The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-02-21
Railroad 10 the Pacific

DAT. Asa whitney Is again ut Washington en-
dearoring to gain listening ear from congress
TO his plan for constructing railroad from Lake
Michigan to the shores Of the Pacific. His me.
mortal to congress, accompanied By long com.
muniea,ion in which he answers number OF ob.
jectiors to his plan, is published in the Washing
ton Union Of the Slst nit.
The plan proposed by Mr. Whitney, for the
accomplishment Of This great enterprise, ia, that
congress shall sell to him, under such restrictions
As they may deem necessary and proper, sixty
miles in width Of the public domain from Lake
Michigan to the Pacific ocean-together about
7s,ooo.ooo Of acres Of land good, bad and indif.
ferent-at ten cents per acre.
Out Of this vast amount Of wilderness land no
4.;.As ne can create, by his own efforts all the
necs"ary means for completing the road. He
proposes to connect the settling Of those lands
with the building of the road, and thus carry on
two great objects together.
The whole distance is about 1000 miles, most
ly through wilderness; but as The road andset.
Element Of the Lands are to advance together.
each would measurably provide for the other :.
mud, though he may not be able to dispose of the
lands fast enough to furnish the means for q viz
orous prosecution OF the work. vet, the lands
with the road through them would be a basis
upon which lie could obtain any amount of cani.
tai for that purpose, rs these lands would daily
enhance in value from the use Of the road and in.
crossing settlements.
To avoid oil constitutional questions, which
have always embarrassed the action Of congress
upon this subject, Mr. Whitney proposes to make
1t an individual enterprise Yet, nevertheless,
the road itself is to be great public Highway
FOR the commerce Of the world. And for the
cost OF its construction, as well rs for lis free use
forever after, the people Of the United States and
olthe world are to be charged for passage and
transport only sufficient for the necessary OK.
pense for its operation and repairs the L.
s. mails transported free of charge. The road
IS, therefore, not TO be source Of revenue to
himself or to the government when it is comple..
Cd, but is to be as free as the waters Of the Mis-.
sissippi, except a toll barely enough to keep it in
repair. The road as well as the lands until they
are ali sold shall be under the jurisdiction Of con.
gross and not in the hand. Of Mr. VIII n.y.
T. Every objection which has heretofore been
urged in congress and through the public press,
70 this magnificent enterprise, has been satsfac
etorily answered in Mr. Whitncy's communica
-ticn accompanying his memorial to Congress, and
We cannot conceive any earthly reason why
Congress should not at once make the necessa
~ disposition Of the lands asked for.
The Government has nothing to lose in the OF
erFtion. The lands as they now are, are worth
nothing at all. Scarcely man could be found
who would be willing to possess them as rirt
we're be obliged to live upon them; and such will
be the case yet for years unless ths great tho.
'roughfare is created Should Mr. Whitney sue
coed in his plan, and the lands be sold the 90
vernment will receive her ten cents per acre into
the treasury, and vast wilderness will be set.
tied by nm industrious people and where now
nought but the howl Of the wolf or the fierce war
wboop Of the savage is heard there would soon
be heard the notes Of industry and the songs Of
praise" Cities. towns. and villages would dot
those broad plains, while their rich and fertile
soils would yield their millions to the commerce
oftho world. Or, should Mr.. Whitney fail the
lands would again revert to the government,
without airy deterioration.
We h"pe then that Congress will favorably
regard his petition, lst because, the creation of
this thoroughf're, would hasten the settlement of
large district Of the public domain, which 9th.
erwise would remain a wilderness for ages to
come Cd, because it will give us the control of
the commerce Of the Pacific and will make Of
San Francisco and Of New York the two great
eommercil emporiumS ofthe would. Sd, because
1t would effect great national good without any
risk by the government or any tax upon he poo
pie. 4th, because it will tend 10 bind firmly to.
gether the interests Of the two great extremes of
our republic, and in the case of war our armies
could be rapidly transported from one extreme
to the other. And finally, because, should Mr.,
'~hitney's plan, after fair trial. prove failure
the government nor the people would lose any.
thing by the operation.