Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1849-04-04
The Pacific Railway.

A The Pacific Railway.
There are no less than five plans before
the people and Congress -First, and the
most practicable, is the Railway by the
Isthmus of Panama (to which subscrip-
ton Of $2,5O0,O00 is asked from our GO
vernment); Second, a Canal over the 18TH
mus of ,reluantepec; Third, Col. Benton's
National Road from st. Louis to San Fran
cisco; and finally, Mr.. Eilet, the Engineer,
has proposed Plank Road first, and a
Railway afterwards, or rather the laying
down OF iron rails on the plank road. He
says that this road can be built from St.
Louis to the Pacific in tro years, at a cost
of only $l0,000,0O0. He suggests the
employment of the soldiers in the useful
work. He proposes to begin at both ends.
A detachment of skilful engineers might
be employed to explore and compare the
passes over the Rocky Mountains tele-
graph might precede the road and keep up
| a constant communication with the coun-
country to the east OF it; locomotive saw
mills and light locomotive engines could
accompany each body Of workmen; the
abundance Of timber on some parts of the
road might be made to supply those parts
where timber is deficient, the logs or plank
being carried forward by steam. Mr. Ell
let says in conclusion, with the eloquence
OF an orator .-f.# l,.v a.. --,a
''Let the call for volunteers in this SER
vice be sounded, as in the recent foreign
campaign, and the world will witness an
energy developed such as has never been
seen in the work Of peace before. Swarms
of intrepid adventures, headed by skillul
engineers, will be found On the SUBMITS
Of the Rocky Mountains-and paths will
be opened TO the locomotive and lis train,
before the bewildered buffalo can retire
from its rage. Apply the force employe ed
on the march to Mexico-apply only
10000 Of all the men sent into that for
eign ileld--to this glorious work, and the
road will be made as fast as that army
proceeded on its way tothe enemy's capt
tai, and for one half of the cost Of that SIN
gle march. What glorious career of
conquest would here be offered to ambi-
ton; the lasting fame of the country, ba-
sed on the extension of civilization from
ocean to ocean; the commerce of China
| and India grasped at once; our possessions
in Oregon and California secured for
ever
That We must have some communica-
ton with California, seems TO be conceded,
and the sooner the better. The Isthmus
route has the most friends, because it can
be completed the soonest. Mr.. Ellet's
Plank Road Railway project is not bad
one, and perhaps could be completed with
in the same time. as the whole route is
within our own country, and in healthy
meridian. and can therefore be more rap
idly advanced than the lsthmus Railway
| An INDIA RuBpER HousE.-We have
heard Of fOIdingdoors and folding Win
dows, but 4 folding house is something Of
a novelty.
Day, the New York Inlia-rubber
dealer, has got UP portable house and
: boat for gold-iinders. Among the pecu-
liar advantages of this invention for ira
travellers in California, is the facility with
which boat Of nine feet long, by six feet
wide, can be converted into house Of
eight hundred and eleven feet, sufficiently
high TO allow persons to stand upright
The mere disconnecling Of the sheet of
rubber-cloth from the cylinders, turns the
boat into a comfortable house. The whole
weight of one of them is only 20 pounds
and can be packed away in an ordinary
trunk. Day says, that should the travel
Ter lie detained at Panama, with large
boat Of this kind, which can be so arran-
ged as to spread sail, a party may en-
bark upon the gentle Pacific, and, by
coast;ng along the shore, can reach the
valley Of the Sacramento, and even pene-
trate to the gold region ITSELF
Only think of it now folding your
house up and slowing it away in your
trunk and again converting it into yacht,
and coasting along the Pacific with it
Oar Enemies Wiihin.-- Bey oni all doubt,
the worst of our enemies are those we
carry about in our own hearts. A
dam fell in Paradise, Luciier, in Heaven
while Lot continued righteous among the
inhabitants Of Sodom. Indifference to Ill
tie sins and mistakes, the self-hattering
voice Of the heart, ever ready to sing its
lullaby the moment conscience is reused,
The subtle question OF the serpent, Hath
God, indeed, said::'-these are unques-
tionably the adversaries we have most to
fear. There never was fire but it be-
gan with smoke. beseech thee, there
fore, dear master, to give me a sensitive
conscience, that may take alarm at even
small sins. 0, it is not merely great
transgressions that can bring a man TO ru-
in. Little and imperceptble ones are
perhaps smore deadly; according to the
beautilnl'Egure of Tauler, who says, "The
stag, when attacked, losses from the great
dogs, and dashed them to pieces on the
trees, but the little ones seize him below,
and tear the entrails from his belIy."-
[Tholuck.
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IN NoRTH CAR
oLINA.-A bill providing for an alteration
in the Constitution of North Carolina, so
as to secure the right of equal suffrage to
all the citizens ofthat State, passed its see
ond reading in the House of Commons by a
\ IN