, 1868-04-10

would double and treble our present production.
Our supplies of imported merchandise would also
reach us at greatly reduced figures. Certainly
it is within bounds TO say that railroad would
effect yearly saving Of 100000.
INCREASE OF CROPS.
In 1850, Wisconsin had no railroads, and Ills
nois next to none. The wheat crop Of Wisconsin
that year was T. $50 900 bushels Illinois, $780,
900 OF Pennsylvania, l5, 500 900. Pennsylvania
was then the greatest wheat producer OF all the
States by 2,OO0, 900 bushels. But from 1850 to
1850, Wisconsin and Illinois completed their
railroad system, which enabled them cheaply
and readily to bring their grain to market, aud
so 10 the year 1860, we fnd by the census tables
that Wisconsin produced 1881, ,45s bushels OF
wheat; Illinois, 1887, 900 bushels. To sum
up, the FIVE great States of the West, Indiana,
Illinois, Iowa. Michigan, and Wisconsin, under
the impetus given by railroads, increased their
production II 900 900 bushels per annum-or
over three hundred per cent. on their produc-
ton previous to the Inauguration of their rails
road system Reasoning from these figures, it
is fair to infer that with railroad, the produc>
tive resources of our Valley would be stimulated
to their utmost, aud instead of sending abroad
two hundred thousand bushels per annum, we
should freight out of the Valley six hundred
thousand bushels of wheat and oats, corn, barr
ley and the other products of the farm in pro-
portion. With market thus opened, and our
productive energies stimulated, our population
would double aud treble, and instead Of FIVE
thousand souls, we should have not less than
twenty-five thousand people within the limits of
our Valley. To-day it is fair to say that not
one-third of the arrable land 10 the Valley is
taken up and of the one third "claimed," 7" less
than half has been brought under cultivation.
With a railroad traversing our Valley, all this
would be reversed and instead of thousands of
acres of the best land in the world being left a
barren waste, every foot of srrable land would
be taken up, and the nilsides and vallies that
are now left to desolation, would be made to
blossom like the rose. The picture is not over
drawn. am not here to indulge in hyperbole,
but to address myself to your understanding,
and having seen the results in other localities,
we are warranted in inferrug that all this and
even a still greater degree of prosperity, would
follow the Inauguration of a railroad system in
this Valley. Wherever railroads have been built
they have been the harhiugers of wealth and
prosperity, and it is not at all likely that tSis
Valley will be exception to the experience of
all other communities.
WHAT THE ROAD WILL COST.
Anticipating a question of this kind, aud to
the end that you NAV act understandingly in
all that relates to the Railroad, | have procured
from John W. Brazee, an experienced engineer,
and a gentleman who has long been in the ems
ploy of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company,
an estimate of the cost of the proposed Rallroad.
quote from his igures, and here may premise
thst bis estimate is designed for a frst.class
road, using T rails, and furnished with the best
engines, cars, &c. He estimates that the iron
and rolling stock for the road will cost from
seven to eight thousand dollars per mile. The
ties 220O to the mile, about 10, 900 in all, with
timber for the bridges, will cost about S50,00O.
The entire cost for the road, equipped and in
running order, $500, 900. This is the estimate of
a competent engineer, whose figures may be re-
lied upon strictly correct.
Others of our own citizens have thought that
cheaper road would answer every purpose, and
in order 10 meet the views of this class have
With the assistance of DR.. D. S. Baker, prepared
estimates for what is known as
PLAT IRON ROAD.