The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-30


No merchant osn aiord . wat 4 az csn avoid It,
t~erty thirty days loaees shsa his nsigLhcr Tor
The receipt OF supplies Of sesonabe goods therefore
same necessity OF competition which is forcing such
large quantities Of merchandise through expensive
transportation in steamers, and the sthmus to
California will force the trade to our Pacific coast across
the continent on the railway whenever IL shall be
pleed In addition TO this it will readily BIO perceived
that passengers to and from the Pacific will travel
BY the railway and consequently the package goods
must take the same route.
This course trade would be facilitated and rendered
sailing vessels bound for Southern and Gulf ports with
package goods and would be sure to receive
With view to form some idea OF what may probably
be the gross receipts of railroad to the Pacific States II
may be useful to state practicable what has
been the emigration to and from them from l849 to 1851
inclusive Its believed that the population Of Cssor.
mia, Oregon and Washington amounts to over three
hundred thousand. II is also believed that an average
Of at least twenty-five thousand persons per an
above stated making aggregate Of hundred and
fifty thousand who have travelled both ways The ex
passage, time and incidental costs and charges been
estimated as high as three hundred Dollars for each
person win therefore, not be considered exravsgant
y weJake two thirds Of that two hundred dol
hundred and fifty thousand who have made the
passage to and from the Pacific, expense Of sixty
millions of dollars. II we adopt the same rule
with respect to the three hundred thousand who
remained have the result-sixty millions dol
fascinating an aggregate Of one hundred and twenty
millions for the six years twenty millions per annum,
the probable cost Of this movement.
have no data upon which to found calculation of
The amount paid for freight and insurance Of merchAn
disc and gold dust but the sum must be very large.
live extend our view across the Pacific we ind that
this railway, connected with steamers that ocean, will
reduce the time opassage from New York to shanghae in
Shina to about to twenty days and to
Intelligence the continent telegraph and thence
to Shanghae in steamers would be conveyed in eighteen
to days. and to Sidney in about twenty to
twenty eight days. The variation Of time the Pacific
is given for the purpose Of indicating what supposed to
be the average speed Of steamers AZ presen-say
n viii ID hi oyc1
may be hereafter-three hundred miles day.
The distance between San Diego in California and Sid
ne Is fifteen hundred miles less that 1t is from the latter
place to Panama and at the present average speed of
steamers the Pacihctwo hundred and fifty miles
in six days less time than they would at Panama, and
that being quite sufficient for the passage by raway
New York, passengers and gSd dust would here
BY way Of San Diego in aboutihe same time that they
would reach Panama from Sdn.y. 1t is therefore sup
posed that all passengers and and probably
no small amount Of light package goods from Europe
that all passengers gold dust andnaclgence from Aus
tralia for the Atlantic States and Europe will take the
same route 1t will thus he that the completion of
this work will virtually change the relative positions of
the commercial nations of the woridthat China, Japan
they geographically from our Atlantic as
we'll Pacific States and that instead of being for all
Of navigation the west Of both Europe and
Asia, we should be placed almost midway between those
two continents and that all communications from the
western nations of the former and the nations of
the latter must necessarily pass over this line
It has been remarked thatit is believed Sonora is as
rich in gold California The reasons why the gold mines
of that portion Mexico have not been worked are be-
cause since the overthrow of the Spanish rule the govern
ment of Mexico has not protected the inhabi-
tants, nor has IL allowed them to carry protect
themselves against ncursons of the Indians consequent
~ all the northern and mining portions OF the country
have become almost depopulated the people having been
driven into the central and southern portions OF the State
to the rich valleys of the rivers where alone they could
in safety obtain subsistence The completion of this
work viii throw open this rich district of country to
American enterprise and bring people and CONNER
cal cities into direct with the three great
gold fields Of the worldsonora California and Australia
The emigration to the Pacific coast, notwithstanding
the expense of time money exposure OF health
the various lines over which it has passed.
may be regarded as sufficient evidence s Of
line Of communication established and fields
opened to American labor gold field presents at
collects hence it is that as soon as he has obtained an
amount which meets his moderate views OF competence
be found that the tide Of travel upon this national line Of
communication will flow with nearly equal force in both
directions. The prepondeyance will doubtless, be towards
the Pacific but this vii. be composed chiefly of agricul
turiss, and persons engaged in rade-not Of miners
II we suppose these increased inducements will carry
the two hundred thousand persons per annum
each waya little more than double the amount Of emf
grafton to California since lS49at averag. price
eighty dc liars each, five cents mile sixteen hun
millions of dollars If add to this five millions
government transportation of mails munitions Of
troops &c., and five millions for package goods to, and
gold from the Pacific, way feghts and way passengers
we have receip of twepysix millions est
mated expenditure Of about forty five to fifty millions
for the construction Of the road from the line OF
Texas to the port the Pacific and probably not
exceeding fy6ye millions to San Francisco The fertile
lands in Texas through which the road will pass will
the items of way passe myers and eighs very
TO come large and undoubtedly exceed the estimate
The basis OF credit raise the necessary means for
the construction Of this york may be stated-6rst
grant from Texas of ten thousand two hundred aud forty
acres Of land for every mile of road constructed within
her limits or for the supposed distance the route in
Dictated in the law from the eastern line Of the State
opposite the town Of Shreveport, in Louisiana, to Fl
Tasso-gevea hundred dnd eign,tsree miles Of rGaa.s
70l7 go acres at five dollars an Acre, would be
s35 600 An estimated engagement on the part of
the United States to pay for term of ut least fifteen
years, five millions annum for the transportation OF
mails troops and munitions Of war; together with
appropriation of land through that portion Of New
Mexico acquired under the adsden tfeaty, OF a; least
or 400 acres Also proposed grant from Congress
10 The state Of California, OF thirty sections, nineteen
thousand two hundred Of land per mile, for the
distance the road may be constructed in that State
II is true that Congress not yet made these grants
but they were, believe emhaced in the en which
very becoming law at the last session, they
WILL doubt be made at the next session of Congress.
The grant ifmade TO California may be so located as TO
be quite Us valuable per the lands in Texas
IL is of the utmost importance that the le
gisation of Congress shall be so framed as to
authorize contract 70 pay az, az least I'VE
than fifteen years. for the transportation of the
mails troops munitions of war; &c, &e which, coupled
with the grants of land above mentioned. would should
suppose form sufficient basis Of credit to enable the
company hold their lands until the completion of the
entire work should render them valuable itcannot be
supposed that Congress in view OF the great national
objects TO be attained refuse or neglect to do this
This road, II made at ALL must be made by private
company. II cannot be made by the governmensirst,
because Texas half Of the line and second be-
works OF this nature managed by government cost
about four times much ia the hands OF company;
and this increased expenditure would has been proved
in other render the annual appropriations by Con-
gress uncertain and aactuating that the country
would after ruinous delays, be likely TO become disgust
ed and cause a sale total Abandonment Of the
terprise Whatever Congress does 10 aid this work must
be accomplished in single act making grants which,
becoming contracts, cannot be repealed
The condition Of the Pacific States situated they are
six thousand miles by the present route Of travel
from the seat Of the federal government and
mercal marts the Atlantic the time risk and expense
of passing the other the time required for
Official communication causing injurious delays in the
execution OF the laws have already produced SO many
evils II il said the people of those States seriously
considering the oSpclency Of browning government
for Themselves and 1t may readily be imagined that IT