Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-01-03

sing nearly, If not quite, as fast from the Missou
II as at any other point. This fact places anoth-
er OBSTACLE In the way. Railroad 10 the paci
nc must pass over the Rocky Mountains. these
mountains are very high and snow falls to !,
great depth GO 10 40 feet and laws upon the
ground most of the year Certainly no railroad
could be made to work through such snow. to
say nothing of the Temperature. If any nlaca
could be found where the mountains coud ba
tunneed through, this obstacle might be sur
mounted-but there is no such place-it would
De like tunneing through o continent. After
passing the summit we enter upon loose, shift
ing sand in the valleys, with low ranres Of
mountains on each side As upon the other
side OF the summit when the snow tnaws in the
spring, the water rushes through these narrow
guiches, carrying away entire sand-hills from
one place and depositing them in another
mere are many such places, and they cannot be
AVOIDED. Files, the only contrivance to remedy
loose, sandy foundation, would be of no SER
vice here because the sand is guched out in ma
ny places from 90 TO so feet or more in a sinolp
year. ifthe road should terminate in California
1t would have to cross the sink and desert. and
the former has every appearance of being cover
ed with water annually. The soil is comnosed
OF an alkaline substance, resembling saleratus,
and qulcksand. The two when combined and
thoroughly dried, become very hard and make
the fnest road ever travelled over. But when
water is applied, 1t appears to Dissolve, resembling
soit soap; and IN my opinion one would make
ABOUT rs good foundation for railroad as the
other. The desert is sandy plain without, any
stream OF water running through H. and conse-
quen'ly without grass, or any kind of vegetation.
Excepting the grass on the margins of the
streams, MISUNDERSTANDING of the country west
of the Bear River Mountains, is as utterly worth
less and destitute of vegetation as the desert it.
self. The Sierra Nevada Mountains could be-
tunneled through, though it would be a trcmen-
dous undertaking.
You may doubt the propriety of forming so
decided an opinion from only once passjng
through country In most cases. | grant. +
would be imprudent, bat if you could passed
over the plains, you would never raise a second
doubt on the subject. Most of The emgran;s are
OF my opinion. Many things convince me that
the general character of the country is not we'll
understoodin the States. For instance. proD-
osltlon has been made to Congress to build the
road TO. the land thirty miles each side of it
VI course they expect to build the road from the
proceeds OF the land For my part, not 10 be-
lievo 1t possible, that road could be so located
as 10 afford subsistence to the settlers, from the
soil, more than two-thirds OF the distance, and
much OF that would be on the narrow MARGINS of
streams along which the road might pass. II
Railroad was already completed, in the best poss-
ible manner, do not think the united means and
energies of the nation coald keep it good against
tho elements, which would tear it away as fast
as it could be built up.
remain your aiIactionate son,
S. Fl. CULVER.
Toll p. CULVER, GAINESVILLE.