The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-08-11

uIation as large as the whole present poPuia-
ton Of the United States. Besides thiss there
! is the great BED river country IN BRUSH
america. of which we have recently been
hearing such exciting stories But this polt-
zeal interest is a small part of that which at
raches to ti,is region Here is a country lying
contiguous to our own, the natural outlet OF
which is through it. comprising hve hundred
thousand square miles Of hsb!table territory ,
With a climate not more severe than the Il olth-
ern half of New England and New orh;
Astounding in streams and lakes, AMI certain
to become i populous region at no distant
day. There are already fifteen thousand IN
habitants. There are, it is estimated, more
than eleven millions of acres Of arabic land OF
the first quality, with still larger area OF
lands adapted to grazing. Large lakes and
water courses facilitate the communication be-
tween all parts Of this great, rich region, AID
with the other advantages, indicate future
population Of many millions. Whether TINS
important territory is destined to become an
integral portion Of our own Union Il uncer-
tain, though this is by no me: rs unlikely; but
its important commercial relation TO US Is In
no respect probematical. Already the vail
road from St. Paul is rapidly creeping up IN
that direction; and, sooner than most can now
estimate, we shall be in familiar intercourse
by rail car and steamboat with these remote
settlers.
The materials for the construction Of the
road are supplied for the most part by the
country in the immediate vicinity. Even iron
might be furnished from the abundant and
rich ores near some portions OF the route, and
the abundance of fuel; but this, l believe,
does not enter into the calculations Of cost.
Rocks adapted to the purpose ara found along
most of the line, and in sufficient quantity.
Wood and timber Of the best quality and in
1T IL hn lin Of
the route, from Lake Superior to the Red
river, and from the eastern base Of the Rocky
Mountains to the terminus of the road. Be-
tween Red river and the mountains, through
there is a certain amount OF available tim or,
probably large proportion of what is used
will have to be transported considerable dis
lance.
Another interesting and important fact con-
nected with both the building and running o.
The road. is found in the lines of water COM
municationin nearly parallel direction with
the general line of the railway.
1t is not known by everybody, though per-
haps most people have been tod of it several
times, that, for ali purposes Of navigation,
Puget Sound is nearer the great Asiatic marts
than is San Francisco. Even if the vessels
going out from the Golden Gate took their
course direct for Hong Kong or Shanghai,
they would, by reason of the longer degrees of
latitude farther south, scarcely have less sail
ing than by bending round more to the north.
But, in point of fact, the prevailing winds and
ocean currents Of the Pacific such that
vessels from Asia find their most eligible
route bringing them within fifty mil es of the
entTanceto Puget Sound; thus making by the
Northern Pacific, when compile ed, a saving of
ne rly a thousand miles of ocean nayi Cation.
This added to the diminution Of distance
overland, alluded to, G ives us route from our
E stern cities to the coast of Asia shore
tn IN any other by about fifteen hundred miles.
When this road shall be in successful opera
ton, the time required to reach the Pacific
coast by means of it from New York city will
not exceed about four days, allowing an av-
erage rate of movement of thirty miles an
hour Thence to Shanghai, in China, the
voyage will occupy eighteen to nineteen days,
at the mean rate Of twelve miles an hour:
making twenty-five to twenty-three days in all
from New Gork-a less time than is now
cppied in making the voyage by the way of tle
Isthmus to San Francisco.
The journey from London or Paris, allowing
the same rate of travel, will be accomplished
in little more than month, and will be still
further reduced when continuous line of rail-
WA = is completed 10 Halifax or the Gut of Can
40 Che might go from London to Shanghai
h. his route in less than half he time it
wonld rc,,uirr to reach the same point by way
of A1,xondr , al. i the Red Sea, and in scarce
" 81 much as two birds the time required tc
90 bv tho latter ro,,te rom England to Calcut
Ia. Il has bee for years growing more ana
more evident that thu ough Ainerica l i, INC
direct and expedi ious palh bt'"een nu'op1
and Asia. The Importance Of our con'ihehtai
railroad lines to the commerce OF ne "orio
thus becomes conspicuous An English %r,se.
says, 1t is believed that the amount 81 dli10'
Z
tralia, China. and Japan, and England, by
railway from Halifax to the Gulf Of Geo. gIa>
would soon more than cover the interest Oh
the capital expended -. Vancouver's Island
is nearer to Sydney than is Panama. by
1, inc hundred miles; and with the exception
of The proposed route by trans-American rail
way the latter is the most expeditions that
has been found. .---.-.
time to New Zealand would be reduced to
forty-two, and to Sydney to forty-seven days;
being at least ten less than by steam from
England via Panama"
A large proportion of the good. received
by England from China are OF comparatively
small bulk and costly quality. Their value IS
greatly enhanced by quick tr importation.
For instar ee. we learn that the London mer-
chants will pay sixty dollars ton for tea 10y
steamer eighty days from Foochow, rather
than wait hundred anu twenty tdy ~ 'ii'
sailing vessels with fret ghts at twenty dollars
When the eighty days are reduced to forty by
direct communication through America, we
may expect a correspondent increase III lle
amount and value of the trade. or our own
land the advantage must be vastly greater
1t will be seen that Mr.. Steele only follows
the Northern P acifc r. r. east to Lake Su-
perior, but it would be preposterous to sup
pose that the parties who are building this
road intend Duluth to be the eastern ter
minus. Now, in order to get to the Atlantic
sea-bosrl, they will be obliged to choose one
Of three routes, viz: list, along the northern
shore of Lake Superior, throug, the Canadas;
I'd, the Land Grant road to New London, APP
pleton and Manitowoc, crossing the lake and
over the Flint and Pere Marquette road, ard
thence 10 New York via the New York Central
or the Grand Trunk Railroads; Sd, by the way
of St. Paul and Chicago. Now let us consider
the advantages Of the route via Manitowoc,
over all others. First, the route from Duluth
to New York, via Aanitowoc, is four hundred
miles less (equal sixteen hours time than that
by the way Of st. Paul and Chicago. Second,