To New York and back was a good day's trip, while now we run down for an evening. To Europe and back was a more distinguished event than three times around the world at the present day.

Before our present railroad system across the country the Pacific Coast was reached by steamer around Cape Horn or via Panama. Those who suffered the delay and discomforts in their haste to reach the gold fields of California, newly discovered in 1849, will best understand the advantage of the present railroad facilities.

The undertaking of the Government in constructing the great Panama Canal is an advance in the interest of the world's commerce that will be regarded as the historic event of the present century.

A preserved letter from my brother at Walla, Washington Territory, dated October 7th, 1861, states that after a very good trip of four months from Omaha with ox teams, in which they had lost no stock, they were the first wagoners across the country from the States to the frontiers of Oregon and Washington. He is now living in Portland, Oregon, a city of 90,426 inhabitants as per census of 1900, only thirty-nine years later than his arrival. Now this entire sweep of country which was so largely wilderness less than a half century ago is covered with great cities, immense agricultural enterprises largely furnishing the world with its grain and fruits; and with immense flouring mills giving to the world its fine production. One single mill located in Minneapolis has a capacity of fifteen thousand barrels of flour daily. Their entire plant of five mills is able to furnish thirty-five thousand barrels daily. This business has grown to its present proportion in about one-third of a century, and this is but one of the many great flouring mills in this vast county. Besides these are its numerous and large mechanical industries giving distinction to nearly every prominent locality on the continent, all so singularly advantaged by the great railroad systems traversing in so many lines the entire country, transporting us across the continent in less than five days, as contrasted with the many months of wagon travel fifty years ago. These are advances within a single memory that almost stagger us.

In the early days, still in memory with many, almost all the general merchandise such as hardware, cotton and woolen clothes, spool cotton, etc., (silk entirely), were imported. The great resources of the country in its various metals, gold, silver, copper and iron, together with its vast agricultural products, particularly cotton, have developed a wealth of raw material which necessitate manufacturing facilities to bring it into practical use and profit. Mill interests and machinery have so advanced under native genius and governmental protection to home industries that the business of the country has entirely changed in this respect from a foreign supply to a large exporting business, and very much to our advantage in cost, particularly in iron. With our vast resources of supply and marvelous machinery, plants are furnishing us manufactured goods at a cost of about one-quarter the early importation prices. French calico prints under importation prices were fifty to sixty cents per yard; English prints were in the market at a less rate. But now and for years past the immense print works of Fall River, Mass., with many others in the country, are furnishing us with their fine fabrics at from six to ten cents per yard. As per statistics of the U.S. Government Department of Commerce for the year ending June 30th, 1907, the exports from the United States were $1,853,718,034, exceeding our imports for the same time $446,429,653. Gov. Fort, in a recent address, stated that $35,000,000 of capital was invested in the silk industry in our State. The great cotton factories and print works of New England, and later developments of these industries in the Southern States, the large capitalized steel works of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and many other large manufacturing interests throughout the country with their producing powers, are in evidence as to the material advance of this vast country in a single memory. A marked example is the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia. Starting with a small alleyway near Walnut Street in 1831, they are now occupying a plant in the heart of the city covering sixteen acres, and one hundred and eighty-four acres at Eddyston. During the first thirty years their output was one thousand locomotives, thirty-three and one-third per year. Their product for the year 1906 was two thousand six hundred and sixty-six (2,666). In addition to the vast amount of labor-saving machinery in use, they employ nineteen thousand (19,000) men as per their last statement. Besides their contracts with the various railroads of this country, they are exporting locomotives to many foreign governments. They furnished the Imperial Government of Japan one hundred and fifty locomotives in 1905.

One instance of local interest in mechanical genius and push: A family of young men still known to many of our residents - Moran Brothers - who had the advantage of our public schools, emigrated to the Pacific Coast and located at Seattle, where they recovered sufficient land, about eight city blocks from the water front, and established a shipbuilding plant which has grown in size and importance second to none in the United States and of great value to the new city, to the Pacific Coast, and to the nation. Much of the iron work used in rebuilding the city after the great fire of 1889 was from their works. They shared largely in the construction of the machinery for the fine naval dry dock on Puget Sound; I believe the largest on the Pacific Coast. One of their enterprises was the building of eighteen strong steamers for the gold mine operators in Northern Alaska, the first that had been able to navigate with safety those rough waters. A later product of their yards was the Government battleship "Nebraska," for which the contract consideration was nearly four millions of dollars. They have since sold their plant for $3,000,000 and are still young men. One of them, Mr. Robert Moran, has served Seattle twice as Mayor. He has now retired from business and located on Orcas Island, one of the San Juan group, on a four thousand acre plot with salt water harbor, mountain lakes, deer preserve and all that nature could give for an enjoyable retired life.

The picture of this 15,000 ton first-class battleship "Nebraska" was taken when the ship was running the official trial, making approximately 19-1/2 nautical miles per hour.