Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-05
WhiTSEY's PACIFIC RAILWAY.


70 bis gigantic Poec, Of railroad from the Atlantic waters
TO the shores Of the Pacific. The suboned notice Of the
scheme which we find in the London Morning Chronicle will
to hOwhs gh, in which i, regarded by Of the
leading minds there.
We publish to-day in another column the last Of the
rss OF letters with which Mr.. Asa WHITsEY, Of New
York. has favored Us the subject Of his gigantic scheme
Of railway from Lake Michigan the shores Of the Pacific
Our readers may remember that this is not the first
time that Mr. Whneys project has been brought under
their notice. We commented upon in the early part the
present year. and the intimate acquaintance with il
which we have recently acquired entirely confirms the favor
the first thing to be done obtain some reasonable
that the scheme is bona dthat il is not the offspring
Of mere enthusiasm conceand that its author seriously
intends to perform that which he promises. Mr.. Whitney
project will bear the application OF this Ii bub-
BILE, and 1t s not mere fight Of the Imagination. Nor has
any thing in common with the bold and busting ioinsock
enterprises which rise and fall with much rapidty
America, except the magnitude Of the operations which it
involves, and the greatness Of the objects which designed
to accomplish
Mr. WHIrsErs letter Of this morning perhaps the mos,
interesting of the SERIES and certainly places before
OF the cogen in favor of his proposal which
hitherto been given The style, without It's
tons and significance When bent upon the exposition Of his
avorte subect Mr. Whitney writes in that simple, quaint
and emphatic English which, slightly dnged with modern
Americansms still prevails among Of the descendants
Of the New England settlers Il scarcely surprising that he
should be disposed take perhaps comprehensive
OF the scheme with which his will awaysbe associated
Nothng certainly, be ingenious and interesting
than the hypothesis which he has developed in these letters
with respect what may be called the future social geogs-
ply Of the world The descriptions and the easonngs
markabe their originality, and for extensive knowledge
of the subject We think however, that his scheme Of rail-
way TO be consruced-virtualy without capta-for two
thousand miles, from Lake Michigan the Pacific defen-
slbe grounds urgent PRACTICAL and solid than those
plausible and splendid but and pobemaica theories
to which have referred Mr. Whitney mantsins, for
ample the opinion that complete junction OF the Atlantic
and Pacific convulon Of nature sud-
denly sweep swsy the Ihmus Of PaRama-woud confer
real benefits facilities upon the existing commerce either
of England of the United States He says and believe
truly, that the sailing distance from England to India
China greater Panama than the Cape Of Good Hopes
and all those portions Of his letters which relate to the measure
men Of comparative distances upon the globe, with reference
to winds and currents in the highest degree interesting and
valuable Yet view does not include any
the whole Of the question Generations must eapse be-
fore the rising communities the shores OF the Pacific north
Of Mexico will be in position tosuppy more than very small
portion ofther by domestic production Generations
must therefore, eapse before the commerce
between this country and the United States the hand
and the North Pacific the other attain Its full deve
oPmen; and it sufficiently plain that no event could
happen propous that commerce as the removal OF the
barrier Of Panama, which present compes the navigator to
perform circuit round South America at great peril and
cos Another consideration mast also be taken into account
Mr. Whitney speaks exclusively of sailing vessels but the
days of sailing vessels bound long voyages probably
numbered Every day seems to render il more and more
likely that before long, the improvements which are taking
place in the propeller, auxiliary power will
render the employment Of sailing ship, under certain
circumstances altogether false speculation. With mer-
camille marine longer absolutely dependant on winds and
currents and abe in all ordinary cases. to reckon with cer-
tanty upon high speed, it will be exceedingly difficult to
what changes may not arise in particular departments Of
our commerce.
But the merits Of Mr. WHrrxErs scheme are in no way
hxyt II N tn
upon sound local basis, which remote revolutions in
seam machinery, navigation disturb. Let Us briefly
state the outline of his plan He proposes to construct
continuous line Of railway, about 1900 miles long, from the
western margin of Lake Michigan the shores Of the Pacific
Ocean points. The FIRST 500 miles of this line
have been asceaned consist Of land Of the very fret quail
, and the average quality Of the soil along the whole line
good. Mr.. WHITNEY asks the Government OF the United
States to cede to him belt Of land sixty miles wide along
tho entire length Of the proposed newhch would be about
seventy eight millions Of For this grant he engagesto
pay cents acre, eight millions Of dollars and he
also engages construct the railway and to people the
country through which pass rea1ng his own profit out
Of the proceeds Of the sale Of the surplus lands ON each side
Of the road And be finally proposes that the railway shall
then become national properly, free from all TOLLS except
what may be actually required TO keep 10 repair The
project fact might be paradoxicay and yet truly descb
ed scheme make railway without capital and to OBJ
tain profit from it without dividends Yet there seems to
be good doubt the feasibility Of either part Of the
PLAN Mr. Whitney is probably right in supposing that,
able sell the land the first five miles Of bis line for more
money than would suffice for the completion Of the first ten
miles OF road be constructed and that manner by
fning his operations sections o ten miles, he would obtain
the needfu of capital be went along In short,
the only real advance Of capital which would be required -
start the undertaking. supposing an act OF authorization to
have passed through Congress- would be the preliminary
of moving point for establishment to the western
side Of Lake Michigan.
1t is pain from this outline that the scheme is advana
geous and desirable grounds perfectly independent Of any
theories probabilities connected with revoluonsin
cia geography The very first effect Of the completion Of the
proposed line would be to seventyegh millions of
Of land from wilderness cultivated fields. This
sideraion alone sufficient determine the whole
question. In the second place. the facilities afforded BY the
railroad would attract population to apart Of the American
continent which is yet comparatively unexpored and
would pave the way to perfect union between the
communities dwelling the shores of the Pacific and those
occupying the Atlantic States We will not to spe
cuate ulteor consequences 1t may suffice that we find
abundant justification for the enterprise in facts concerning
which cannot well be mistaken, and in considerations SO
plain that they cannot easily be overlooked.
Mr. Whitney has made considerable progress in America
obtaining counienance his scheme The Legislatures Of
tweny-one have declared in its favor committee Of
the Senate in report which is before have express
ed decided opinion in support Of the plan and bill has
been for time before Congress, formally conferng the
authority which Mr. Whitney alone requires to enable him to
the project will be carried out at present proposed An
past region Of Lake Michigan and it be
very probable that before an Of Congress be obtained
much of the land the proposed line will have been alien
of