The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1878-03-16

On by him as u command. There were
local interests be would like to be served
aud he was anxious for them to be aid
ed, but the great and paramount interest
was the extension OF the time for the
Northern Pacific. These were the great
considerations, irst the extension Of
time for the road, that over.rides all
cher matters; then their consent to put
! it on the south side OF the river as de-
sired, aud to sell their lands at s. 80
per acre. The company is as much in
tcrested in the sale Of tho government
lands as the government itself. lie
then detailed the advantages to the gov.
eminent by disposinc of the lands as
provided for in the bill. He then al
luded to the great prostratlon OF Indus
try all over the country, and maintained
that by fostering spirit that encourages
the building OF this road you give en-
ployment to hundre Is and thousands,
and make them prosperous. 1t will be
a day of disaster to this and any nation
when property and capital cannot he
employed III developing It's material in
terests. No matter if, as las been al
legged, one corporation had robbed the
government, the material interests of
the people had been served by filing up
the waste places with a hardy, indus
trious, thrifty aud energetic class who
are the pioneers and frontiersmen Of the
great northwest. We want an indie
pendent, competing line Of railroad, such
as the Northern Pacific would be, and
we want no power to cut off that indie
pendent line. He then detailed the
monopoly Of the Union and Central Pa
cihc. The people Of Oregon had to pay
full freight first to San Francisco, and
the freishts up the coast some 700 miles
| He contended the distance from the cas-.
would be shortened some 800 miles, and
that the elevations on the Northern Pa
eli were three thousand feet less that
the Union Pacific. We want, he said,
to be unclaimed from our natural enc
mics, the Central Pacific. The obstacles
at the Cascades had been magnifed; but
that was done in the interest of the one
company that owns al the Pacific rail
roads. He told the committee that they
could now close up the gap by putting
the Northern Pacific on its feet.
He then read from paper to show
the inequalities in marine insurance, as
vessels bound TO Portland had to pay an
additional premium over San Francisco
insurance. He showed from statistics
the facilities Of the Columbia river for
shipping over the New York harbor
from its numerous natural advantages.
no expensive improvements 20 the bar
having been made at the cost of the
government. He referred to the exports
OF produce, salmon, &c., which amount
ed TO several millions annually, and ia
connection with this urged on the CON-
mlttee to give the grant Of land by e1
tending the time. All local roads dwarf
into insignifcance as compared with the
Northern Pacific When this road is
completed goods can be shipped to Asia
and the East Indies by route 500 mics
shorter than that now traversed via San
Francisco. Besides the distance ACROSS
the continent by the Northern Pacific
was much less than by the Union aud
Central Pacific. He then referred to
the many natural productions of Oregon
and the Northwestern coast. The best
ship building timber in the world is to be
found there. Even now much Of it is
shipped to Maine, and he read state.
ments to corroborate his position, He
wanted this Northern Pacific completed
SO all the profits Of this valuable trade
would not be paid to one company. The
foreign trade in the near future via
Portland or the Sound would be i'm
mense when the road was completed