, 1862-05-03
Wasbinoton Statesman.
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY g. 1862.
Railroad to Wallula.


fast becoming center of supply and an
avenue of trade it becomes us to put one
more step forward and facilitate by every
means in our power its progress and devel-
opment, and thereby secure the permanercy
of the advantages which circumstances
have already created. The spirit of rivalry
has already began to show itself Lewis
ton, with the only advantage of perhaps
not more than two and half month di-
rect navigation, and Wallula, with the on
ly advantage of being the direct landing of
steamers with freight and passengers for
the interior, are making efforts to divert
the trade-in the one instance, entirely
from our valley, and in the other to turn
away and force it through the northern
portion ofthe valley, by way of the Touchet.
The people of this valley are very mate
rally interested in the supply of the min
ing community, and with half million OF
dollars invested in this city, with as much
more invested in farming, and a valley pro-
ducing-in the gross value of its crops, as
at present settled-over a quarter of mil
lion of dollars annually. aside from its
stock, it is for us to exert ourselves as in
dividuals and as a community to so facili-
tate the transportation of freight and pas
sengers through the valley as to make per-
manent the advantages which have thus faI
given us the trade of the Nez Perces and
Salmon river counuys.
Experience has proven that of all trans
portation that by water is cheapest; that
by railroad is next; that by wagons next
and that by pack animals is most expensive
The peo pie of this valley have been con-
tent, or rather, compelled, to submit to the
most expensive of these means of getting
supplies brought to them, and have seem
ingly been regardless of the old maxim
tina. 3" a penny saved is two pence earned.
Those engaged in the freighting business
have thought it fine thing to get from $40
up to 800 per ton for carrying goods from
Wallula to this city, and the present spring
is fair example of what we may expec
in the future, unless c make more certain
provision fer the unfailing delivery of goods
and stores for the interior. To-day mel
are deferred from coming here by the
reports of the tolls and charges throughout
the valley for crossing the streams, which
should have been bridged long ago by the
county, and they pass by routes hitherto
unfrequented to avoid expenses which in
crease at every step.
This high rate of tariff does not come out
of the merchant, but out of the pocket o.
the cons inner; and in the course of few
years, should the old way be followed, more
money will be wasted by the community
as mass than would be required to build
q railroad, and the peole left without any
perceptible benefits resulting from their ex-
penditures In the western State, railroads
have always enhanced the price of land
and added more than their cost to the value
of real estate in the regions through which
they pass, and why will not this hold good
here? We have thousands of acres of land
in this valley still untouched and as good
as any row under cultivation. The wants
of the country now demand large and con-
slant supply of grain, a. well as all other
articles of produce. A railroad will bring
us within an hours ride Of the Columbia
and days travel nearer to the'sea- board ;
will make us the center of supply for the
Grande Ronde valley and its tributaries, as
we'll as the Nez Perces and Colville coun-
trys; will deliver the goods needed for
home consumption at ten dollars a ton less
freight, and although it may cost $750,00O
or even a million of dollars to build it,
still it will save that amount of money in
the course of the next ten years. Let us
then consider these things, take advantage
of the signs of the times, put our shoulders
TO the wheel and by united effort secure
the realization of hat will be the first step
towards an overland railroad.
THE MAILs.-The retrenchment' sys-
TEN recently adopted by Government and
applied to our mail facilities seems abont
to be initiated by the mail contractors be-
tween here and the Dalles and the mails
cut off entirely. Whereas we should have
had weekly mail during the PAST three
months, we have had but five in all that
time. There was excuse for this during
the winter; but now that all obstacles in
the way Of travel between here and the
Dalles are removed there seems to us to be
no reason why our mails should not come
and go regularly. The mail cue here this