The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-16
From the San FraneiSeo Herald, April rs.
THE PACIFIC LR0AD-EXPLoRATIoNS BY GOV,


STEVENS
On Monday evening Governor Isaac l. Stevens Of Wash
ngtop Territory delivered address at the Musical Hall
in Bush street his survey and exploration Of the
northern route for the Pacific railroad The hall
densey crowded the OCCASION and several persons, p
able to procure standing ROOM obliged TO go
away. Shortly after o'clock, Governor Stevens made his
appearance the platform, and loudly greeted. lie
introduced to the audience by Mayor Garrison who
said: .sa ..t
Iake great pleasure in introducing you Governor
Isaac Stevens of Washington Territory who has kindly
consented TO give you his views which are practical on
the aabsorbing question of building railroad 10 the
Pacihc ocean. Applause a t#
Governor Stevens then came forward and said 9
LADIES AND eESrLEMEg--rELLow-c OF THE CITY
or SAN Francisco THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA com
graate myself for this opportunity of addressing you
Your city with its 900 peopeyour State with its 300
600 peope--your hundreds of millions of golden dust,
and your enterprise which has given not only an impulse
TO the commerce OF our common country but the COM
merce of the world the marvel of the modern CEN
tury but it is not much your city your State or
your golden dust your teeming commerce. that have
excited the admiration and attention OF philosophical and
patrouc hearts ae your constitution and your mode Of
putting it into operation You came here as miners in The
eager pursuit of gold but you paused in md-career to
organize State and you have laid here at this early day
on this western coasthe solid foundations of empire
you have given the most significant indication to the world
of the progress of peoples you have shown that the
western movement OF the country 10 this coast was no
ephemera thing but solemn fact having Influence on
the worlds history ApplauseJ And have come here
this evening" to endeavor to explain some
what that great question which has grown out OF your
past acts The establishment of internal communications
is, say, question of the consolidation of an empire.
| Applause AK. ..... .# .aa.N
Fellow this subject is too vast to approached
in sectional point of view. II comprehends the length
and breadth of country extending from ocean to ocean,
and from the Gulf of Mexicothat vast Mediterranean sea-
with its S400oo0o00 worth Of commerceto the great
lakes with about the amount propose, therefore,
to examine first the general subject and will endeavor to
present the geographical position OF the country and to
capacy of the people Of this continent to construct not
one road but several roads, to the Pacific ocean, APP
pause The Gulf of Mexico and the great lakes are the
two grand geographical facts in the connexon of the shores
of the two great by iron bonds These lakes APP
proach within nineteen hundred miles of the mouth Of
the Columbia river and the magnificent and capaeious
Pugets Sound, and the Gulf Of Mexico approaches
nearer to San Francscoai Francisco whose very name
is enough without using superlatves. Any scheme of
connecting the western coast with the Atlantic slope
without taking into consideration these two great facts
would be fatal Let us look at it carefully by the expe
rience of the past few years We have system Of rail-
roads-we have a system of canals-we have system of
navigation by ocean, by river by lake What are the
fcs On the large canals without expensive locking we
can transport merchandise for two three mills per ton
per miieon ocean voyages transport merchandise AT
and half per cent per mileon lakes and river
we transport merchandise and half three mills
per mile and so through the great lakes. On railroads.
with favorable grades ii costs from four to eight mills per
| ton per mile Let me give you some facts more to the
point The merchandise from New York, by her Hudson
river and system Of canals be taken to Buffalo for 50
80 TO 3 30 per ton and the railroads from Sc to Ss
\ 80; while merchandise be carried 10 New York, on
her rivers and her canals from the great lakes and
even from St Louis for about the price you
give for merchandise Buffalo by the railroads Not that
the canals or lakes antagonstc to railroadsby
means. There is no antagonsm. All 60 together and
have their appropriate place Thus IN the great State of
New York find them running line after line of aroad
and enarging the Erie canal Thus find Virginia per-
fectng her great communication by the James River
and kanawha canal and also pushing forward her railroads
So much for the bearing Of the great water communications
About the great railroad communications let present
4 G N at
this moment l., 800 miles of railroad in operation forgot
that this was two months ago TO that we may add 1000
miles at least We adding TO our railroads from 400 to
500 miles per month Why two months since there
roads in operation in country than in all the rest of
the world and exceeding them by some 300 or 400 miles
Applause The young State Of Illinois where there only
million of people during the year actually put in opera
ton 1000 miles of railroad by two lines struck the Mssssp
and these yielding income OF 10 per cent
They went through unsettled country in the beginning
The settlements which grew out OF the roads gave travel
that supported them. This is the way with Wisconsin.
seen but few days since return that The hst road
opened in that State yielding ten per cent profit Such
is the general experience all the western roads Iowa
has already road under construction extending west
ward, and soon will have second road. Wisconsin is
stretching forth her to the Fond du Lac Of Green
Bay, the Fond du Lac Of Lake Superior St Paus and
Prairie dp Chen Nor has the South been ide The great
State of Georgia had years since almost perfect
communication, and the States OF Alabama Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Texas not laggards in the race
viii Arkansas be so by and by present these general
facts TO show that building some five thousand
miles of railroad each year We have struck the Mississippi
at several points from Gaena TO New Orleans We have
crossed the Mississippi and running
the western prares. L Appause Now the question is in
this aspect of things what is this country able 70 dot
With railroad capital invested Of FIVE hundred millions
which viii be increased every year by one hundred mill
lionswith many different lines extending the Mis-
sssppi along line of twelve hundred miles-wth
magnificent Gulf Of Mexico and magnificent akes-what
have yet TO do2 We have this great ports
Of commerceone developed and the other undeveloped
we have San Francisco and Pugets Sound. [Applausc
We peed two ports this Pacific shore because with
giant enterprise intend and God has wled IL that this
shall be the highway for the trade Of nations and that
the iron track shall pass large part Of the commerce
of the world. [Appause fE
Fellow-ciizens having viewed the subject in general
manner, we viii now proceed TO an examination of the
routes have referred TO the two great waerlines. The
question Is now to the confguraon OF the country
from the Mississippi raley 10 the Pacic slope We must
have several routes md not single road for all ths
vast network Of roads Gentlemen Il my fortune in
another branch Of the public service to have given
attention TO the question Of railroad Communication IL
was my fortune to have known personally all the gentle
men engaged In the recent explorations The lamen,ed
i Gunnison brother cadet Of mine in the Military
Academy Mr.. Whppe also brother cadet Of mine
in the National School, aud Mr. williamson citizen your
city, whose has only to be mentioned to refer your
minds to accomplished and able man. had the for
tune Mr. Williamson in this city had not the
fortune to meet Mr. Whipple but learned this striking
fact that what two years since believed by the best
informed men in. Washington and surveyors who
had collected information in reference 10 the roueto be
the best route is in one point impractoabe refer to
Walkers Pass recolee at this time with high adira-
ton the efforts Of your energetic and indo,abe senator
DR. Gwin Great APPLAUSE DR. Gwin. in making his
report, and in submitting map untiring per-
sonally know, in getting information 20 all the rontes
Why FIVE years since friend Of mine Captain ord man
who did good service to your State collected information