The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-12-12


clusion that that submitted by Mr.. Asa Whitney,
ought to be adopted. In accordance with this re-
port, bill was presented by the Committee which
they recommended to be passed into law for the
accomplishment of the great design.
In their consideration ofthe subject, the committee
aided by the very favorable and full reports of
different committees of both Houses of each Con-
gress for the last five years, and of the legislatures
of some eighteen States, decidedly and expressly
recommending the adoption Of this plan over all
others. The unanimiUy with which these resolu-
tons have been adopted in both branches of the
different Legislatures is as the committee believe,
without parallel. Public meetings throughout
the country, in populous cities, have been equal
y decided and unanimous in expressing the same
favor for this plan and even since the two Con
ventions held at St. Louis and at Memphis, public
meetings numerously and most respectfully attend
ed, have been held at Cincinnati, at Louisville at
indianapolis, and at other cities in the West at all
of which, resolutions have been almost unani-
mousy adopted in favor of this plan, and declaring
it the only one capable Of being carried out The
Committee believed, from the frequent expressions
Of the public press and from other sources that the
opinion of the country is almost universally con-
| centrated on this plan.
We have before alluded to the constitutional diff
cultes which would give rise to insuperabe objec.
| tons to the building of the road by Government
by of capital obtained on the credit of the
| Government, which might naturally become bur
| then upon the national treasury. These Difficult.
ties would be avoided by substituting the principle
of private enterprise and private responsibility re.
guated and controlled by laws of Congress.
The main objection to the plan recommended by
the Committee is that it gives away for trihing
consideration vast amount ofthe public domain
some 100000 of acres which at ten cents per
| acre would place in the Treasury something less
/ than s. 600 000 But the Senate's Committee, in
reply to this, say that, when it is considered that
| tens and scores of millions of acres of the public
domain being, and about to be, given away, for
/ various objects, and that some of our leading
statesmen proposing to give all the public lands
away, with some prospect of success; and when,
| moreover, it is considered that only little more
than onethird of the belt proposed to be set apart
for this road is good and saleabe land-it must be
seen there is little chance probability that the
Government will ever get as much for this Terri
tory by selling it for this road at ten cents per
acre. Consequently, the road, built on this plan,
| will itself be capital of immense and ncalcuable
value, and so much positive gam to the nation,
| which could in other way be realized
In regard to the main feature of the plan recon-
| mended, we quote from the report of the Com
| mittee:
''The capital is ereuted1 positire ersatiog-uot Bo
roosd If 1t borrowed, drawn from other sources as
dividends to satisfy the interest and then The I
End in view would be sacrificed The end proposed is to
app9 between the East and the great West Of tie
nled states between the United States and Asia and be
meet the interest Of the road this end could not b.
failure But on the plan proposed with to Is sufficient oHy
m of operation and necessary repairs IS believed
road 1880 miles, for $40; bushel Of corn for Is cents
barrel OF flour for 81 weight of merCh4 ndse for $40:
ana one Ton measurement OF teas "a hal ton weight for s.
AT these rates, can it be doubted that the Of Mis-
per 0qshe-worth there as your Committee informed,
rom % cents to 81 q Tor sixty pounds ght leaving an
OF from 80 to 30 bushel to the pfodncer and
as the Committee also informed, with unlimited de,
NJ gnirr a. 80 VI olilet
and Pacific ports the United States between the Mssp%
between Europe and AHain word between a population
n ~ Ssn ESoPe asrgss our 5Gsgm and 5OOOO
But double these rates of transpoas would inevitably
always equir tolls sufficient in addition the expenses OF
operation and repairs TO meet the interest the Of the
commerce would be forever prevented from sprnglng into
between and Asia. and between europe and Asa would
5e found to follow its old routes Your Committee are there
Tore Of opinion that THIS road can never be bu and
tanned srespt 6g capital created By s by the plan
should De attempted on ne credit OF the Government the
people would never submit to perpetual taxation for the
The question remains, can capital sufficient to
| accomplish the work be raised on the proposed
plan The estimated cost of the road on this plan
is about $4,000 900 Col. Albert, of the Topogra.
phcal Engineers, estimates the cost of the road if
| built by the Government, at 1927, 500 900 Add to
this SS,OOO,OOO the amount to be paid to the Gov.
eminent for the lands at ten cents per acre. making
together about S69 600 600 required to be produced
from this tract of 100000 Of acres good, bad
and Indifferent; being an average of 81 cents par
acre for the whole tract Can this be done The
chief reliance must be on the first 500 miles which
constitute, with little exception the good and "a Ie-
able lands. From what is known of the effect pi
railroads and canals on the value of lands and other
property bordering upon them, it is safe TO con.
elude that such road will add great value TO the
land through which it plsses and whether il will
De sufficient for the purpose is the risk of the uarty
undertaking it. 1t is his interest and his business
make so. MIR, Whitney has already devoted more
than eight years exclusively, and at his own ex
pense, to the investigation of the subject in tbi.
country, IN Asia, and in Europe as also in placino
the whole subject before the people, II il tn he
presumed, therefore, that he has well considered
the cost and the chances of success The pnbIir
certainly risk nothing, and are sure 10 be large and
immense gamers, if he succeed. The Senate.
Committee give it as their decided opinion. if tbs
grant is made by Government, that he will succeed
And if the grant should be made, and Ibis i'm.
mense project should be carried to completion
what will be the results These are presented il
the report of the Senate's Committee, in the fol.
lowing extract:
''rhe distance from New York to China, by Panama.
3laS miles by the Cape of Good Hope, it is Ia 5 nil
Time by sails 100 to 100 dave From New York 10 Shanabg
N thlna, by the proposed railroad 1851 mles-me b
steam - days. From Canton to London, by the Cane n
Good Hope, is IL $50 miles by Panama 5 55S miles lime
year, From London 10 Shanghai by the proposed road
Is 1851 mileE-tme by steam 81 days From New NE
the mouth Of the Columbia by steamers and Inv I'M
tmu 66OO miles, time about 30 days. dssncs @ sai
much greater. a. time would be three four months From
New OTk the mouth Of the Columbia river by the nTn
posed road would be but 6l miles, and time from five Il
eight days. The results would be similar San FancsrS
or TO any of our Pacific Ossessions The EXPENSES
transit wOnd always be IN favor the railroad roue b6
WIN the great saving OF time being the
g law OF trade, would settle the question forever as your
committee believe, as 10 the of all the pr ncDa mari
OF he CON erce between these great parts the ord
IN these facts to time and distance which have been
auooeN and published IN the of on the
nhuouhled Sources cannot doubt thar the
execution OF this road proposed destined TO revolution
re 'he entire commercial world and social and DOcsI
Hhuences cannot fail be equally important II The i'm
commltee informed, annual aggregate Of imnort,
ana exports OF two hundred and fifty thousand dollars can
a s Oeen urged be changed from its present route around
me cape OF Good Hopet this proposed road il apppa
aent lai the number OF vessels tonnage then reGned TO
carry on the same would not be more than one
Id OF he present number aud this is com.
dollar, the change would while dmuishng the marine
OF europe, inevitably greatly or own between Us