New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-11-17
Ncw.Yo,l, and eric Kn,lrond.

will ot course take carly opportunity OF laying
their plans before the Public. which has drcc; in
,cns, in this Railroad 10 the amour, Of Three Mil
ions "; Dollars, besides direct interest many times
s,,atcr We scarcely cxagscratc when we say
that the plans of tho Directors Will be viewed with
The deepest in,crcst-no, the temporary excitement
vt an election but the calm and carncs, conviction
tina, the management of the y. y. Il Erie Railroad
viii powerfully aud permanently influence the pros
rcri,y and advancement OF this State and City.
Few of tho new Board have any experience IN
the mauaecucnt Of public works Yet arc they call
al ON. s, the very outset, 10 perform the most diff
,ul duties which will dcvolvc them during their
entire career in fact, TO make decisions On which
l,c prosperity. il not indeed the very completion OF
the road depends Ii, however, their acquaintance
with the management, Of Railroads be slight, it is
cousolins TO bear in mind tina, they totally un-
rracticcd in the encouragement Of such under
takincs-a regular business with only too many
Indeed VIC may safely aver that not few regard
all Railroads AZ got up for the purpose of placing
The means of honest; industrious and coniiding stock
holders nj the mercy of unprinciped spectators
and unknown adventures. The present Board Ger
,anly possess the public confidence in advance to
remarkable extent when il is considered that they
nearly all-noi excepting the Presdent-apPear
no,y for ,h, '.s time in public life. for such II may
we'll be considered. Heartily approving OF the hon
est pride with which they must view the happy re-
salts OF their first efforts we must yet remind 'nen
that the project not new, was well understood
and so highly appreciated tina, the public was ready
IN embark in /, as soon as direction OF men OF bu
sncss Of approved character should be placed at It's
b,sd They have vet 10 establish their characters
as directors few months will show whether they
have the knowledge. energy and grasp OF mind
which can alone sustain them i'll carrying through
the n. y. and Erie Railroad TO speedy and happy
completion.
Experience in the United States generally, and
on the New York and Erie Rail Road in particular,
has shown the lamcntabe result of taking the field
before the plan of the Company has been well set
lied We hope the Directors will make themselves
masters of this great point, which the success of
the project hangs, before entering on the work OF
construction This may require some little time,
bu, time cannot be better occupied; indeed this
course will, ultimately, more than any other. con
ducc TO the early as well 10 the economical open
inc Of the road. There are two grand departments,
the Financial and the Engineering former
is directly and exclusively managed by the Board,
which also exercises general supervision over the
latter They must work tremendously together, or
failure is the inevitable result. No matter what the
ability of the Directors or how great their vigi-
lance they mus, substantially rely on their Engl-
necr for information on which they must frequently
base not only their general plans but the very de-
tails Of their financial operations. But, indcpend-
emily of this the OF Railroad al this time
requires on the par, of it's managers thorough
knowledge of the principles OF location the various
modes of construction, the machinery best adapted
TO the road in question &c Hence the Siockhold'
ers are TO some extent at the mercy OF the EpSi
nccr. on whose judgment and character they arc
obliged to depend in matters vitality affecting the in
terests OF the road.
The general route OF the New York and Erie Rail
road being pretty well determincd-the commission
TO determine the Delaware or Sullivan location be
ing a subordinate maticr--the Directors will the
sooner be able TO break ground on the location TO
the westward But surprising Pennsylvania ia
vorable, which VIC cannot doubt, is the Board pre-
pared TO rely on the plans of its predecessors!
VIII no, the public expect full statement OF the
actual condition of affairs, from the observation OF
the preccnt Board aided. if required, by Engineers
whose experience has not been acquired on the
New-York and Erie Railroad-a Railroad not yet
in existence-and who are not unaccustomed 10
draw like professional papers After the publica
ton of the three pamphlets, short time since in
which every thing is lauded in no measured terms
not excepting the causeway at Piermont and in
which it is generally asserted that work has been
done for 90 per cent. less on the New York aud Erie
Railroad than on some other undertakings, it would
betray folly and imbecy in the Board TO stake
their own reputation and the immense sums conf
dcd to them on the chance of such statements pro.
wing entirely correct
Ii will be readily cleaned from the above that we
regard the appointment of the Chief Engineer as
of the last importance the of the project,
as well as aiording pretty good indication of the
capacity of the Directors fill their responsible and
most honorable situations creditably to themselves
and advantageously TO the stockholders. We sim
cerely hope that in making this appointment, they
will keep clear Of all visionary and stock jobbing
Engineers; that they will avoid those whose past
career is marked by ruinous mistakes and disap-
poinlment to unfortunate stockholders
These remarks arc not intended 10 have any per
sonal application OF the abilities and character Of
any one who has hitherto filled the Office we express
no opinion, and VIC have prcposscssion agains,
any one We only urge what every one must per
ccivc and admit that the practical construction of
the Road rs well as its financial direction, must be
in the hands OF men only qualified but kno'cn to
be qualified for the responsible duties devolvcd on
thcn,-men who possess, because they have de-
served an eminent measure of the public confidence.
Under such guidance the Erie Railroad may be
rapidly pushed forward TO completion and unsur-
passed usefulness.
~ The Union processes 10 contradict, with entire
positiveness, the statement OF Mr.. Mel disap
pointment with regard 10 the Oregon negotiation
&c and his desire to abandon the Mission. Ii does
no such thing however 1t was perfectly understood
and stated by US al the outset that the formal nego
,ia,ons respecting Oregon were to be continued at
Washington but it was added that Mr.. McLane I'M
dcrstood tina, he settle informally the basis of
l. A