The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-04
TWO CENTS
SPEECH OF MR.. RICE,
n sENArs, peoEnHra 2O, ls58.

nions war and all other government service Dy ra
road from the Missouri river TO san francisco IN the
Mr. RICE said Mr. President, the deep interest my
constituents take in the under consideration
be my apology for detaning the Senate few mo
ments.
do not propose 10 discuss the comparative merits Of
the different routes nor to go into details They have
been given often that the Senate must be familiar With
them My purpose Is 10 state few facts IN relation 10
the northern route and notwithstanding my preference
for that line win cheerfully vote To- give equal ana 10
the Others.
The country through which road between the great
lakes and Puget Sound would pass offers great facilities
oI INSTRUMENTATION between the various PORTIONS oi
our Union On this route lie the Mississippi Missouri,
and Columbia rivers and the Red River o the North,
supplying for internal navigation to an Immense
region OF fertile and ourishng country The lakes and
the Pacific thus connected ship could proceed without
breaking bulk from the Atlantic by way of the st. Law
renee aud the lakes to the head of Lake Superior, and
from that point her cargo could be sent over the road
proposed direct TO the Pacific, without transhpment,
1t scarcely be doubted that the great saving both
in the time and OF transportation would cause, not
only the entire American but the entire European trade
with China Japan and the Pacific islands to so through
this channel instead of going around the capes.
The British government is already alive to the import
ance of direct and speedy communication with her
possessions the Pacific and is already taking steps to
promote her commercial and strengthen her political in
tercsts on this continent by building railroad along the
southern line of her possessions Should she carry out
the work she has already commenced, we must lose not
only the European and Asatc trade but also that OF the
large tract of country northern frontier and OF
the adjacent British possessions Ii we do not act prompt
yf we suffer British capital and energy to forestall US
in this important matter-we lose the magnificent prize
that offers itself to grasp and forever regret our pro-
crastination
1t has been alleged that the ''intense ood and the
s'cep shows of the country through which this road
proposed to be must forever prevent the accom-
plishnent of the project At this moment several thou
sand at work the lines of road within the
iapfrt he f.yg
hundred miles have been graded, and by spring another
hundred will be completed and before another year
three hundred miles will be ready for the iron horse
The incoccness of this statement will DC best shown
aud the readest to it will be given, by merely
stating the fact that prosperous settlements have for
years existed in and indeed beyond, the point OF lowest
temperature.
Emigration has pushed itself beyond the Red River
of the North and every year demonstrates that there is
no portion of that country which citizens do not find
well adapted TO the purposes of civilization
My State illustrates the energy and enterprise OF
the settlers this route. Nine years ago Minnesota
organized Territory, and contained about three
thousand inhabitants. Her CENSUS viii show two
hundred thousand Her numerous and prosperous towns
have become centres OF active and profitable trad and
her increase both in population and commerce. unpe
cedented
From an official record before il appears that the
arrivals Of steamboats, at ST. Paul in 1913 sixty
three and at the eose of the past season the number
was one thousand and 81 eigha an increase Of one
thousahu ana hVc, az the ia'e W t-niN' .ieo ' w
year.
1t is not alone, however, encouragement to pri-
vate enterprises that this project presents itse TO our
favorable consideration The public service will secure
~ TINS ,oau ihose inporn. aiu, as ~ o,eis 50 many
chahleis o lhteicoiica'ioh lor 'he cheap l,'asPoi
tatioh Oh troops anu huhit.ols o wa, anu ,or sne iad
ana gehefh usulohtoh Oh the ihaiis INC iil"gapic
lakes ana fvers everywhere ih'eiscch or yi's aiohg
'ne ROAD "ouiu ihaho every Poruoh VI ~ esy 'oceS
sple
lhese iahes ana MYERS wou hso iha'eraliy esse 'c
I r " '.1'5 -, M ~. s,. ','. p,'l ,, ,, l -. i,, a o
.,o ao & ~ :" =. ~ os
t. u 80 ~ - a', ', ,s, ~ ~ - - ~ - -, M ~ Ii t
a oeso ~, ~ ,ii @ i,.i oI oI.,'|A'i - e'N' $500 s' o' 'W W
" ~, M .' 'S,n % 10 .,, 4. a., .;,,,,
~, ~ - ns 90. ~ ' ~ im ' ,iins - =, - -, A .,, ,''e' I,' i
IN AZ Z" - h Ni,ns; MI 49,, SI;,";
rs nanII f,,,;s, aI,n,ant fn;i;t;ns ,r r hinr IN
th St,te IN t,a great xyesrn yallevs and ,Ie distant
rcoons o California and Orcoon conld he nromnv ann
nlii I, t cft th,t ,o.;ota tha ,yote,l ~ tbo r.
We All know how much oreater the CHARGES are for
yailroad tlan er ,vofer tr,nsnortaon and rIance az
the man m,st convince any one that freiyht or n,ssn
se,s can ne taken on hoard at any nayieabc nint on
The Ohio Mssissinni or Msson, and transnorted thenc
bv water 10 tb nont az intersection viii this road
and thence sent forward to the Pacific with ony five
hundred oil of railway, from, tbe last named strean
Nv what other ronte could more states he ac,ommo-
dated3 LET lake Sunerio be TINS connected by steam
with the Pacific and the commerce Of orr inland seas
will be speedily doubled In 1916 the first effort was
made navigate the lakes In 1871 the trade reached
the aggregate of $65 coo 900 and in 1856 ii sweed to
the enormous amount of S60S 900 900 These statistics
show the wonderful spirit of enterprise which per-
vaes regions that long considered ,niniabtable
wilderness Is not such spirit worthy of encourage
nent Before the lapse of another year steamers will be
in on Of he ri is