Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-09-26


The next Is miles, ascent 500 fcet-ovcr j2
feet 10 The mile.
The next ~ miles. towards the pass, ascent .
200 feet, or - feet TO the mile.
From this point descent takes place, more I
irregular thnn the fnrmcr ascent, tn an cleva
lion of about six thousand feet above the son,
and mnin,ains u uniform elevation to The Deer
springs, distance of 5i5 miles, and 81 miles /
west of the pass then the surface appears 10
be equally irregular for $40 miles.
The next lis miles is on a general clcva-
,ion of 1900 feet from the sea, or descent of
II feet TO the mile.
From the last point to the foo, of the Blue
mountains is ~, miles. [he ives, side. )-The
clvaions and dcprcssiuns of this last distance.
vary so MS 10 make az average grade Of 10i
feet TO Tie mile; thence 10 For, Vancouver the
rond desccnds 900 feet in :ji,3 miles, or less
than 81 feet 10 the mile.
= All these elevations we're taken by Colonel
Fremont ns The surface nos is. and on ;hc pre-.
sent travelled rond; but it is believed TINT. by
examination, better and ,ncre direct route
fror, the pass may be found, or that this one
may be Strengthened and made m,ch shorter
ard much reduced in grade.
The next point is as to the means. After
slluding to the route proposed, it is snd that "a
consdetabie extent Of the land is described IN
be unsuitable for settlement and cultivation,
and could not Therefore, be expected 10 sell. Bn,
for shout 100 milcs from the eastern terminus,
,he lands are said to he OF good quality, thongh
for the most part destitute Of timber and wonld
readily sell a, 81 % per ucrc, if the road be
made; which, estimating that there would be
26 sGO0O0 acres, would produce the sum Of
S:}3 100000. Calculating that in the | ,4S3
niles, from the South Pass to the mouth Of the
Columbia, 900 miles CT that distance would
be found of sufficient value, in consequence OF
the construction Of the road, 70 command the
same price, (and it is believed that the vsue Of
agricultural productions, connected with the
water powcr Ia be found there for manufacture
ing purposes, nlly lns' iiies this esimatc,) there
would be - 100000 acres, which woutt a.
uount To SIS ,OuO, ,OW and together these sums
would amoun, to SSl 800 600, without consd
erng % any value the intermediate distance Of
lib uaics, forming m arcn o'i2, 40 2'W acres
of lani but which,, taking i; at the worst, mus,
have at least some verdnnt and valu1bIe spots,
which wNnid become desirable for small settle.
nen,s, and as drpo,s for the Use of the rosd
and fur cornmodi'irs and productions of inter-
Il a
compcrcc. The length Of the proprs'd road
heing 2,U3D m!cS, and the estimate tr lis con.
s'r c,on, according to Colonel Alert, being
. S20WN per mile. the probable cost would he
j2GSOU, leaviag az estimated surplus for
repairs, aai 10 Keep the parts in operation until
= the whue is completed, of S,stN ONO T.n
would ap2oar, un full rejection, 10 he ~ ode I
= ate and sac calculation; aud mGeo' er, IN
o comn,tce hnve reason to believe tt,sr, fr ON ,h
exciting ln,ercst which would NO. fail 10 SUI
+. round this undertaking, when V.ce Toerun, ,h
- pressure tor acquisition aud i-ges ,menls IN III
fertile pasts OF these lands. and IN the vcnt
=, Of SO extensive work, y. ou,d place their yalu
at least al the mln'aur., price OF the publ
). iauds. The comp.i,'. 20, therefore, incline I
u bel,eve that the mems proposed nre abundant
n ~ sufficient 'ur lie end in view. and have T.
Y doub, OF thc eS pedlency ofappiying such p'ca,'
2 TO this great end
u Tt~e r.iect Of the construction uf ,ira road
Alluded 10 in glowing terms, as calculated ,oh
G M" i beneficial. and suited 90 Ndvancc Il,
2 'Itercsts of agriculture, ard wsauu'ciures All
At to promote the national prosperity.
&c On the s,h paint they say ,hat the "naIur'
e. md artificial means Isl communication betwee
ID the different parts 0t a ronalty may r. cor
III pared TO the arteries, and veins Of the huma
:. system. The intercourse, social snd CONNER
n, cial, msy te nssmnaed 10 the vital hud whic
i. uvses in the viens and sHstains and invigt
ie rates our oa'ayei the larger and more inpo
4 tact ct,snncls Il intcrcuur,e being rcpr"sene
e. by the arteries, and the lateral and less impo
.e tant channels by the smaller veins. This ne
of channel of communication may aPpropTlntrI
he be termed the great artery, since many smal''
channels will intersect it, and other great ari,
"a reis, such as lhc lake navigation and that
np the Mississippi and Missouri rivers will be '
he tally connected with IT,"
We Discussing the other points, the Comntit
he say thu, il "would be difficult to estimate Il
ID consequences that would result from the co
yer struc,on of this great na,iona. highway to u
shipping interests of the country. II may