Owyhee semi-weekly tidal wave. [volume] (Silver City, Owyhee County, Idaho Territory) 1868-1869, 1869-01-01
Branch Railroad.

dress OF C0i. Huunutl, OF t1e U. Z. K X
| survey, delivered before the Idaho Legisla-
ture on the 26th of December, as published
| in the Statesman:
The object aimed at by Eastern capitalists
| in the construction OF the u r. Railroad and
| IFS branches have been three fold. Ist To
| extend the hand of national protection and
| fraternal love across the barren waste Of
| mountain and desert to the young and vigor-
GUS nation that had sprung into existence on
our Western Coast
Nor has this willingness TO be bonded to-
| gether in the brotherhood of great nation
been alone confined TO the East In the hour
or the nations peril the generous and hearty
support OF the Western slope was not asked
| for in vain. | remember well the thrill OF
| Joy which ran through the whole Eastern
States when the telegraph announced that
| California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and
| Idaho had decided to keep step to the music
| of our national airs, and the blood and the
treasure of the giant West was poured out
| like water in defence OF the starry flag.
| (Applausel
In view of this, then, it was no unmean-
| ing return for the faithful devotion of this
| young empire that the people of the east cor
| daily united with the government IN the
munificent donation which has secured to
you the early completion OF the Central and
| Union Pacific railways.
/ say advisedly that this gigantic enter
prise-the most wonderful and, nay add,
| the most successful ever undertaken by any
nation or by any age in the worlds history
had its first inception in the desire to tic To-
gether with bands Of iron the great East and
the growing West into one harmonious and
national unity.
49, t.. o,,f,
biiion has struggled in every age. The
ruling power of Europe always held this
golden key to the political supremacy OF the
world. Greece and Rome shared largely in
this trade, and it constituted no small por
tion OF their national grandeur 1t built up
the cities of Italy, Florence, Genoa, Padua,
Pisa, Milan and Venice. After these mara
time cities, it enriched the Spanish and Por-
| ruguese nations, until from these the enter
prises and gallantry Of the little Dutch Re
public carried away the palm of preeminence
so graphically sketched by the pen OF our
historian, Mr.. Motley. These in turn yielded
TO England.
Is it possible to divert this trade from its
old, long and tedious channel by ocean, and
can 1t be made TO pour its golden stream Of
wealth through the channel which our ma
tional munitcence is about 10 openY
Let US look for a moment at the map and
we will suppose that the Central and Union
Pacific railways have formed their junction
near the north end of Salt Lake. Locking
from this point to the northwest is wide
valley at whose head is very low pass
across the Raft River range Of mountains,
and light grades will carry us over this and
down on the western slope to Raft River.
Rounding the northern psint OF the Goose
Creek Mountains, we find ourselves on the
81. t.tx bot
reaches from the mouth Of Goose Creek To
Odds Ferry.
But one mountain barrier crosses our path
way clear to Portland and Puget Sound.
Providence has so arranged that the magnifi-
cent 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 the heavy
grades of the Sierra Nevadas are entirely
avoided, as well as the most fearful
depth of snows-both great items in the
successful operation of railways. Leaving
the question of snow out of consideration, it
NAV not be known TO you, gentlemen, that
the engines OF the U. p. K. K. can haul from
Salt Lake Basin to Omaha three full laden
freight trains which the Central road can de-
liver to us. So much for the question of
grade
Again The distance TO Portland, at least,
lis not materially increased, if at all. And in
building to the Sound we are meeting the
great important trade of India and China
The ocean currents and the winds are so or
dered that, in the language of the sea -faring
men, the iarihest round is the surest way
home.n And hence vessels from China and
Japan take a northerly course and make our
| Coast near the Straits of San Juan de Fuca-
the entrance of Puget Sound Now could a
40
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 time than she could have made the
| trip along the coast from the Straits oil san
| Juan de Fuca to San Francisco. Yon see,
| gentlemen, a great object is gained, for you
know that time in the language Of the law
YER has become 1.-the essence " of all mod
ern commercial transactions
| Nor should the important way OF freight
and traffic be overlooked. venture TO pre-
| dict that should the construction of this
branch be made fixed fact, that before the
| cars could reach this region. that the impulse
given will have created way business that
| would handsomely pay for the running ex-
penses OF the trains, and that this bust
| ness would enormously increase year by
year.
In view Of this fact, am confident that
| the Z. p. K K will construct this branch
even though they should fail in getting a
grant subsidy, which they are asking foe
| But it must take more time, OF course. =
| With this Government assistance, could
confidently invite you, genIlemen-two years
| from the approaching New Years day-to an
excursion over the railway from Monument
| Point 10 Puget Sound.
congratulate you, therefore, upon being
| located, not upon the branch leading to the
| Pacific Coast al some out Of the way harbors
| but you viii be astonished TO find the com
| merce Of both the old and new continents
-holFnzx.,a o..st