The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1895-03-01
Senator Mitchell's Nicara uga
Speech.

One OF Hon. John II. Ni,chell's best
efforts in The U $. Senate was his speech
IN favor OF The Niea-auggz Maritime ca
nal. His arguments IN favor OF the till
are strong, and equally so are his ans
Rsrs 10 the objection 10 it. Some facts
and statements OF particular interest to
the residents OF the coast we give below
The distance from New York to the
waters of the Pacific are via water line
TO Cape Hoin, .S97 miles; via Southern
Pacific Railroad, 3,-eo; via Cana
dian Pacific Railroad, s.6le; via Union
and Central Pacific Railroad. $50; via
Northern Pacific Railroad, 5,2S7; via
Nicaraguan Canal, a.5i9
Thus it will BE- seen the all water route
from New York TO the a.ers Of the Pa
cific via the proposed Nicaragua Canal is
7l6 miles shorter than By The Northern
Pacific railroad: SaI miles shorter than
by the Union and Central Pacific; 100
miles zhorter than by the Canadian Pa
c:fic; ,l90 miles shorter than By tho
Sout-ern Pacific. and 5.37S miles shorter
than by tie present all gaser route to
Cape Horn.
The distance from New York to San
Francisco via Cape Horn is i,s40 miles !;
to Portland, Oregon, Is, 40. and 10 pu-
get Sound por;s, 1860; whereas the
distance from New York TO San Francis
CO via The Nicaragua Canal is but 4 ,946
miles; 10 Portland, Or. 5,546. and TO
Puget Sound, 5.745 miies, thus showing
saving in distance between New York
and San Francisco, between NeS York
and Portland, Or, and ieiween New
York and Puget Sound por.s-Por:
Townsend, Seattle, Tacoma, and others
OF 1884 miles. II shorteps the dis
tauee tha. mnch between them all, the
whole shortening occurring between San
Francisco and New York.
OF all sections Of the country, there
fore, which are TO be immensely benefit
ed by the construction OF this canal. the
States and Territories bordering on and
tributary to the Pacific Ocean will be
benefited most. The States OF Califor
mia, Oregon, and Washington. while pro-
liic in great variety CT agricultural.
mineral, timber, coal, piscatoriai, and
other pro lucts, are notably sheasgrow-
ing States. The Pacific Coast has sur
plus OF about / SEQ, COO tons OF wheat and
wheat flour. I ie principal market for
this sur plus is Liverpool. This neeessi
tates transportation by water around
Cape Horn, distance sfrom San Fran
cisco OF IA, 500 miles. BY the canal this wa
ter route to Liverpool would b. shortened
1896 miles, nearly one-iaif, or reduced
to 1894 miles. This, il is estimated,
will reduce the transportation charges
from the Pacific ports-S4n Francisco,
Portland, Ya4uina, Astoria, and other
Oregon ports, and Puget Sound ports-
at least 81 per ton belog present rates
by the Horn, to say nothing OF the time
eayel IN the voyage. Two ,ioliars per
ton or 500, 900 tons would be q saving
annually to the producers OF wheat on
the Pacific Coast -aa the price Of wheat
is fixed in London and the producer rays
the transportation So G00, 600
like proportionate saving would occurr
on all other traffi; between L verpool
and the Paci6c ports.
But infinitely greatet will be the adj
vantage e .he wool and fruit grogers,
the lumtcr merchants, salmon exporter.
and hop growers of the Pacific CoaF :,
who find their principal marlet for their
surplus ? odncfs in Atlantic coast ports,
notably Ees. York, Philadelphia, BoE-
ton.
1t IS measure u at has tie cosdial sup
support Of al class the ftrmer, .he mer-
chant, 'lis mechanic. the manufacturer
he importer, ,l.a shipper, the profess
s.onal man, aud the daily laborer 1t Is
a mfasTre thst oryht 10 ,ereige ;he SUI.
port of tile great tfanscontinental rail-
way Interests OF The r,onntrr even from
a selfish s'aaipoiai for tie reason
ia construction wiil 20 rapidly develop
the great eppiee Of ;he West, increasing
papnlaiion, expanding business, deve,-
opins sessire-s,.ilst they in the rrd siil
De beaf 6itt, iae.ead of Injured by It's
constructions I'na measure t'la. has
been co-d'a,i, and earne~,i5 recommended
by every iresid,i,i % the United Sia.es,
irrespective Of party for The last quarter
of century.