Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-10-14
RAILRoADs-THEIR EXTENSION AND UTILITY.

KAloRANA, ocroEER ?, ls4s.
Hon. w. w. srLToS, Mayor Of the city:
TIE project of /" Railroad to the Pacific is sgain
ag,aed in the National lnteIgeHcer a communications by
Member OF Congress, and series of articles entitled
"Tade to China" which the writer advocates the direct
route by railroad to the Pacific.
These are additional indications that the public mind i.
awakening the importance Of the subject Many Others
undoubtedly working upon this great plan who
yet unknown 10 fame. Among them have heard Of Mr..
CARVER the gandson Of the celebrated traveller Jonathan
Carver.
This Mr.. Carver is residing lands which his grand
father purchased Of the Indians the Falls Of ST. Antho-
NY understand that he intends to lay his plan before Con-
gross at the ensuing session. He proposes TO lay his track
ten feet WIDE and make his twenty feet wide. TIE
plan Of his wheel and bis and the track will probably not
be made pubic until he has obtained patent for it,
The plan have Of such dimensions and track OF
such capacity that cargo may be transferred from the vessel
the cars and carried in the original packages the Atlantic
coast
While these various individuals urging the whole road
through 10 the Pacific gradually but steadily progressing
westward in parts II is not many years since the Boston
Company commenced r1iroad far Worcester,
distance Of forty eight miles. About the time the Alba
ny and Schenectady road opened distance Of eighteen
miles, since which various companies have been operating
until continuous line Of railroad and steamboat commuuica-
ton is now in operation between Boston and New York aGd
Chicago in the grea, West From this latter place Il have
leant) the rails already laid twenty miles west and will
be open for travel ia few weeks and the whole road from
Chicago 10 Gaena will he finished in the Of year.
From Gacna through Iowa city, the State Of Iowa.
the mouth OF the Platte river The railroad will be
made The whole distance from Boston TO Bellevue, at the
mouth of The Platte ver laid down in the tables 1866
miles, being that much Of the railroad to the Pacific already
done, or IN way to be done.
From Council Blu on the Missouri to the South Pass Of
the Rocky Mountains the country represented TO be gene
rally level aording great facilities Tor the construction Of
railroad from the South Pass the road will probably branch
the right and Left tie north branch going Oregon and the
south branch to California.
From Council Bluffs to the Pacific ocean, in straight line,
the distance Is about 400 miles The serPentins and cir.
cuous route to Sonoma on the Bay Of Francisco, o
ought TO say English Francisco 6a may increase
the distance l66 miles, making the distance be done only
equal the distance now done in progress. SO tha, we
see that the wonder Of the world, the great central railroad
the western continent in lis widest part from the At
lanc to the Pacific is already half done, Il be 70; the
interest Of all the propretors Of the part finished TO the
completion Of the whole, for they only carrying way
passengers and way freight which is very irng compared to
the through freight and through passengers.
In add ion to the great Western raroad these roads have
progressed rapidly along Atlantic coast until they now
reach the extreme limits Of Maine, and pushing their way
through rocky barriers and turbulent rivers to Montreal
and Quebec Towards the South they finished almost
for New Orleans and will be extending their iron
limbs TO Grand river.
The object Of this letter is to inquire where the centre Of
this grand system Of railroads And know person
Of whom can ask this question better thsn Of the Mayor Of
the city Of Washins,onhe city which is the capital Of the
Uniop and the only National city.