New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-28

To The Editor y ] ne ITfotfnf;
Mr. Wbitneys plan for a Railroad to the Pacific
has been objected to by practical men; ana IneH
objections may deserve serious consideration,
Upon bis own clearly expressed and unamoigu'
Gus predicstes, be may abandon the work whsh
the first 500 miles through comparatively ierlne
country is accomplished, and, instead OF employ
ing the anticipated surplus fund IN prosecuting
the work through the 600 succeeding miles over
an Indifferent soil, pronounce It lmpossloie-aS
well be might-and quietly pocket the money
For q demonstration Of this process. illustrated oy
a suitable diagram, see American Railroad Jour
nal Of 9th Nov last. ~
Fer the success of q railway enterprise, II IS ne
cessary that the termini should be points oil some
commercial importance. As general rule, eX,
tensive projects demand the more pOpalous shu
wealthy cities to sustain them. The whitney
project has no corresponding emporium at either
end, and L AXE Michigan, the Eastern terminus Is
ice bound several months IN the year. ~ go
Overcome these difficulties, however, and still
an insurmountable obstacle to the work remains.
The proceeds Of tie land could not construct H.
The sale Of public lands cannot be fairly estimated,
for q series Of years to come, at greater amount
than S5,OOO,OO0 year. This sale Is governed by
the natural laws Of procreatiOn and the contingent
CIV of immigration from home and abroad. A lac
titious end premature acceleraton may increase
this rate for a few consecutive years but 1t must
inevitably fall back to this average which may De
safely pronounced the ndAluluH- AhCiC aiC ~
this time not less than 800 miles OF railroad pro
ected through districts of the New States where
public lands are in market; and immense tracts
are now on sale, not only in the vicinity OF such
railroad lines, but upon the shores OF navlgaole
waters while the rapid extinguisbment OF Indian
titles, and new surveys, are giving annual aud
vast accessions to the choice Of the emigrant.
The pioneers, who are the avant cOurlers OF en-
isration, compose but limited portion OF the
whole corps; and it must be principally upon this
description of adventures that Mr.. Whitney
sales would depend. Itwould, then, be unsafe 10
calculate on a larger annual sale than half mil
lion: but allow if You please twice that amount,
and the Road would be some 90 or 100 years II
process Of construction.
But upon a scheme so doubtful-not to say Wis
onary-it must result that few, very few, OF those
hardy and intelligent men, who risk every earthly
possession TO secure home in the wilderness,
would hazard their last dollar. 49,
Upon the motives OF Mr.. Whitney the public
have a right to speculate for he calls on the nation
TO assist him in his enterprise. Let US be charlta
bic. He probably desires to make money-to DO
the public some service, and acquire fame as the
successful protector Of magnificent work. Slch
motives are not only not unusual, but IN some de-
gree meritorious and | have seen no reason 70
doubt his sincerity But under the conviction
a conviction derived from facts. and from such ex-
perence as the nature of my positions admit
that bis project is entirely impractlcable, have
felt it duty to make these suggestions and
beg to assure Mr. Whitney that they are made
with no unkind feeling toward him or his numer'
GUS friends AN OLD PIONEER.
GyeeUiLe, H., Dec. 1850.