The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-11-10
The Pacific Railroad
WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENTS OF
RESOURCES IN THE PLAINS.

The greatest impediment to the con-
struction of railroad from the Missssip-
pi, overland to the Pacific, has been con-
sidered to be in the nature of the country
over which the road must be carried
From twelve to fifteen hundred miles, in
the selection of any route north of Mexico,
must be traverscd over plains, mountains,
and deserts. without timber, without pop.
ulation, without materials or supplies. and
thought to be without anything to contrib
ute to the support Of the road, short of the
Pacific. This has been justly considered
the most formidable drawback to any en-
terprise of such magnitude that mas ever
presented itself in the history of the world;
this timberless, mountain, and desert re-
gion of from twelve to fifteen or seventeen
hundred miles.
But recent discovery near the foot hills
of the Rocky Mountains, of prime arti-
Gle of commerce and cash, opens mine
of capital on the way. 1t appears that
there is no longer any doubt of the exs-
tence of inexhaustible supplies Of camel
coal near the sources of the Nebraska or
Plate river, which is the route of the over
land emigrants to California, via. the South
Pass, the Salt Lake, and the Great Basin.
The destitution of timber in the great
plains, were there no substitute for fuel,
would render them incapable of settlement,
even to cattle rasers; for there the SHOWS
are deep and the winters cold. The coal
supplies the fuel-it also supplies an arti-
Gle of trade with the Mississippi river, and
will thus contribute to coloniZe the plains,
and to the sale of the public lands along
the route to settlers, who will soon produce
all the necessary provisions for the work.
men.
1t is known, also, that iron is found from
the frontiers of Missouri to the Rocky
Mountains; and with the coal on hand, the
means are on the ground for the manufac-
ture fthe rails required. OF the wonder.
full capacities of the Mormon valley of the
Salt Lake, the reports from that quarter
would be incredible if they were not all
consistent. In few years more, at this
rate, they will be able to raise bread and
cattle for the subsistence of 100000 souls.
Their valley is the halfway station on the
great central route; and thus all fears on
the score of provisions for the workmen
are obviated
With the road finished to the Salt Lake,
another important commercial article
comes into market-the article OF salt.
1t exists in the heavy brine of the great
lake to an inexhaustible capacity of sup
ply, it exists in crystalline formation at
the bottom, and forms an incrustation of
salt for a hundred miles along its shores.
Rock salt exists in the surrounding noun
tains, and copper and gold. But with the
completion of railroad, the New Jerusa.
lem will become great place of resort to
the fashionable world, on account of its
wonderful natural curiosities, the singular
salubrity of its climate--the valley being
1000 feet above the sea-and particular
ly on account of the number and variety
of its medicinal springs.
Such are some of the intermediate ad.
vantages in favor of the construction of
the Pacific railroad via. the Platte, the
South Pass, and the Salt Lake Valley
The completion of the work to the Sacra-
mento will give the road the exchanges be-
tween Europe, America and Asia. What
are hundred millions to the consumma.
ton of such a work?-N. Y. Herald. "