, 1853-12-31

oil direction IN freight. II is from 3 10 400
miles shorter than the route 10 San Fran
cisco, and on direct line to New York
and Boston. II lays down the produce of
the east on the shores of Lake Michigan !;
there, if chcapness is al object, to be tran
4 shipped over those waters, reaching New
York BY way Of The Erie canal, Boston by
the Ogdensburg railroad. Or ifspeed be
more important than cost, the network Of
railroads passing round the southern shore
Of Lake Michigan, or further south through
Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, will brar'it di.
rectiy to those depots of trade. -- 'fiJ
With this line for ehespncss Of transport
t1iion, rapidity of transit, no other line
across this coniineni, can compete, nor can
any other as fully subserve, the interests o.
those by whoss capital il is likely 10 be
built. s i..
! did not allude to ihe natural connection
Of this line with Canadian railways, pro
'ectcd and finished, that would divert por-
tion Of trade passing over il 10 Portland, on
our extreme northern coast, thus bringing
the extreme north east and the north wesi
oil the Union, into friendly communion =
nor 10 the fact that the St. Lawrence would
afford cheap outlet 10 goods shipped upon
the great lakes. 1t is enough for me TO
state, as briefly as possible, the economical
view Of our road, and the light in which it
ought 10 strike commercial interests.
But are the advantages of this northern
road confined to sholtness of railroad travel,
dlrectness OF line, the certainty that New
York and Boston, and the north must profit
by itS The Mississippi does not, on this
route, intersect continuous communication
it will be bridged at Rock Island: il can
be bridged al Ssuk Rapids, and other points
to the north Of Rock Island. Below that
place, if bridged at all, it must be done at
very great expense. On this route then
there is no fear that that stream will carry
freight southwark 10 avoid expense Of Sec
ond transhipment over il the burdened
car will fly as easily as over the smallest
creek and beard the father of waters in the
middle Of his career. l..t- .r, 81.
Of climate need hardly speak, On I'M
Porlant element in construction Of railroads,
il is a more important one in their useful
ness. The fact that we now stand here on
the 18Th day of December in the open air,
and that this is Usual through the winter,
is proof without further words that on the
Pacific al least the climate is in our favor.
Theirs is ons matter thai had nearly IS.
capped me in this connection, as much will
that have desired to say, and that is with
reference 10 the comparative distance be-
tween the Sound aud Shanghae, and be-
tween San Francisco and Shanghae. have
seen proposition made by gentlemen of
standing to carry mail by steamers from
San Francisco TO Shanghae, touching at the
mouth of the Columbia a proposition ac-
companied by the assertion that this SER
vice would occupy no further time in actual
steaming than il direct course was taken
across he ocenn. Paradoxical as this may
seem it is nearly true. From the mouth of
the Columbia 10 Shanghae il is about FIVE
thousand miles by the grest circle. From
San Francisco 10 Shanghae il is FIVE thou
sand seven hundred and sevenly-fve and
il is only six hundred miles from San Fran
cisco to the Columbia making by this calcu-
latioa one hundred and seventy five in fa-
yor Of the Columbia route. r.
The Straits Of Fuca are sill nearer 10
Shanghae than The mouth Of Columbia, and
about two hundred miles north Of IT, The
advantages Of this Sound over San Francis
Co, in point Of distance fromShanghse, would
be nearly one thousand miles; and if this
distance is to be performed by steamers, in
a question Of expence the decision would
be strongly in favor OF our section.
If this distance is 10 be performed by sail
ing vessels, one thousand miles is differ
ence not easily overcome. Besides, The
trade winds are said 10 blow portion Of the
year from northcrlv, and portion of the
year from a southerly direction. Either
direction aiTording an almost favorable wind
10 vessels standing in due east or west
course. In this direction of the trades
may be .u.iSIaksn; IL SO, t.ust that my
nautical friends, whom | see present, will
correct me.
Then by ocean and by land it is from
400 10 1900 miles nearer 10 New York
by a route through Puget Sound, than by
one through SOn Francisco; and in all age
when The old proverb that time is money,
is fully appreciated, think we may feel
strong confidence that our time will come.
| hhtn1 We cannot Tell ~ may De lnd'
our eyes will be gladd med by the sight Of
railroad in five or six years it may be
longer-it may never be built but we
will think il will, il Congress and the nation
do Justice 10 us, and believe that this terri
tory is not to be behind in the march of
improvement. A gentleman, the other day,
in speaking of it said that a star was YET 10
! ,isa in th, wrSi. I thaut him for Tho rom nori-
son--thal star has risen now, though clouds,
though darkness obscure it, soon will they
BE- swept away, aud it will shine forth in
beauty and in lisht--a morning star, the
herald of day Of brightness not soon 10 be
brought to close.
For this day let us wait not INDUCING in