Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-02-22

parallel, large enough fOr forty states OF the
size of Ohio, or 200 of the size of Massachu-
sets, giving to that vast territory a climate
like that of the Middle and Northern States.
On the Pacific slope are countless manu-
featuring sites, water power SURPRISING that
of New England, fertile vallsey, rich pasture
lands, and all reposing under climate which,
during these mid-winter days, is like that OF
South Carolina He exhibited flty-three
varieties of flowers that were cut by Mr..
Meeker, a gentleman residing on Puget
Sound, in latitude 400 miles north of Boston
cut on the 4th of December. On Puget
Sound were the incest harbors in the world,
with exhaustless beds of coal cropping out
along the shores, and the waters SO deep that
Pacific mail steamer might lie with her
bowsprit among the pines, and take in her
coal for a trip to Yokohama or Hong Kong
The steamers now plying beteen San Francis
co and Hong Kong receive their coal from
Puget Sound Upon that northern gateway
Of the continent a great metropolis must
soon arise. The Northern Pacific Railway
was now under construction between the
Sound and the Columbia river, and the work
would 60 steadily on till, in the year 1876,
the one hundredth anniversary of the ma
ton S birth, the great highway, not only of
the nation, but Of all the nations would be
completed-of all the nations, because along
the great water ways Of the St. Lawrence
and the Columbia, nature bad made the
shortest and most feasible line of cOmmunI-
cation between Europe and Asia.
We cannot well conclude this already some
what prolonged article, without quoting what
is said concerning the relation of New Eng
land to that region, and Boston being the
metropoIis-the headquarters Of trade and
commerce, is of course, used as the initial
point.
{" Already We have railroad completed
to the St. Lawrence with no grade exceeding
fifty feet to the mile. Another railroad il
now under construction-the Canada Cen
| tral-up the Ottawa valley; to be extended
to the St. Mary. the outlet Of Lake Superb
or, there to connect with the Northern Mich
/ igan, to be completed through the iron anc
copper regions, and to connect with the
Northern Pacific at Duluth This line
probably will be completed by the time the
Northern Pacific is finished, and then will
there will be an unbroken: line Of railway
from Boston to Puget Sound, with no grade
exceeding fifty feet to the mile. When this
Canadian line is completed Boston, by rail,
viii be nearly one hundred miles nearer the
/ Red river valley than New York. She vii
be nearer than New York to Montana, Ore
gOn and Washington, nearer to the great me
tropolis soon TO arise on that NOrthwes
coast, nearer to Yokohama, Shanghae anC
Hong Kong. The distance from Boston t,
Puget Sound will be little more than 2oOl
miles. An express train making twenty
eight miles an hour, including stoppIngs
will make the transit Of the continent IN ont
hundred hours or four days. The distance
from Puget Sound TO Yokohama Is 429-
miles, trip to be performed easily ia seven
teen or at most eighteen days, or twenty-ont
DAYS from Boston to the tea districts of tina
region. When this trans-continental line il
completed. Boston will be 1924 miles distan
from Yokohama via Puget Sound. agains
1899 miles via Gan Francisco. a difference o
1906 miles When we extend the route .
England, we find a saving of more than IUOt
miles between Liverpool and Yokohama, II
favor Of the Northern route. .
CHANGE IN THE COURSE OF TRADE.
= Whoever examines the subject IN all It
relations must come to the conclusion tina
we are on the eve Of great change in com
mercial affairs Heretofore Boston has held
a high position in the China trade but Vi
shall not much longer see vessels loaded will
tea entering our harbor IS Forty car load
of tea started to-day for the East so roa,
a telegram the other day from San Francisco
Already Chicago is receiving large portion
Of her teas from the West. May we no
conclude that when the highway Is opcne,
> across the continent that Portland. Boston
New York, Philadelphia, Montreal an,
Quebec will receive their teas from the sam
: direction
How shall we maintain our position II
the future Our agricultural population j
thinning out. 1t seems to be our destiny L
live by manufacturing, and if We are to lily
at all 1t must be BY opening the cheaIes
[ uos<Ib1p lines Of communications with til
rest Of the world England has made her
, self the banking house Of the world by open
ing lines Of communication with every
country on the face Of the globe. She sub
? sidizes her lines Of steamships everywhere
/ Boston has it in her power to become tn
Odessa Of America, the great shipping por
for grain. She can, if she Will, become tn
Liverpool Of America as we'll. She mus
: have double track railway 70 the St. Law
j renee and a freight railway perhaps, so tina
. there shall be no hindrance 70 the runnin
Of freight trains. She lies nearer the world
great highway than New York She ca
e extend her power and her influence, not onl
over all the vast region Of the NOrthwes
but to the Pacific slope Nature has markc
! out the shortest and most feasible lines, ha
grooved the water way and broken down III
J mountains along this northern line.
The magnitude and Importance Of til
! Northern Pacific Railroad is made mo.
z prominently apparent 10 connection wit
the undeveloped resources o. the vast regio
D it is to traverse, and who can doubt the wi
0 dom Of the government in lending its aid t
5 well defined and properly guarded scheme
: for extending the borders Of civilization, an
= adding wealth and strength to its domain.