Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-01-16
The Union Pacific Railroad,


Our attention has been drawn to speech
Of Col. J. d. lludnut, the engineer of the
Union Pacific Railroad, before the Idaho
Legislature, Dec. Goth, and published in
the Boise Statesman. Space will not ad-
nit of its publication entire, but we cx-
tract such portions as are Of most interest
to our readers:
For the trade of the Fast, commercial
ambition has struggled in every age. The
ruling power. of Europe always held this
golden key to the political supremacy Of
the world Greece aud Rome shared
largely in this trade, and it constituted no
small portion of their national grandeur
1t built up the cities Of Italy, Florence,
Genoa, Padua, Pisa, Milan and Venice
After these maratime cities, it enriched
the Spanish and Portuguese nations, until
from these the enterprises aud gallantry Of
the little Dutch Republic carried away tho
palm Of pre-eminence, 80 graphically
skctchcd by the pen of our histori-
an, Mr.. Motley. These in their turn
yielded to England. With the trade Of
the East and the West conferred in the
British Isles, her merchants have become
princes and her trafiicers the honorable in
the land.
Is it possible to divert this trade from
its old long and tedious channel by ocean!
and can It be made to pour it's golden
streamer Of wealth through the channel
which our national muni6cence is about
to open?
Let us look for moment at the map and
we will suppose the Central and Union
Pacific railways have formed their junction
near the north end of Salt Lake. need
not weary you with an extended descrip-
ton Of a country so we'll known to you all.
Suffice it to say that but one mountain bar
ricr crosses our pathway clear to Portland
or Puget Sound. Providence has so ar
ranged that the magnificent Columbia has
cut its way through the snowy Cascade
range and opened an easy route without
grades or deep SHOWS to the Pacific ocean.
BY this route tho heavy grades Of the
Sierra Nevadas are entirely avoided as well as
the most fearful depths ofsnows-both great
items in the successful operations Of rail-
ways.
The distance to Portland, at least, is not
materially increased, if at all. And in
building to the Sound, we are meeting the
great important trade Of China and India.
The ocean currents and the winds are so
ordered that, in the language of sea.faring
men, "the farthcst way round is the sur
est way home" And hence vessels from
China and Japan take northcrly course
and make our coast near the Straits Of San
Juan de Fuca-the entrance Of Puget
Sound. Now could vessel run down the
safe and commodious harbor Of Puget
Sound. ship her cargo by rail to Chicago,
New York and Boston, and by telegraph
receive returns of sale and the amount
placed to her credit in some banking house
on Puget Sound-all this accomplished in
less than she could have made the trip
along the coast from the Straits Of San
Juan de Fuca 10 San Francisco, you SEQ,
gentlemen, a great object is gained; for
you know that time, in the language Of the
lawyer, has become "the essence" of all
commercial transactions.
Nor should the important way Of freight
and traffic be overlooked. l venture 70
predict that should the construction Of this
branch be made fixed fact, that before
the cara could reach this region, tho I'M
pulse given will have created way bust
ness that would handsomely pay for the
running expenses Of tho trains, and that
this business would harmoniously increase
year by year.
In view Of this fact, am confident that
the Union Pacific Railroad will construct
this branch even though they should fail
in getting grant subsidy, which they arc
asking for. But Thrust take moro time. Of
course. With this Government assistance
I could confidently invite you, gentlemen,
two years from the approaching New Years
day, to an excursion over the railway from
Monument Point to Puget Sound.
Men have expressed to me some fears
lest the Central Pacific Railnad Of Califor-
mia should build on eastward and form .
close connection with the Smoky Hill road
from Kansas, a a sort Of revenge, perhaps,
for the construction Of this branch of the
Union Pacific to Oregon. I answer, can.
didly, that hope 90. and further, that
the great Northern Pacific railroad will
also be built-as II will be 80 soon ~ need.
ed. Il will be no detriment TO the COM
mercial world to have two, and even three,
competing lines from ocean TO ocean. !,
If capitalists are willing TO risk their
money in such investments, Ihave no fears
but that they will pay. Aud If the antic.
ipations Of far seeing mon arc only half re-
slised, the trade Of India and tho East will
alone task the business capacity Of at least
two roads in less than Eve years after one
channel il fairly opened. - t'a
@We are pleased 10 learn that the
Messrs. Prosch, have received tie usual
appointment designating the zsSbxse as
the. Official paper for the ensuing year.
The shnvs ehnut thu .uoovut - - A.>~~~