, 1859-01-12

AAuea nG4V oPtAc0 w eAE tINuE VI l4t AA@'
event marked new era in Western develop.
| ment. Ncvcr in the worlds history has such
progress been made in 20 Ehorta period and
indeed centuries have passed away without
60 much to render them noteworthy.
Recently another great liue, the Pittsburgh,
Fort Wayne and Chicago railway, has been
opened. Philadclphia and Baltimore are thus
brought in cloae and direct communication
with our city and the Northwest, and no man
can e1timate the influence which this great
thoroughfarc IS destined to exert On Western
progress. Every new competing line to the
scaboard cheaper. the transit Of goods and
produce East and West, aud what is better en-
cou1a.cs the people along the route to
visit our rich, fertile prairies, where thous-
ands Of them end pleasant, prosperous homes.
The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne aud Chicago Road
will also compete for the trade and travel to
New York and New England, and it is evea
claimed that the route is shorter to New York
than by the Michigan Southern and Central
GIcs- The influence Of these three great
thorouglfares upon Western development
will 60 On in rapidly increasing ratio for
an indefinite period after.
Within tie year 1859, thu West i. 10 have
another magnificent line OF railway opened
to travel aud traffic. We aliude to the Grand
Trunk Railway Of Canada. Few, if, irdecl,
any Of our readers appreciate the magnitude
Of this work, or the influence it i. cure to
have upon Western progress. The tubular
iron bridge At Montreal, spanning the St.
Lawrence, and costing $4,000, 900, is to be
completed daring the present year. Il is, in.
deed, worthy to be regarded as one of the
wonders Of the world The road will be com.
pletel 10 Sarnia, and extended down the
west bank Of the Detroit river during tho
year, forming With the Michigan Central one
continuous line from Chicago to Portland,
very nearly twelve hundred miles long. The
influence which will b. brought to bear, both
in Canada and in Europe to give this line the
traffic and travel Of tie West, will he of the
most formidable Eud powerful character,
The leading capitalists and bankers in Eng
land are either directly or Indirectly con-
ncctsd with The Grand Trunk Railway, and
they will use all their influence there and
upon the continent to control the freight and
passenger traffic between Europe aud the
Mississippi Valley fur this line. 4 weekly
and perhaps q lvi-wecl1y line Of Steamers
will run in connection with tits read in the
summer to Quebec, and in tic winter to Port
land. From Quebec to Liverpool there are
but Eve days at most stea1ning on the Allan
t!c-a consideration which alone will BE- sure
to influence large portion Of the travel be-
tween tho Vest and Europe, Tie time be-
tween Chicago aud Liverpool will he frcm
tno to five days shorter than it will be posi-
bic to make it by New York. Such arrange
mcnt. will be made III will inevitably control
i majority Of the Western emierant pas.en-
ger travel for this route, and equally effective
efforts will be made to direct light freishts
by this line. Strange as it may seem Chca-
60 merchants will be able to transmit their
orders to Qacd-c on t;c morning tue eastern
steamer sails, and have their invoices direct
from Liverpool OF their shelves ready for
their customers here il the heart Of The
American Continent in from twenty to tvcu-
ty-four days from the time the order was
given. Such statement seems wild dream
of vagrant fancy. Gt only for tue most cz.
trayagant page Of the Arabian Nights but
the reality will probably b. ia fixed fact y
within single year from this present witt
ing.
Speculation upon the effect which tle OPEN
ing Of the Grand Trunk Railway, backed Us
it is by the mast powerful political influence
in Europe, and hundred. Of millions Of
money, is to have upon Western production
and progress, would be out Of place when :tc
line is 50 soon to be completed. lyc can uf.
ford to "walt and sca." OF TIC work itself
Waller Slanly, Esq., General Manscr, iu his
latc report, Gays:
"It has passed through its worst days. Tho
works that nrc 10 give vitality to the traffic are
now in such condition Of rapid progress as 10
warrant our looking forward with some degree
Of confidence to their completion next year, the
proprietors alone to determine. The success of
the Grand Trunk Railway, as commercial eu-
terprise, is chiefly dependent upon it's continul-
ty, as connecting link between the Atlantic
coast nnd the fur West. Until, therefore. the
Victoria Bridge shall have been completed and
brought irto use, ana our e1tenslon to Detroit
perfected, it may be truly said that tie ability
Of this greAt enterprise TO produce tho results
that hnvo been promised. have neyer vet been
put to the test. Notwithstanding the feeling
which / confidently entertain Of the SUCCESS of
the enterprise, e great results must not, how
Of the finishing OF the line. All great uader-
takings require time tor their development, and
in cur case it should be remembered thai not
only hare We many competing and old estab-
lished channels Of trade to contend against. but
that all Of these. however rival 10 one another,
are linked 10 one common cause against US, by
having for their Atlantic terminus one OF the
ereatest commercial cities in the world. Tbs
growth oi Our trAt!lc may not at first be such as
to satisfy the expectation Of those At distance
but it will. Notwithstanding be certain and
healthy growth, sure TO adrance in rapid pro-
grcsslon, when once the stream OF commerce
has found its may into the direct and uniater.
rupted chnnne} that is prepari'. for it."
1t is worth while to remark that the Granl
Trunk is but the eastern division Of the
Great Pscitlc railway. through til: British
possessions. It is now az well known at the
Court Of Victoria that the valleys Of the As.
sinIboin and the Saskatchewan are su.ceptib',.
Of susta lining IN immense population Us it is
here. The British Possessions west Of the
Rocky Mountains arc also valuable for settle.
ment. But tue great Object Of English capital
ISIS and statesmen is to sec:re the trade OF Asia
for their grca: American continental railway,
Let our pretended statesmen at Washington
who are playing the toady to the slare-driv-
ing oligaTchy mud spending their energies iu
talk, he informed that our English cousins
nre stretching their iron arms across the coa-
tincnt, to grasp the trade Of the world Can
not any motive arouse them from their stu
pidity, to give US either The Central route,
OF, it scct1onnlirrn and letnAs so6uc- must rule
in this great enterprise, let them give Us both
Northern and Southern road. Let the
voice Of the people reach them in thunder
tones-let them for once act on common
sense principles. and give US the Pacific Rail.
way in some form. Anything il better than
stolid Indifference and brazen stupidity.
For the Lambs OF the Flock.
In Mr.. Douglas Philadelphia oration, as
reported by the Press Of that city, we find the
following curious paragraph:
"1n Illinois. had the Democratic or9su}ra.
tion With me in every county and in The St.ta.
aud in Illinois the enemies Of popular SOVEREIGN,
~ bolted the regular nominations. and At,emnt.
ed TO destroy the organization of the Democratic