The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-11


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The Rail Road To the Pacsfic-Extend oil ng
the Area Of Commerce.
We published short time since in this journal,
leading article en- this subject, based on the re-
port OF tho Senate Committee to whom the subject
was referred during the last session of Congress,
and which report was founded on the memorial
OF Mr.. Whitney, asking an appropriation OF strip
orland thirty miles in width along the whole line
Tor the purpose of building the road.
We then stated that the Senate Committee had
divided their report into twelve different parts
the frs, Of which, viz, the power of Congress
over the entire subject in all It's bearings dis
posed of then. The second of these points,
viz, the practicability of the proposed work,
we intend to take up in the present article, pre-
missing beforehand that we have for long time
been satisfied of its perfect practcability.
President Jefferson, in a confidential commune
cation 10 Congress on the 18th January, 1903, sug-
gested the propriey of employing exploring
expedition to the source of the Missouri river, and
thence to the Pacific, as to the practcability Of
opening communication with that ocean. The
expedition having been completed, Mr. Jefferson
in his message to Congress on the Cd of December,
1906, stated that the expedition OF Messrs. Lewis
s. Clark had all the success which could have been
expected that they had traced the Missouri near
ly to its source, descended the Columbia river to
the Pacific Ocean, and ascertained with accuracy
the geography of that interesting communication
across the continent, and learnt the character of
the country, of its commerce, and OF its inhabit-
ants.
The route proposed by Mr. Whitney pursues
the valley ofthe Columbia by Lewis's Branch to
the great South Pass, and thence nearly due east,
striking the Missouri above the mouth of the great
Platte river and the Mississippi above the mouth
of the Wisconsin river, until it strikes the shore Of
lake Michigan. The committee then refer to the
testimony of Captain Fremon,:-
lie states rat the route he followed in s4a was up
the valley Of the Great Platte river the South Pass in
north latitude ago" The road which is generally
followed through this region is very good one without
any difficult ascens to overcome" III passed through
open prairie region and may be much improved so as
70 avoid the great part of the inequalities It pre-
sens describing his arrival the grea, South Pass
he remarks that the ascent had been gradual that
with all the intimate knowledge possessed by Carson
who had made this country his hons for seventeen
obliged to watch very closely find the place
nj which we had reached the eliminating point This
was between two low bills rising either hand fifty or
sixty feet iFremons Rep, S. doc. ia, p. COY 1--WE
crossed very the table mountain at the southern
in width, and already traversed by several different
roads Selecting well as could in the scarcely dis.
tngnishaoie ascent what might be cons iered the dvd
ing ridge in this remarkable depression in the mountain
took barometrca observation, which gave 400 feet
for the elevation above the Gulf of Mexico ID las
It's importance "a the great gate through which com.
merce and travelling may hereafter pass between the
Valley Of the Mississippi and the North Pacific iusties
precise notice OF its locality and distance from the
Leasing points in addition this statement of its eleya.
ton As stated in the report of 1912 its latitude the
point where crossed is ~ deg % min Sec its Ion
giiude 100 deg 90 min its distance from the mouth of
the Kansas by the common travelling route 962 miles
from the mouth Of the Great Platte along the valley of
mat ivor according TO our survey OF 1912, $50 miles
and its distance from St Louis about miles more by
The Kansas and about zoo by the Great Platte route
these additions being steamboat conveyance in both in
stances From this pass to the mouth of the Oregon is
about 400 miles by the common travelling route so
that under general point Of view, il be assumed
TO be about halt way between the Mississippi and the Pa
cdc ocean, the common travelling route - d. 1921
Having arrived at the junction of the Waawalla with
the Columbia river he remarks Batteaus from tde
water ascend to the junction. and thence high up the
north fork Columbia Land con, eyance ONLY Is
used the line Of Lewiss Fork To the Entrants to
Oregon the Nez Perce tort point Of interest as be-
overland journey The broad expanse OF the river here
invites them 10 embark its bosom, and the lefty
Of the forest furnish the means doing So From the
South Psssto this place about 900 miles and it
about the distance from that pass TO the Missouri
river at the mouth of the Kansas il may be assumed
that oOs miles the necessary land travel in crossing
from the United States 20 the Pacific ocean on this line
From the mouth OF the Great Platte it would be about
100 miles less"
From these data and others referred to by the
Committee, they state that the conclusion of fix
ing the termination Of the railroad in the vicinity
of the 42d parallel of north latitude is inevitable
They further state that there is no doubt of the
pracucability of the proposed route from the
shore OF Lake Michigan to the navigabe waters
Of the Columbia river.
We copy the following table OF distances and
elevations, by which
happears that the mouth of the Kansas rv or IL 700
feet above the Cult of Mexico thence the crossing
Of The Republican fork is SIG miles the ascent gradual
10 1sVo ieet more, or equal to % feet per mile inc
qp4llues OF surface small
inc next l2s miles ascends 900 feet or less than
The next lO7 miles to 81, yrain's fort ascent 600
feet or little more than feet to the mile -
ne heSt 81 mues, ascent l. 800 ieet-l6 feet TO the
mile ''e' " iee' 10 'he
The next 81 niles towards the pass ascor, ooo a..
al feet to the mile. ~" 'e'''
From this point a descent takes place. more irrequ,,r
than he former ascent TO elevation of about six
thousand leet above the sea- and maintains an un;forr
elevation TO the Beer Springs distance of 5is miles
pears to be equally Irregular for $40 miles
The next us miles is general elevation Of 5000
feet from the sea, or descent OF II feet TO the mile
From the last point TO the foot of the Blue Mountains
is 2s2 miles Che west side The elevations and depres
grade of IO feet 10 the mile thence to Fort vancouver
the road descends 900 feet in 300 miles less than "a
feet TO the mile.
We thus have this most important fact esta-
blisbed viz: that the practcability of building
railroad that will connect the Atlantic and Pacific
Ocedhs, - oeyohu quesuon. LUIS IL ueclueuly
the most important enquiry, and it gratifes us
exceedingly that it is placed beyond question, by
data which is indsputable. May we not hope
that ere long this subject will receive the atten-
ton its magnitude on the interests Of the
country deserves, and hat before many years we
shah see the work commenced
time. i
IHE PEACE WITH MExico.-Two or three DAVIS
ago, paper IN this city published a ridicuous let
ter, Pnrportng to come from Havana. and con-
tanning the terms of a treaty, said to have been
made with Santa Anna. We looked unor tho
story a, The time as an absurd one, and we now
find that the Union is authorized to characterize
n ns al,cl. I'll. ILL.,. 1919