around
the Cape of Good Hope, subject to ans-shlpment
and terriage the Mississippi, and subject to
tolls on the road for interest the cost OF construc
ton. The question need not be asked Can the
and intprrourSe of EtrOpe with ASIA be
changed to either of these routes?
Again place the end of your cord at the same
point of Great Britain and bring it over to New
York. thence directly across the Continent to Puget
Sound and to Shanghai i'll China, with favorable
winds both ways,) from the measurement oil the cord
YOU will witness a surprising difference in favor of
this route; but allowing III miles for Windngs OF
the road across the Continent, and it would make
from England to China, / ,5Gl miles, requiring Tor
its performance with steamers but 81 to 30 days
The lands on the line of this route furnishing the
means for the construction of the road, 1t would re-
quire tolls sufficient only for its repairs and opera
ton, and a cargo of teas from China or similar mcr
chandisc could be delivered i'll New York any At
lantic City at S17 per ton, measurement OF 1o feet,
which would be of Young 1iyson Teas half ton
weight, and would force the commerce and inter
course of Europe with Asia over it. The climate
would sustain animal and vegetable products OF the
Mississippi basin, and the low tolls would carry
them to all the markets of Asia, Polynesia and all
the Islands. But if the road cannot be made to
create the means for its construction out OF the
wilderness lands its line and free from tolls for
dividends or interest, then the outlay for its con-
struction would be SO immense, and the tolls Tor
interest on that outlay high as to entirely defeat
all the great objects intended These all are facts
within the reach and comprehension OF any one DIS
posed to examine; the only experiment or spccula-
ton is as to the ability of the lands to produce the
necessary MEANS and which can be done only by con-
Meeting their sale and settlement with the building
of the road: the work and the settlement must adj
vance together facilitate and provide for each Others
therefore the route must be where the lands ON It's
line are available and applicable to it. The Com
mittees of both Houses of Congress have been un
animous on this subject they have placed the whole
question of route and all upon the availability OF the
lands; the pamphlet which gave you contains
their report You will observe from the Map No 2,
with my pamphlet that Philadelphia runs a road
TO Pittsburg and Baltimore to Wheeling, and were
st. Louis made the starting point, Savannah and
Charleston would be 800 miles nearer to ST. Louis
than the two former cities, and farther advantage
of a down-hill grade9and Baltimore and Philadelphia
via st. Louis to the Pacific would be 500 miles
greater distant than their direct route through the
centre of Ohio Indiana and Illinois to where pro-
pose bridging the Mississippi and to the Pacific.
Your proposed 60 ccnrc would I've still more section
al and would defeat for the whole United States the
great objects of the work.
You will notice, from my map and pamphlet, that
combined circumstances, necessary to the success oil
the work. have forced selection of the only route
which would not be sectional, because all the At
antic States can connect with it at as near as pos
sibe an equal distance.
BY actual surveys of Railroad routes to where it
is proposed to bridge the Mississippi, would be,
From Mobile or n. Orleans, $50 miles.
Charleston ....... Ogb
Savannah something less.
Richmond ,.......950 Thence to
Washington ....9SS the Pacific
Baltimore .........9lS | ,S20miles
Philadelphia .......l0ll
New York ........1,lll
Boston. ............l ,bll
These distances it is true all i'll favor OF the
South which would he increased by any more South
crn starting point Now if the subject can he I'M