Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-06-11

nal we're $2.s4l,4l0
On the Railroad
from Albany to Buffalo l,43l ,e7l
On New York g.
Erie Railroad 4l0,596
Total profits on New York
Improvements for the year
1850, Sl,6S3,S77
To which add profits on
Western Railroad from
Albany to Boston 755,45s
Total Profits S5,439, ,335
Making the nett profits for a single year
on the four improvements named, leading
from the lakes to New York and Boston
five millions four hundred and thirty nine
thousand three hundred and thirty five
dollars End this sum, Mr.. Speaker
surprisingly large as it is,does moi embrace
the profits on the entire carrying trade
between The lakes and the northern sea.
board. The city of Boston, not satisfied
with dividing the trade al Albany with
New York. has constructed Railroad
across the Granite hills of New Hampshire
over the Green mountains Of Vermont, and
through The northern part of the State oil
New York. 10 Ogdenburg. on the St.
Lawrence, thus accomplishing n perfect
and unbroken connection between Boston
and Lake Ontario, and taking advantage
of tie WelIand Canal, made by Canada,
round the Falls Of Niagara. TO it should
also be added The profits on the trade " hich
passes down the ST. Lawrence on the
Canada improvements 10 Montreal and
Qlebec.
Where, Mr.. Speaker, let me ask you,
do the immense supplies come from that
are filling TO overilowing these great
commercial reservoirs, and which are
crowding all the ,horoughfares leading TO
New York and Boston Sir, am sorry
to say that large proportion is from the
valley OF the Ohio, trade that legitimately
belongs 10 Philadelphia and Baltimore, but
which is "spiri,ed away" by the superior
policy Of New York and Massachusetts,
policy which has drawn this entire trade
to the lakes by throwing wide open every
avenue to market, and by offering every
inducement that human ingenuity or
Yankee enterprise could invent. You
find no prohib,tory taxation there. Mr..
Speaker-no selfish carprng about "lap-
ping" the improvements Of sister states,
but you do find generous rivalry which
is enriching both. and which Philadel.
phia and Baltimore, Pennsylvania and
Maryland, would do well TO emulate.
The time is come when they must unite
in self defence. not only in securing the
trade of the Ohio, but in in opening
line of communication from the lakes.
They are mutually interested in both,
and their united exerlons are required
to command success.
The York and Cumberland Railroad, as
| before remarked, Mr.. Speaker. is most
important link in any chain OF Railroad
improvements that may ever be made along
the valley Of the Susquehanna' Whether
The road be extended TO Wiliamsport and
thus connected with the New York Rail.
roads and Canals by means OF the William.
sport and EImira Railroad; or continued
by the route o: the Snnbury and Erie Rail-
road to the harbor of Erie, it holds in eth.
er case the same important position. Gas,
your eyes upon the map sir, and look for
the meridian Of Washingion-trace that
line and you will find that Washington,
Harrisburg. Wil!iamsport and Elmira are
almost on the same meridian. By ma.
king Railroad from Harrisburg to Ell.
mira, where you connect with the New
York and Erie Railroad, we have perfect
Railroad communication from Philadelphia
and Baltimore to Lake Erie. Twenty.
five miles Of the road between Williams
port and Elmira are completed, leaving
but one hundred and forty-ive miles vet 10
be constructed. The value of this connec-
lion will be seen at glance. 1t makes
Elmlra a point common to the routes from
Dunkirk and Buffalo 10 the cities of New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The
distance from Elmira 10 the city Of New
York is two hundred and eis shty.,hre
miles-from ElmiIa, by the valley of the
Susquehanna, TO Philadelphia is two hun
drcd and seventy.seven miles-and from
Elmira to Baltimore. is two hundred and
fihy-six miles by which you will perceive
that Philadelphia and Baltimore are both
nearer TO Lake Erie by this route, than
New York They are not only nearer the
Lakes. but the route through Pennsylva-
MIA has The advantage in grades-,he ele-
vation in no instance exceeding forty.five
leet 10 the mile, and that only for a shor.
distance at single summit. For more
than one hundred miles the grade is under
four feet 10 the mile. On the other hand,
the New York and Erie Railroad has ali
the difficulties Of steep grades, shor, curva.
lures and high bridges 10 encounter east of
EImira, and worse than all, transhipment
takes place at Piermonr from the Railroad
cars to steamboats, on the Hudson. Under
these circumstances, sir, cannot doubt for |
a moment. that this doubIy important con. |
nec,ion between Harrisburg and EImira.
will receive the immediate attention Of can.
,alis!s in both Philadelphia and Baltimore,
unless they should be deferred by unwise
egislation. A stronger case illustrating
he necessity for this improvement could
not perhaps be referred to, than the fact