, 1868-04-10
RAILROAD MEETING ATWAITsBURe
Address by VIM. H Newell.

(
ton of Hon. E. Ping as Chairman, Mr.. Newell
was introduced, and spoke as follows:
| Friends and Fellop Citizens The people of
the central portions of Walla Walla Valley have
| for sometime past been greatly exercised in re-
gard to the construction of a Railroad that will
place them in direct communication with the
Columbia River, and thence with the great mar
kets Of the world. They have held several meet
ngs at the town of Wala Walla for the purpose
of devising ways and means looking to the
complishment of the object had in view, and al
each Of these meetings the expression was not
only unanimous but highly enthusiastic in favor
of building the Road. These expressions have
come from the farmers, the packers, the team
sters, the mechanics, the merchants the laborers,
aud in fact representatives, of every class and
every branch of industry, all speaking but one
sentiment, and that declaring that we must and
triH hare the Railroad : In view of these demon.
strations and this unanimity of public sentiment,
it has been deemed proper to hold a meeting at
this interesting and prosperous section of the
Valley, and obtain from you, my fellow citizens,
| an expression Of opinion as-to--the feasibility
and practicabilty Of building the Railroad.
| The people of the central portion of the Valley.
| feel that their interests and your interests are
identical, and that an enterprise that ministers
to their prosperity must contribute to your pros
perty and the general progress of all sections of
| the Walla Walla Valley. 1t is in this feeling
that you have been convened here to-day, and it
is for this purpose that am here to address you.
| My fellow citizens, we have in this Valley a
soil unsurpassed for productveness, and we have
climate the most desirable known to man.
As illustrating the productiveness of our soil,
we have only to institute a comparison with the
| great grain growing States of the West-Illuois
Iowa and Wisconsin. There the highest pro,
duction does not exceed twenty, FIVE bushels of
wheat to the acre and the average is from fifteen
to twenty bushels. Coming nearer home to the
famed Willamette, we find that the average pro-
duction of wheat to acre is less than twenty FIVE
bushels. Here in our favored Valley forty bushels
is regarded as light yield, and fifty bushels to
the acre is a fair average. Corn and other des>
crlptions of farm produce, that can scarcely be
raised in the country west of the mountains
here flourish in more than tropical abundance
In fine, my fellow citizens, we have a soil and
climate that offer everything that the heart of
man can desire, and natures gifts are showered
| upon US il an abundance no where else known
To strangers this picture may appear overdrawn,
| but you, my bearers, who know whereof speak
will bear witness that the sketch falls short, far
short, of the reality. Thus favored BY Provi>
dence, and blessed with all that can gladden. the
heart of man, it is strange, passing strange, that
on all sides we bear complaints OF "dull times, -
and instead of growing in population and wealth,
many of those who should be permanent settlers,
| are casting about for other homes. Ny fellow
citizens, why is this Why this spirit of unrest,
| and complaint of business inactlvity2 In com
mon with others, have cast about and sought
to find the cause for this depression in all branches
of industrial pursuits, and the conclusion at
which and others have arrived, is that we are
deficient in the means of portation that
the value of our surplus products is consumed
in reaching market. With wheat selling in
Portland all through the past season at one
dollar per bushel, our own producers have with
difficulty realized As cents, and this in many in
stances iu trade This is the reason that farmers
are discouraged, and disposed to seek other To-
calites where labor is better rewarded. To
remedy this condition of affairs, and to restore
our Valley to her wonted prosperity, we require
a cheap and expeditions means of getting our
produce to market, and for this purpose the
readiest and most available agent yet devised by
the mind of man is the Railroad. With rail
way trRversing our Valley and connecting with
some point on the Columbia River, we should at
once be placed in direct communication with
all the great markets of the world and instead
|, of the industrial classes leaving us, we should
have large influx of the hardy sons of labor,
attracted by our genial climate and prolific soil.
Thus much by way of Introduction, and now
few words as to the
EFFECT OF RAILROADS UPON THE PRICE OF LAND.
The effect a railroad would have upon the
value of land 10 this Valley can best be illus
|
localities that have embarked in railroad enter,
prises. here quote from authorities that cannot
be questioned Commencing with Missouri, we
find that tue construction of the North Missouri
/, Railroad increased the value of the land along
its line ive times its Udiue before the construction
of the road. The county of Audrain is given as
an example, where before the construction OF
the road the assessment roll showed 5000, 900
taxable property in the county, but after its cons
struction, in two years, the assessment roll
showed So 900, 900. The city of Evansville
Indiana, subscribed 5000, 900 to the Evansville
and Charlottesville road, and it not neces'
sary to increase the rate of taxation to pay the
interest on that amount, such was the increase
> of taxable values. The Maine Central Railroad
draws its trade from strip of country eigh
miles wide on each side of the line mot very
good country, as is well known, and its mel
earnings over and above all expenses are S220,
900, on ITO miles of road The Dubuque ant
Sioux City Railroad (Iowa) increased the value
of land along its line two hundred per cent, auf
saves forty per cent. of its income off a loca
population of $1,000. The Cumberland VALLEY
Railroad (Pennsylvania) derives its traffic from
a valley twelve to twenty miles wide and seventy
five miles long, and pays its stockholders eigh
per cent. cash dividends. The Secretary of Stat
of Wisconsin writes that railroads have quadru
pied the value of land in that State, and in NJ
: case has the rate of taxation been increased Il
= meet interest on county or State subscriptions.
COST OF FREIGHT.
railroad engineer of established reputation
estimates the average cost of trans portation b.
railroads at thirteen mills per ton per mile. AM
7. one who will take-the troub,e to figure on il
will iud that it costs three hundred and thirty U
mills per ton per mile to freight produce fror
Wala Walla to the Landing. With this enor
II nous tax upon the productive energies of th
r, Valley, what wonder is it that hear com
;; paints of 'dul times and that property is de
= creasing in value? With wheat at one dollar pc
: bushel in the Portland market. our farmers hav
q with difficulty been able to realize As cents pc
a bushel, and all for the reason that one-half th
value OF the article was consumed in getting
to market. Talk about tax No country ca
stand such a rate of taxation
. WHAT THE RAILROAD WILL SAVE.
's Our last years surplus crop may be estimate
: in round numbers at 200 900 bushels. With
), railroad this production will be doubed-sa
400, 900 bushels. We now pay for freighting t
the Landing $40 per ton-equal to 80 cents pc
- bushel liberal charge by railroad would