The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-01 00:00:00

UNION PACIFIC.

`Works are in progress on either side of the Rocky
Mountains rhich, when complete, will connect
San Francisco by rail with the cities of the Atlantic
seaboard. The task is stupendous, but the result
will be even more stupendous. A new, and perhaps
the greatest of the world's highways, will then be
opened. Civilisation has travelled west. From China
to the plains of Shinar, from Greece westward over
Europe, across the Atlantic to America, and the
march of events, still following the setting sun, is
bringing the newest civilisation into contact with the
oldest—from China, round the world, to China
again. San Francisco is the great port of the
Pacific. To it will converge the traffic of Eastern
Asia, of the thousand groups of the Pacific islands,
of Australia and -New Zealand. When the Union
Pacific Railway is finished in San Francisco will
centre the trade of all countries east of
the Indian and of the Southern Oceans.
Already the Pacific Mail Steamship Company have
advertised the first of their fleet to sail next Tues-
day from San Francisco for llong Kong via Japan.
Those only who truly appreciate the position of
San Francisco can understand fully the value of the
works now in progress between that city and the
western termini of the great northern lines pene-
trating into the prairies. From Europe and the old
seats of civilisation numerous steamers proceed to
the cities on the American sea-board. From these
cities the traveller can choose a variety of routes
westward, but all modern facilities of travel now
only end in the desert. Two roads, however, are in
active progress between these termini and San
Francisco, and the revolution they will work when
in full operation can only be known after they are
finished. It is not simply that they will complete
the links between the American cities of the Atlan-
tic and the Pacific—that they will open up the
fertile centre of the United States, though both are
of inestimable advantage--the brilliant future of
the Lines is in the fact that in them the World
will find her best highway, and the United States,
instead of being a new country at the extre-
mity of the earth, will become a central
nation, over which will pass the commerce of
the globe. Both start from the Mississippi river—
the northern, the Union Pacific Railroad from
Omaha ; and the southern, the Union Pacific Rail-
way from Leavenworth and Wyandotte. The
names are so similar as to create some confusion in
the public mind, though both are distinct, and each
on a scale of magnifl.:ent distances which in
Great Britain can scarcely be conceived. The
Southern line runs like its Northern rival due west,
about the parallel of the 40th degree, and main-
taining the distance apart of some 300 miles. The
Leavenworth and Wyandotte branches unite at
Lawrence and proceed to Junction City, about three
miles west of Fort Riley, completing 172 miles in
Kansas. Messrs. SHOEMAKER, MILLER, and Co.
have contracted for 250 miles, to be laid down by
the 31st December, 1867, when Pond Creek will be
reached within 200 miles of Denver City, Colorado.
Then the route will be open for 670 miles west of
St. Louis, 1,227 west of Pittsburg, and 1,580 west
of Philadelphia. The road progresses at the average
rate of a mile a day, and when the work is carried
up to Denver the eastern section will be finished.
The line is divided into three parts. The Eastern
from the Mississippi to Denver City; from that point
to the Salt Lake City forming the Central Division ;
and thence from Utah to San Francisco, which will
complete what is termed the Western Division.
Of these, though by far the longest, the Eastern
l)ivisicn will be more quickly and easily formed.
For the most part the line runs over a prairie smooth
as if the earth had been planed—a bald, treeless,
monotonous ocean of land, without even a wave to
vary the sameness of the scene. Forward the line
is lost in the distance beneath the curve of the earth,
and behind it sinks in the same endless perspective
from view, rising before and sinking behind as the
train moves on hour by hour till space and time be-
come a blank. But most of this land is of the
richest quality, and each alternate section on either
side for twenty miles is the property of the company,
granted by the Government, together with $16,000
for every completed mile. The latitude, maintained
almost on the same degree throughout, is singularly
favourable, exempt alike from the scorching heats
of summer and from the heavy snow-drifts of win
ter, which it is thought more than probable will in
terrupt the traffic of the Northern road.

Thus far from Philadelphia to Fort Riley the 40th
parallel is closely adhered to, and the line, even with
less deviation, has been mapped on to Denver. The
latest surveys have demonstrated that the road can
be continued from Denver to Salt Lake City in a
similarly straight line. The route now used by the
United States raail coaches through Bridges Pass
runs 612 miles, passing over the snowy Sierras of
the Rocky Mountains and the Wasatch. The Union
Pacific Railway, following the 40th degree, forms
the diameter of the circle of which the other is the

cireuxaference, having its course due west. From
Den ner it ascends Clear Creek to Empire City,
crossing the Snowy Sierra at Berthauds Pass, and
descending immediately into the Middle Park. From
the s nowy Sierra to the Sierra Wasatch it crosses
the valley of the great Colorado down by the White
river to the Green, and up by the Wintah river to
Was atch. Then it continues along a succession of
parks and valleys uninterrupted by other great alti-
tuderi, and along the borders of a river through a
country lying low and protected among mountains,
with a fertile soil and a climate genial at all seasons.
The through distance by this Pass is 403 miles, a
saving alike in space and in the practicability of the
route. The Western division penetrates the mountains
of Nevada and California, through one of the most
difficult countries ever undertaken by engineers.
The scenery along this road is sublime in its gran-
deur, and awe-striking in its sublimity. Bridges
span chasms, tunnels penetrate mountain summits,
and the line winds round precipices and crosses
gorges by viaducts leading over roaring torrents.
Ten thousand men are at work, and some of the
most difficult sections have been completed. One
summit tunnel penetrates 1,700 feet of rock. Diffi-
cult as the work undoubtedly is, the Californians
have pledged themselves to run their cars to the
Salt Lake City, from San Francisco, under three
years from this date ; and not only are they the most
energetic of Americans, but accustomed to penetrat-
ing mountains and moving hills.

It is confidently said that the route will be com-
plete throughout in four years, when San Francisco
will take a similar position on the Western to what
New York has taken on the Eastern Coast. But
Philadelphia is awaking to her own advantages, and
moving in her own interests. It is asserted that
the true Atlantic terminus is that city—that the
road from ocean to ocean, from city to city, is direct,
cutting the Union into halves. A steam line from

and in a few months the boats will be plying.
We beg our readers who take an interest in this
grand new highway to retain in their recollection
the sketch we have given, as we will recur to the
Union Pacific lines frequently and more in detail
hereafter.—Anglo-American Times.