SECOND TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 115, 21 May 1881, Page 4

SECOND TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD.

Jacob Terry, the 'Frisco correspondent of the Otago Witness, has the following about the second Transcontinental Railroad : — On the 7th March, a silver spike was driven in the connecting rail of the Topeka and Santa Fe and Southern Pacino railroads at a point in Arizona, close to the ancient town of Santa Fe, at the Mexican line, on the Rio Grande del Norte. This opens through communication between San Francisco and the East, via St. Louis. Regular passenger trains will run from the 17th inst. The Topeka and Santa Fe road is being pushed on through Arizona to the Mexican State of Sonora, for the purpose of joining the road in course of construction from Guaynms, on the Gulf of California, known formerly as the Sea of Cartez. The Southern Pacific is being built with equal celerity to the Gulf of Mexico, and Governor Stanford hopes to have it finished about October. This would open a third road entirely south of the snow-line, and effectually prevent the block of traffic by snow, now so common on the Union Pacific. Indeed, this has been one of tho worst seasons, in this respect, since the overland railroad opened, and there is now a heavy snow blockade at various points. In Chicago and the North- West, traffic has been suspended for quite a long time, and the weather is so cold even in San Francisco that there is every chance of a blockade continuing. The new route, however, takes the travel out of the region of frost and snow, except for a short distance in the Colorado uplands. I should mention iv this connection that emigration to Mexico, and railroad building on an extensive scale, has set in. Mexico will soon become an important factor in the world's commerce, by reason of its fertility and mineral productions. Forty leagues square in the fertile province of Sonora has been granted to found a California colony, and land around Guayraas is being bought for 50 cents an acre, with ten years to pay it, by a colony of Germans from San Francisco. These countries in a few years should buy some of your cereal products ; anyhow, the new lines of travel will be of use to New Zealand and Australia, by shortening the distance to England, and providing a fine-weather route round the world. When Mexico has become imbued with the progressive ideas of North America, it will soon increase in wealth and population. Mexico has renewed diplomatic relations with France. It is consolidating its public debt, and will issue 3 per cent, bonds, receivable in the purchase of public land. Speaking of railroad-building reminds me that the existing railroads j are very profitable. The Union I Pacific's net earnings last year exceeded 16,000,000 dollars; several Eastern roads did better relatively. St. Louis has taken a new commercial departure, by utilising the Mississippi river, as I mentioned in a former letter would one day be done. A company has been formed to ship wheat in bulk from that point via New Orleans to England, and the pioneer steamer took as much wheat in tow down the river the other day as would have loaded 15 railroad trains of 35 freight-cars each. Elevators must be built at New Orleans, but capital will soon do this. New Orleans will thus become a rival to New York, and the farmers of the North-West will not have Iheir earnings confiscated by railroad freight pools while this competitive line is open. The Dominion Railroad Syndicate is now guaranteed by chatter against loss, and the work of railroad building will begin vigorously next spring. The Dominion speaks of running steamships to China and Australia, but this is mere talk. The population of Canada is flocking into the NorthWestern States by thousands. Surely there must be something radically wrong when men and women cannot earn a living across the line in British North America, while they can do so on this side of it under Republican institutions. Canada is being ruined by. its debt, protective tariff, and cumbrous system of government, which is as nearly as possible a copy of the Imperial system. The set of emigration from Canada to the United States is equalled by the German exodus. Whole villages along the Baltic Coast and Schleswig-Holstein have been deserted, and the muchdrilled German peasant and artizan is putting as many miles of salt sea rheum between him and his Godappointed Emperor as possible. A German finds it hard work to maintain his own family without being compelled to carry a soldier on his back all the time. The military empires must break down of their own clumsy bulk. They are too heavy. I fancy your own military system is far too costly for your resources ; but this you know best. New Zealand would never need a defensive force if it were thrown upon its own resources ; but it must tax itself to death to erect defensive works to resist a possible enemy of England, which could Jbave no cause of quarrel with you, and would not otherwise interfere with you.