The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-06-24


The PACIFIC RAILHoAD.--We cut the following
notice of the impression made in England by Mr.
Whitney and his railroad scheme from the money
article Of The Times, Of May 3d.
The letter from Mr.. Whitney, in The 7smes, Of
the 18th of April describing his proposed railway
across the American continent, from the Atianuc
To the Pacific, has excited attention and led 70 OIL
fsrs in this country to afford him any assistance he
may require. The novelty and simplicity OF bis
plan contrast remarkably with the magnitude Of
Its object, and suggest revolution IN the modes Of
conducting public enterprises wnlcn may oPPor-
in9 the last ten years, which has threatened 10
der II impossible 70 carry out Tor the future even
the most necdful and promising undertaking.
His scheme Is to build railway 1880 miles in
length not only without shilling Of government
money, but also without raising any contributions
from The public; and, when completed. II would be
the property Of the nation, the value OF whose ter
ritoral possessions would also be intellectually aug
mented. Al the Same time the element Of sell
interest," the true adjunct OF practical phianthro-
py, would operate as the moving cause in every
stage Of the whole affair. From New York to the
wisconsin border of Lake Michigan, distance
west OF about 900 mes, there il already perfect
communication by steamboat and railway, and Mr.
Whitney proposes to continue the line thence to
the Pacific. For this purpose he asks grant Of
thirty nilcs Of tho public lands each side OF the
contemplated road, and from these, although they
are at present without value except in the imme
diate neighborhood Of the starting point, he would
create all the means that necessary. He would,
for instance, with ten miles OF the road,
and then sell portion of the lands on each side,
which, owing TO the proximity to the advancing
rush OF population. the existing facilities Of transit,
and the fact Of such an enterprise being under
taken, would at realize considerably more
than would be requisite thus far to meet the out
lay The point at the end Of these ten miles would
then be in nearly the same position ms that from
which he had originally started; and another ten
miles might therefore be constructed with like
rcsuits In this way. bit by bit. the road would
xlss.-- Il vw~~rt.v~ n
can only be estimated by those who have watched
the Irresistible effects Of the great tide of western
emigration. For the first eight hundred miles the
land il mostly prairie, and TT for instant settle
ment; and one OF the provisions Of the bill recon-
mcnded by the committee OF Congress who have
reported upon the subject, il that not more than
half the quantity granted on each side shall be
sold in the rst instance, the remaining half being
reserved to complete the work in those districts
where the soil might prove poor. Not only, there
fore, would each prolongation OF the road natural
ly render more certain the completion OF the re-
mainder, but it would provide fund that would
place that result beyond all doubt
Gigantic A. the scheme il, the simple calcua-
tions on which these conclusions are based are ia.
miliar TO all who are acquainted with the rise ana
case the protector 10 to stake the reward OF all his
labors upon their success. After the road shall
have been completed and in operation, all the sur
mas been introduced, to belong to Mr.. Whitney and
his heirs; but there is provision for any direct
remuneration; and consequently, although every
step ofthe work must benefit the nation, he cannot
derive any thing except from its final triumph.
The ultimate effects of such q land route between
Europe and ASIA and its influence in still further
mingling the productions and races OF the world.
are 10 be regarded with equal interest in England
and the United States. 1t has been unanimously re
ported upon by different committees Of the two
Houses Congress at different sessions, and has also
becn sanctioned by legislative votes in about twenty
of the individual States. The pnrty warfare, how
ever, OF last session, prevented a final resolution
from being arrived at, and consequently caused q
delay which, as far as the United States concern
ed icopardizes the project So rapid 10 the progresi
of settlement in the West, that the lands in the
neighborhood of the route are fast filling up, and
the contingency presents itself, that even before
Congress will again meet they may be SO far occu-
pied as to put il out of the power of Government
to make the ncedful grant Looking at this posi-
bility attention has been turned to Canada whence
feasible route has long been considered to exist
from Quebec to Vnncouvcr's Island. In the Offers
understood to have been made to Mr.. Whitney the
possible adoption Of the latter course has conse-
quently been taken INTO account, the prOposa be-
ing to furnish him with the necessary capital fol
the first ten miles of the line, Gin consideration
for share of tho results contingent upon its fna
completion,) whether il may pass through Ameri
can or British territory, surprising similar gran
of the latter could be obtained. For the present
it appears, he has declined to enter into any ar
rangcment, preferring to wait until the next ses
sion of Congress- but it is satisfactory to believ
that his bold conception is sufficiently appre
ciated on both sides to insure that it win not b.
suffered TO fail for want of any rational aid tina
can be afforded to it.
TosAeco CRoP.-From all sections Of the tobacco
growing country find the opinion prevails tina
L 10 impossible to make any thing like average
crop this seasen. In the 6rst place there was