The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-30

A writer in the Cleveland Herald takes general
survey Of the several grand routes OF railroad from
the eastern seaports 10 the West7routes ultimately
to be extended TO the Mississippi and 70 the Pacific
ocean, or mistake the force Of precedent and
the genius of the age. The writer alluded to comes
TO the conclusion that the aim OF the people OF
Cleveland. in seeking connexion with the East,
should be to encourage the construction OF broad
gauge road from Dunkirk, the terminus OF the
Erie road, to Cleveland, from whence the line OF
communication may be carried westward by routes
already in contemplation. II is the object Of the
writer to show, by comparison Of distances,
grades, and other natural considerations, what Is
the best route, upon which all interests may be
able to unite In regard to the relative positions OF
the eastern seaport cities, routes for the attrac.
ton Of western trade, he says; Baltimore u $50
miles from the ocean, and the Chesapeake bay is
lined with twenty lighthouses to guide shipping
miles further than is New York. Philadelphia is
likewise 100 miles from the sea-New York 20
miles, having several lines of packets and steamers
to Europe, and launching an ocean steamer almost
monthly Freights to Europe from New York arc
twenty per cent. less than from Baltimore"
And as to the means of access TO New York from
Cleveland, he has the following statement:
The New York and Erie Railroad is in running
order 3lS miles to Corning to be extended the pre-
sent season 40 miles further to Hornelsvlle. From
Hornellsvie to Dunkirk, l20 miles, the line is I'M
der contract to be completed in April, 1851. II Ia
already ascertained that the trip from Dunkirk to
New York, $50 miles, can be made, when the road
is completed, in from sixteen to eighteen hours
The track is six feet-other roads generally four
feet ten inches. The distance from Dunkirk to
Cleveland Is l42 miles, the route surveyed, and ly
ing in three States That portion between Penn
sylvania line and Dunkirk is q part of the State
line road from Buffalo to Pennsylvana line, the
whole length Of which is being placed under con-
much spirit to build road in direct line TO inter-
| sect the New York and Erie road in the county of
Steubcn, which will be about 100 miles in length
the distance from Buffalo to New York being per-
hapo la looo npu m M
This makes trangle-the two sides 100 and l20
miles each, and the base IS miles, the distance
from Buffalo to Dunkirk. This road, for which
Buffalo is anxious, although in the precise drec
ton of the present Albany road to Attca, is to be
| constructed independent OF that, and of wide
| track"
The fact that produce deteriorates by being
loaded and unloaded the route, by change of the
means of transit, commends the policy Of building
/ the wide track throughout. We wish, he says, to
| load cars in winter at Cleveland, and send them
| through to the North river.
Turning the attention westward the writer says:
"The road from Dunkirk to Cleveland will be a
link connecting 5000 miles of railroad in New York
| and New England with the roads of the great Mis-
sssippi basin-perhaps the first connection between
the East and that basin by railroad. At Cleveland
there may be line of steamboats, to Detroit, by
| which portion of the travel over the Michigan
Central railroad will be controlled to pass
over the Lake Shore road, both for Buffalo and New
York"
| Lines Of railroad may be constructed, varying
somewhat from the routes under contemplation,
| from Dunkirk to Terre Haute, distance of 49O
miles, upon nearly an air line, varying therefrom
not more than Is or 20 miles. "The world is chal-
lenged to produce any thing like it for length and
| directness of continuous line, easy grades, and
moderate curvature. If TO this is added the 300
miles of the New York and Erie railroad, with a
maximum grade of five feet to the mile, we have
! the elements for route Of great speed
"The route prolonged from Terre Haute would
reach the Mississippi at about l60 miles. What a
| air tba
sippi, $50 miles, traversed in twenty four hours,
and the entire distance to New York in forty hours.
The ordinary time of steamer from st. Louis to
Pittsburg, 1880 miles, in good stage of water is
| one week.
"At the mouth of the Ohio we have the projected
Mobile and Ohio road, about 450 miles, commenced
on the southern end. The entire distance from
| Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico would be ,030
miles, and the traveller beholding the waters OF
one could the next day look upon those of the other
A steamer makes quick passage If she arrives at
Louisville in six days from New Orleans"
The article from which we have taken the above
concludes as follows: " The route which we have
briefly sketched from New York TO Cleveland, the
mouth of the Ohio, and the Gulf Of Mexico does
not vary materially from the Of a circle, and
| therefore we might call it circular Grtei0i rail-
road, $50 miles, encompassing the waters OF the
meandering Ohio, 800 miles, begirting in its
length and breadth the Alleghanian chain Of noun
tains, passing through one-third Of all the States
crossing the track Of Hendrix Hudson, the territory
of the ancient and powerful lroquos, that stretched
from the lower Wabash 10 Lake Champlain, and
the path of Ferdinand de Soto, through the wilder
ness from Florida TO discover the majestic Missis
| sippi. On this magnificent periphery innumera
bic lines OF other roads unite at every possible an
gle. Multitudes Of towns become the centres oi
circles, larger smaller, of busy traffic and
travel on the great pathway, themselves being in
an orbit of more enlarged and extended move
ment Of our great, circular, arterial railroad. /"
Rochester american.
4