, 1874-09-03

1
all seasons, winter and summer; a
branch to Walla Walla to be extended to
Northern Idaho, with other branches
from points on the main line to Canyon
City, Silver City and Idaho City. conse~
quent upon the construction Of the main
line, it will confer upon the inhabitants
of the vast region of country east of the
Cascade Mountains serieslof benefits,
the value of which it is scarcely! possi-
BILE to overestimate. Of these it is not
necessary to speak in detail; the people
of that country are too familiar with
extortionate and excessive charges for
transportation; unjust discrimination
and oppressive monopolies, to require
herein any extended notice. They have
before them daily the unoccupied lands.
uncultivated fields, unmarketed crops,
and unworked mines. and general par.
alysis of their industrial pursuits, to re-
mind them of the need of speedy cheap
transportation. The consequences Of
these drawbacks are not confined to the
country east of the Cascade Mountains.
Western Oregon and Washington bear
their full share. To say that they do
not, or that corresponding benefits
would not result to them from the ac-
complishment of this great work, would
betray gross ignorance of the CONNER
cial Intercourse of the two sections. 1t
is not too much to say, that no one sec.
ton of the road is calculated to extend
its benefits further and wider than that
which proposes the opening of the Co.
lumbia river to competition in trans
portation. From Utah to the British
Possessions, and from the Cascades to
the Rocky Mountains, wherever the
habitation of the white man is to be
found. there it will be felt and apprecia-
ted."
All the facts so forcibly stated in the
foregoing, especially regarding the Sec
ton of the road that proposes to open
the Columbia river to competition, ap-
ply with much greater force to the Seat
tie than to the Portland route. The
distance from the point of junction of
the Seattle and Walla Wa1la road with
the P. ID. and S. L. Road, on the upper
Columbia, is no less to Portland than
to Seattle, Portland is an inland town
| 120 miles from the ocean, difficult of
access for large ships at all times and at
times cut off from all communication
with the ocean by ice, and is 200 and
300 miles further from China than Se-
attle, which Is at all times accessible to
vessels of the largest class, and has one
of the safest and best harbors upon the
Pacific coast. Portland has nothing to
exchange with the country east of the
Cascades. Seattle has an abundance of
lumber. and coal, which is the great
want of that country, to supply constant
back freights, and thus greatly reduce
the cost of transportation, as we'll as
furnishing most important element
to the prosperity of the country.
Col. Chapman copies from the New
Xork Tribune the following statistical
facts showing the effects of railroads in
promoting the growth and prosperity of
the country:
"The growth of the West is seen by
the rapid increase of the population of
its cities:
"Chicago, from 4, 900 in 1886 to 4OO.-
900 in 1873.
"St. Louis. from $4,000 in 1886 to
4OO, 900 in 1873.
Cincinnati. from 80, 900 in 1886 to
$50, 900 in 1873.
"Pittsburg, from 16. 900 in 1886 to 300,-
600 in 1873.
In 1865, the construction of railways
beg. n in Kansas. In 1873, there were
$500 miles in operation. The popula-
ton meanwhile had increased from 10,-
600 10 1000. the bulk of whom had
gone there in four years. In Texas,
since 1881. the population has increased
from 100 900 to 1000. 900, there having
been added to it 100. 900 yearly for the
last three years.
"West of the line of the Mississippi,
the same rapid progress has continued
building up first: Missouri, Iowa, and
Minnesota; then the more westward tier
of States-Te1as, Kansas and Nebraska
l-pausing only during the war, to be
recommended with much more startling
activity upon its conclusion.
Here, again, with the extention of
railways westward. one city after anoth-
er arose alCng the banks OF the Missouri
to challenge with one or two exceptions.
their old tier of sisters on the Missis>
sippi. Omaha, Council Bluffs, st. Jcs-
eph, Atchison, Leavenworth, Lawrence
and Kansas City, all within stretch
of less than 200 miles, contain pop
ulation of from 10000 to $4,000 each. E.
Practically. few of these had their birth
earlier than the close of the was in 1865.
kansas City then had 5000; it now
has between 40. 900 and $4,000 inhabit-
ants. s-s9
"The gross earnings of the Union
and Central Pacific roads last year was
S24, 1877. .923; net earnings, $13, ,5O4. .838-
sufficient to pay from 16 to 1S per cent.
upon its cash cost. Nearly the whole
of the enormous transportation repre-
sented by the above figures was simply