Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-11-14
From Chicago Democrat Press, Sep, 90.
Rail Road 70 the Pacific.


Rail Road to the Pacific.
While talking OF railroad TO the
Pacific we have becn apt TO confine its
importance and value to California-it
has been customary to consider Il mere
| y rs measure TO aid in the develop
ment Of our Pacific possessions, and
little else. This is great mistake. III
we did not own rood Of land on the
slopes OF tho Paci6c--if every settle
mcnt between this and the Rocky
Mountain and San Francisco, where
foreign possessions, the same demand
for a railroad across that country would
exist, though Il might not be SO readily
built. What we desire Is the develop
ment Of the resources Of this vast con-
tinent and no matter where that de-
Ivelopment takes place. the good effects
| Of II will be felt in the most distant
portions of the land. But the country
Is ours Il is rich In It's mineral resour-
ces, and In It's agriculture il Is second TO
no section Of the known world il has
10 climate mild as that Of Italy, and its
soil Is prolihc beyond measure. On the
Pacific coast will yet be erected i'm
mense cities like those Of New York,
Boston, and Philadelphia /; the Sacra-
mento will DO q second Hudson. and
California will be the "Empire State"
OF the West; Utah "an empire Of ITSELF"
New Mexico, Kansas, and Nebraska
ell the territories Of the vast West will
be great States, or rather immense
worlds of industry. Railroad commu-
nication to these distant parts would
open itright up 20 the East, the West,
and the South, and along the iron bands
would fly the genus Of American pro-
gress and liberty. The oppressed mas
SEES Of European mechanics would rush in
and I'LL up this vacuum the cities Of the
East would send their young and enter
prising spirits the "poor whites" Of the
South would flock to a land where labor
| is honorable and industry an attribute Of
OF Heaven. Let but the railroad be built
and It would settle forever the vexed
question Of free and slave boundaries
and the wheels OF progress would roll
back the tide Of anarchy, disunion, and
strife, which threatens to overwhelm
Us by every southern gale.
But n railroad TO the Pacific is Of
much greater Importance to our own
city than many suppose. II is admitted
ia all hands that Chicago will. In all
probability, be the great commercial
center Of this continent. From this
point will railroads diverge to the north,
to the east to the south and to the west:
to this city will flow the commerce of
Hudson's Bay and of Louisiana; Of Min
nesota, Ohio. Kentucky, georgia, and
Florida; and will DO the great distribu-
ting point for the manufactures and pro-
ducts Of the whole country. Such be-
ing the case, Of what importance is it
for Us to hurry on this railroad to the
Pacific. Such an event would revolu-
tionize the commerce Of the world
Those immense merchantmen which
ply between the Indies and Europe and
America, would become but ferries to
our railroad. The whole Of India, ia
pan, China, Persia, Arabia, Turkey, and
even Siberia. would be tapped by US,
and the produce Of those countries,
which new sail around the world TO get
to market, would In oil probability
land here TO be distributed TO New York
New Orleans, Liverpool, and London.--
The whole Of Asia would be opened TO
US. The teas, gold, silver, tin, porce-
lain. alum, white and read lead, brass
leaf, link, quicksilver and fancy wares
of China the silks, cotton, indigo, OPT
um, coffee, bandannas, Grape shawls
and silk manufactures Of India the
exquisite shnwls Of Cashmere the gor-
goous carpets OF Persia; tho coffee and
spices Of Arabiai the raw products,
sword blades, and dsmask silks OF Tur-
key; the luscious fruits OF Central Asia
the mango, the date, the pomcgran-
ate, the euava, and the apricot the
wines from the plains Of the Indus and
the Punjaub the indigo from the val
Icy OF the Garges the Ivory, gums,
and palm-oiIs OF the 0ural and tho
raw products OF Hindostan, Ceylon,
Burmah, Siam, Japan, Thibet, Siberia,
and the Maylayan Peninsula--thosc Inn
mencc "storc-houses OF nature'-all
these would flow into our warehouses
and storehouscs, to be sent to all parts
Of the world
This IL no fancy sketch. When the
Pacific Railroad Is built, II will BIO a.
natural for Chicago to DO tho chief de-
pot for the products and manufactures Of
the East, rs II IL now tho commercial
center OF the West. Illinois will be-
come the market for tho whole world.
It's broad praries will TEEN with large
and populous manufacturing cities, into
which will flow tho iron, the copper,
and the lead Of Superior, and the mine
raj wealth OF tho world.