New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
Whitney on his Railroad Scheme.
or,ro ~ The Tribuue

COrypsrOudence Of The Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Saturday,, jan. T.
WV. 4. WHITNEY has explained his grand pro
ect of railway from L AXE Michigan to the Pa
cifc in the National Hall, this evening. The ex.
PLANTATION seemed 70 have elected the most per
feet satisfaction from all present among whom
were some members of Congress.
He deprecated the idea Of running line Of
Railway across the Isthmus Of Panama, inasmuch
as it would not create a speedier Intercourse be
tween the Eastern frontiers Of the United States
and the Pacific coast or Asia. On the contrary,
be commended it would rather mar the future pros
poets of this Republic by attracting an enlarged
and growing commercial intercourse to that quar-
ter, and depriving these United States OF the ad-
vantages which his proposed route would not fan
to produce Then with regard to the advantages
to Europe of such probe he observed that the
fact of an extra distance of 200 miles having
TO be encountered would be sufficient cause to in
duce the people of that continent 10 continue their
usual route around the Cape in preference to that,
and thereby deprive this Nation of all benefit, If
any there could exist by this remote, and obvious
ly useless medium OF intercourse.
With regard to his project he observed that, in
dependent of the great advantages in a CONNER
cial point of view which the proposed course OF
his line would yield, an incalculable benefit would
be produced to the agricultural world. For hav-
ing chosen locations alike advantageous in their
ply steal adoption and feasibility for extensive
agricultural improvements, within no distant pc
Rod, he doubted not an intercourse would there
by be established which would afford facilities
not only to this nation, but to all the other conti
nents. The possibility of efecting the whole dis
lance from England to the Pacific in the short
space Of 30 days, under such an arrangement,
while 10 days are now occupied, would it was
obvious, attract the commerce of that and other
nations to this line as the quickest and safest
route to Asia and the other Islands on the Pacific
Mr. WHITNEY proposed to undertake the com
pletion of this line Of railway from Lake Mich.
gan TO the Pacific, by obtaining from the Govern
ment, by purchase, an extent of 60 miles Of land
along the entire course of the line the land to be
disposed of ty himself, only after the completion
of every ten miles of the line, the proceeds of
which he meant to apply to the construction OF
each succeeding portion and so on during its pro
eress. He stated he would have to advance to
Government. before entering upon this work,
sum of about $4,000, together with greater
sum which 1t will be necessary to invest before
any return oct of the djacent lands can be pro-
duced their value being, OF course, consequent
on the advantages which the line OF railway VIII
produce. The right to confer the titles of those
lands to the purchasers he does not require, but
leaves that with the Government, and proposes,
further as a guarantee for his prosecution of the
work with all due expedition, to forfeit 60 the
Government all claim TO any portion OF the line
which may be completed, together with the lands
in connection Herewith He disavowed every
motive of gain or profit, his object being only to
facilitate the means Of intercourse and the spread
of enlightenment throughout this great continent.
He was sure this work would embrace the labOrs
of his future life, which, he doubted not would
be period of immense toll; yet, as it tended to
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT and prosperity OF this nation
he most willingly undertook the mighty task. He
referred to a work recently published in London,
in which project of this nature has been set on
foot by the English Government making Halifax
the point on the Eastern frontier for the starting
of railway thence TO some suitable port on the
Pacific through their Canadian possessions, aud
which, being effected, he observed, would give to
England a degree of preemnence in almost every
relation above all other nations, dangerous to the
stability of other powers 1t became, then, tine
duty of this Government to carry out his pro
iect. by which means alone the Government OF
England will be deferred from carrying out theirs
Mr.. WHITNEY was very warmly greeted IN the
course of bis observations, and concluded by ex-
pressing hope that his project would have the
prompt attention of the Government.