The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-03-20
sUNpURY AND EAlE RAILROAD.

SUNBUkx AND EHkE NA&41nOAD.
We give here an important extract from
General Packers late speech in the Penn
sylvania Senate on the subject Of our pub
lie Improvements in this region Of the state.
He concludes thus -
But, Mr.. Speaker, the Sunbury and Erie
railroad is the great improvement that Phil
adelphia must resort to, at last, 10 secure the
trade Of the lakes. 1t is the route that Penn
sylvania railroad should have adopted-and
Philadelphia will ye, be driven to it in self
defence. In speech ia the Chinese mu-
scum. In that city few years since, on
deavored 10 impress upon the minds Of her
capitalists the importance of this measure,
but was unsuccessful. l.--This, Sit, was the
favorite project Of the late Nicholas Biddle,
Of your ciiy-and whatever may be said Of
him as politician, Or fnancier, all agree,
that on questions ~ of inismal Improvement
and commerce, he was one Of the most -
gacious and far.seeing statesmen in this
Union.-His fault was, If fault il be, that he
was twenty years in advance Of the age in
which he lived. Sir, his towering mind,
enabled him, afar of, to *
--"See the tops of distant thoughts,
Whic men of common stature never saw"
Had he lived, and maintained the strong
hold which he once had on the affections of
Philadelphia, thar city would long since have
been placed in relation 10 the trade have
attempted to describe, where New York and
Boston now are. But, am pleased to OBJ.
serve tina, your very intelligent Board of
Trade, sir, have at length turned their at
tention 10 this long neglected improvement,
their views are those of enlightened wisdom
and commend them TO the attention, not
only Of Senators, but OF every business
man in Philadelphia and Baltimore. In
their last annual report they say, "that it is
time that we should look elsewhere than to
the centre of the State and to lines of cen.
trail communication.-From the mouth Of
the Juniata TO the harbor of Erie, there is
one mile of railroad constructed and this,
though population, according to the CEN
aus of 1850, of upwards of 10000 people
is there TO contribute, by their industry and
products, 10 our business prosperity. A rail-
road communication from the head waters o!
the West Branch to the harbor of Erie is
known 10 be practicable. Surveys have
been made, and its probable cost ascertained.
Philadelphia has too long turned her back on
that wonderful region; for wonderful it is, at
least in its mineral resources, with its mex.
haustibls and accessible masses of iron and
bituminous coal, through which, by almost
bride pashs, tfor there are ye,, TO our shame
be it spoken, wildsrnesses in Pennsylvania, }
the traveller passes from the mouth of the
Sinnamahoning to the head waters of the
Allegheny and Of the Lake streams. While
New York is pushing forward its Erie rail.
road along our Lake shore, and through our
neglected territory, we are conten. to see not
only northwestern Pennsylvania, but all the
intermediate territory, influenced by adverse
policy to us, pass away TO commercial alle-
glance in another State. It is high time that
our eyes should be directed in this direction.
1t has ceased to be question of rival
routes. And whenever these Improvements
north-westward from the Susquehanna shall
be seriously begun, then taking Sunbury
and Catawissa as the points on which the
river is ultimately reeachd, Philadelphia,
with-iis works extending north from Harris.
burg, and norhweawGfd from the hesd
waters Of the Schuylkill, may claim it all,
beyond the reach of rivalry.n
Mr.. Speaker, the lumber trade, alone, Of
the last yer, on the West Branch of the Sus-
quehanna, amounted in value to more than
81, ,ooo,0 ,0oO The village of Williamsport,
ia which reside, shipped by canal, over
5000, 900 Of feet of lumber--and this trade
is but beginning. Give us direct commu.
nication by railroad to Phhadelphia and
Baltimore. Abandon the idea that Philadel.
phia will no. be benefited, unless her citizens
can see the smoke of the locomotives, and
hear the cars rumbling over the Market s.eet
bridge. Such is nota broad, liberal and
ststesmanlike policy-it is unworthy Of Phil.
sdelphia.-Throw open all the avenues lead.
ing fIom the interior--giys our iron masters,
our lumbsImen, our miners and our farmers,
the advantage Of the best markets, where
ever they are to bs fosnd. You viii then,
sir, see the wilderness of the West Branch
disappear, her valleys will be made vocal by
the paintings Of the engine and the hum Of
industry and entefpnze; you will see her
"ioods clap their hands, and her mountains
be joyful together"