The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-12

means only uy constructing the road through
them, which would Increase their value for set
Elements; lands remote from the line Of the
ROAD could not receive any particular benefit OF
enhancement in price, or increase demand fol
settlement, for its building from its operation
and therefore could not be made available fol-
means; then is it not clear TO every practica
mind that the route must be located through
lands which can, by the work ITSELF be made to
produce the means for its construction Besides
the good lands on the first part of the route fol
eight hundred miles must be made to not only
furnish or produce means to build the road
through this eight hundred miles, but must be
made to create fund to continue and build eight
hundred more through poor lands for this ne
cessity my bill divides the first eight hundred
miles into sections of ten miles each and after
shall have completed a section or each section
of ten miles of road, as the bill stipulates then
if the commissioner is fully satisfied with the
work, and also satisfied that it will be continued
for another ten miles, ] am permitted to sell
(not take) five miles by sixty, one hundred and
nincty-two thousand acrcs---the one-half of the
land though which the ten miles of road had alrea-
dy been completed. The titles patents would
issue from the land office directly to the actual
purchaser, and not to me, and he would possess
and hold the land precisely ifpurchased direct
ly from the government; and the other half,
five miles by sixty, one hundred and ninety-two
thousand acres would be held by the govern
ment as fund to build the road through the
poor lands, and 80 on through the good lands, for
eight hundred miles, when fund in the reserved
lands will have been created to continue the
road for eight hundred miles more through poor
lands, some of which would no doubt be made
available for further means by building the road
through Them And this should meet the OBJ
lection, shat the road may be continued for
| eight, ten or twelve hundred miles, and there
stop, and be of no value or use to the nation" "
First, because if the road can be built for eight,
| ten, or twelve hundred miles on the plan pro-
posed, it can be done only from the sale and set
Element of the lands on its line, sufficient at
least to produce the means to reimburse the out
lay for its construction and settlement to an ex-
tent sufficient for that result, would, be-
yond doubt, of itself, alone produce business
enough to support railroad, charging tolls suf-
fcient only for the expenses Of its repairs and
operation. And the settlement of so much will
derness country, with such sure and cheap
means of transport for its products to market,
should certainly be considerd as of no small
value to the nation, and the more especially so,
as it will not have drawn one dollar from the
public treasury.
Secondly. Because the building of the first
eight hundred miles, agreeably to the bill, would
certainly provide the means in the reserved half
of the lands to build eight hundred miles more.
Now, we will suppose that in building the first
eight hundred miles Of road, | take the half of
the lands on its line for the sixty miles wide, and
do make fortune, go as to satisfy my ambition,
and do not choose to 60 on, would there be any
difficulty in finding competent man-yes,
thousands-who would be willing and ready to
take this already provided fund sufficient for the
construction of eight hundred miles more of the
road, and 90 on with it, even if he or they were
not to gain more than what would naturally re-
suit from the use and disbursement of such an
amount of money? This alone guarantees the
continuance of the work. Besides, the build
ing of this eight hundred miles through the
poor lands would beyond doubt cause no small
amount to be brought under settlement and
made valuable and available for means which
would be another source of gain, and, together
with the good lands on the Pacific, with the in
creased value which that important terminus'oi
such road could not fail to produce, would, be
yond doubt, furnish not only the sufficient
means, but also the strongest nducement to
continue and complete the road.
Again, it is not only important that the route
should be located where the lands on the first
eight hundred milesare good, and could be made
by the work itself to produce means to builc
one thousand six hundred miles of the road but
it is also absolutely Necessary that the lands OF
the first three hundred miles should be wei
timbered, and furnishing other material, stone
&c, not only for the construction of the road as
il is advanced but also to be taken on by il
for the road, as well as for houses and fence
for sett 'ement, and stone for bridges, for all o.
that immense distance where no timber and nj
such other necessary materials do exist. AnC
it is indispensably necessary that the starting
point should have direct, cheap, and easy com
: munication with the Atlantic cities, which can
cannot be had from any other point than LAX
Michigan. And if the route is not located wher
all the streams can be bridged, so as to give al
uninterrupted communication from ocean t,
ocean, without transhippage or ferriage, tn
/ great objects of the road, that Of bringing tn,
commerce and intercourse of Europe with As;
over it, would be entirely defeated.
Unless can start the road from some poin
on the western shore of Lake Michigan, where
the lands are still unoccupied, and continue the
route through lands which could be made te furn
ish the immediate available means for the work
rs well as timber, material, and the necessary
! facilities for the commencement and continuance
/ of the work, can neither commence or advance
with it at all. cannot start even from the
Mississippi river, nor do ! believe it possible
with, | may say, any the most extravagani
amount of means to accomplish such work
unless it can be started from point possessing
and commanding all the facilities which have
enumerated. The government, with all its
credit, might undertake, but could not, as be
lieve, continue it for two hundred miles i
would fail. hA
The government have not yet proposed tc
build a railroad to the Pacific, and Congress
have not authorized the offer for proposals but
| the proposition is made to the people and te
Congress for the purchase of lands, by which
the government would receive in money direct
nearly $s,OOO,OOO, besides the free transporta
ton Of the mails. The means for the work woulc
be created by building the road through tn!
| lands sold by the government, and the road
| when completed, would be free to all the peo
pie, excepting tolls suffic ent only for the ex
penses of repairs and operation, to be unde
the control of, and fixed and regulated by Con
gresa The ueOple almost unanimously through