, 1868-04-10

The whole Indebtedness having been met from
the earnings Of the railroads. Iudeed, the whole
history Of railroads show them TO be selfsustain-
ing institutions, aud that instead Of having been
burdens upon their projectors, they have uni>
formly been sources Of immense profit. Taking,
however, the worst possible view-and am one
OF those who think II best not TO underrate diff
culties--and assuming that the county will be
called upon to meet the interest on these $780,
900 bouds, and still there is nothing to alarm
the closest hnancier. Let us see: On an assess
ment OF near two millions OF dollars, we now
collect In the shape Of taxes over 81, 900 per
sonum The building Of the railroad would at
| least double our present assessment, and give us
a tax roll Of four millions of dollars. On this
amount at the present rate Of taxation, We will
realize arevenue of $s4, 900. The interest, say
on three hundred thousand dollars Of county
boads, At ten per cent, would foot up $50, 900,
leaving $54 900 for county and territorial expen-
diture, and this too, without adding single mill
to the present rate Of taxation. In this eounec-
tion, allow me to call your attention to the in-
debtedness Of some Of the leading counties Of
California; Taking them 10 alphabetical order,
] find that Caaveras county, with an assessment
roll OF 81 800, 900, has an Indebtedness Of $780,
900. 81 Dorado, assessed at s., 900, 900, owes
S262, 900. Los Angeles, 50, 500, 900. owes Sl77,-
900. Napa, s., 300, 900, an Indebtedness of SlT5-
900. Placer, $4,000, 900, owes $253, 900. San
Joaquin, $5,275, 900, owes $434,000. SolAno,
| potVobsOUOt owes plS4,VOO. IuOiumnet bl ,5ZU,-
000i hAs an Indebtedness Of $5l5, ,292. Tbislast
county, it will be noticed, has assessment roll
of $7OO,O0O less than Wala WallA county, aud
yet carries an Indebtedness of over half million
of dollars, and on this debt pays interest at the
rate of ten per cent per annum. l need not tell
those who are acquainted with Tuolumne county,
that in all the elements of wealth, Walla Walla
Valley is greatly in advance Of her, and in fact
in advance of any of the counties named, and
yet these counties carry the Indebtedness for
which have given the figures, and at the same
time are comparatively prosperous. have been
careful in compiling these facts and figures to
the end that you, the honest yeomanry of the
land-the men who pay the taxes-may under.
stand that there is nothing alarming in the propo
siton to guarantee the interest on 5000, 900 in
bonds. If the railroad is success-and who
doubts its success-it will pay the interest and
principal too, and leave you only to share in the
general prosperity. Without dollar drawn
from your pockets, you will find your farms
| doubled and trebe6 in value, and you will have
at your doors a cash market for the produce Of
your teeming soil. Never yet had any people an
opportunity to secure such great advantages at
such slight sacrifice, and you will belle your in
telligeuce, belle the race from which you spring,
if you fail to take hold of this enterprise and by
your counteuance and approval, hasten its com.
plelion.
| THE NORTH PACIFIC RAILROAD.
that Congress would extend such aid to the North
Pacific Railroad Company as would enable the
projectors of that euterprseto proceed with their
undertaking. still am of the opinion that the
| North Pacific Railroad will eventually be built,
but in the present condition of the national fnsu
ces, and the distracted state of the country, the
prospect of obtaining aid from the Government is
remote. Another obstacle in the way of obtain
| ing government assistance, is the fact that the
Central Pacific Railroad Company is exertng all
the influence that great corporation can com
mand against the proposed grant. letter re-
ceived by the last mail from Washington, informs
| me that the representatives, of the Central Road
are laboring with might and main against the
North Pacific Company, and that backed by inn
mense capital and all the appliances which can
be brought to bear, it is highly probable that
they win defeat any action By the present Con,
gress.
| A BRANCH ROAD.
One of the arguments they use is that Branch
Road, intersecting the Central Road somewhere
near Salt Lake, and connecting with the Colum-
bia river, and subsequently with Puget Sound,
can be constructed AZ comparatively trilIDg ex
pense and for all the business purposes of the
country will answer quite as well as the North
Pacific Road. This argument is having effect
and not unlikely will lead to the postponement
of an enterprise from which we of the North Pa.
ci6c have hoped so much. As early as last sums
mer engineers were in the field surveying a
route for the proposed Branch Road, and know
ing the energy and resources of the men who
control the Union Pacific Railroad Company, we
can feel assured that when once they have deter
mined to build the Branch Road, its completion
is ouly question of time. The men who have
scaled the heights of the Sierra Nevada moun>
| tains, and blasted their way through the very
bowels of that great natural barrier, will regard
the building of railroad over the plains that
stretch out from Salt Lake to the Columbia river
as mere pastme. As going to show tnat the
| building of the Branch Road has been determin>
ed upon will read you an extract from the re-
port of G. N. Dodge, Chief Engineer of the Union
Pacific Railroad. He says:
"Tbe fact being determined beyond doubt,
that there is not only feasible but remarkably
favorable route from L. P. R. R. to Idaho Mon>
tana, and Portland, the questions arise What
are its advantages over all others? What the
inducements to build it? And in what time can
it be buit2
lst. Its advantages. By commencing to build
in the spring of 1869, the fall of 1870 would
give Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
Territories, direct through railroad communi>
cation with all points east whereas, by the
route they have been looking to for railroad
communication-the Northern Pacifc-they will
have to wait years, and until 700 miles are
built, while we would only have 300 miles to
build.
I'd. 1t strikes the Pacific ocean at Portland,
also at Puget's Sound. This inland sea includes
the whole body of water flowing into the Pacific
at the Straits of San Juan de Fuca, and sur
, passes the Mediterranean in the safety of its
navigation and the security and anchorage of its
harbors. For all the China, Japan, and India
, trade, coming down the Pacific coast, it would
save the water transportation for the entire
length of coast line from the Straits Of San Juan
de Fuca to San Francisco, as all ships coming
from China, India, &c, make our coast near the
mouth of these Straits.
Sd. We open up communication With all that
} vast country enclosed by the Rocky Noun.
tains oI the east and north, by the Cascades on
, the west, aud by the rim of the Great Basin on
the south, which abounds in fine streams, valleys,
timber, and all the precious metals of the world.
| am inclined to believe that Eastern Oregon, as
this road is built, will exceed in its pros
{ ducts, Western Oregon and when you furnish
{ the means and inducements that this road will
give, and hold out to settlers the advantages of
! the country | have described, no one now