Democratic banner., 1851-01-06

hO1I IN N4tSStSSAPPA = Wv
the Bay of San Francisco, on the Pacific
Ocean.
Be it enacted BY the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That a
district Of territory one oundred miles wide,
and extending from the western frontier Of
Missouri to the Pacific Ocean, and cores
ponding as nearly as may be to the central
latitudes ofthe United States, together with
the revenue from lands and customs in CAL
~ifornia, Oregon, Mexico and Utah, SO far
as not required for expenditures therein.
shall be set apart and reserved for opening
communications with California, Oregon,
New Mexico, and Utah, by means of a cen
trail national highway from St. Louis to the
Bay of San Francisco, to connect with
ocean navigation in that bay, with branch
of said highway to Santa Fe, in New Mex
leo; and a branch ytothe Underwater region
of the Columbia river, so as to connect
with ocean navigation at that point, and al
so a brancIt4o the city of the Great Salt
Lake, ifsaid central highway should not in
its proper course pass that city, and a
breadth of fifty miles shall be set apart and
reserved for the location and construction
Of said branch roads respectfully.
Sec 9. And be it further enacted, That
said central national highway shall consist
of a system Of parallel roads adapted to diff
fer ent modes Of travel and transportation,
and q margin for lines of electro, telegraph
lie wires. whereof one common road and one
iron railroad shall be Immediately opened
and constructed and such other roads shall
be hereafter opened and constructed as
Congress from time to time may authorize (;
and in order that the said national central
highway may be constructed on a scale
commensurate to its importance, and adapt
ed to the wants Of present and future lime,
and in order to allow convenient space for
all the parallel lines of road which CON-
merce and travel may require thereon, a
breadth of one mile shall be allowed thro'
the reserve of one hundred miles, and the
said branch roads shall equally consist Of a
common road and ~rsilrsy, and such other
roads as Congress may from time to time
authorize and direct, with a margin for II
line of electro-telegraph wires, aud a breadth
of one Thousand feet shall be allowed thro'
tie reserve of Fifty miles for such branch
roads each, respectively and each track
for a road shall be entitled to q space Of
one hundred feet wide, and the telegraph
line to space Of one hundred feet wide, and
when finished the said iron rsilray, or ways,
shall never DO subjec, to any tell or tax be-
yond that which may be- necessary to provide
repairs,& the said common roads shallbe for
ever free from any toll or tax, and shall be
kept in travelling order by the care and ex-
pense Of the Federal Government, or the To-
cal governments, il surrendered to them.
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That
the President be authorized and requested
to cause all the authentic information in
possession Of the Government, or in its pow
er TO procure, necessary to show the prac-
ticability Of a route for said central high
way to be collected and digested into brief
memories, illustrated oy by Typographical
and profile maps, to be laid before Congress
as soon as possible; also, that he be suthori-
zed and requested to cause further serveys
and examinations to be made, and the re.
suits to be laid before Congress IS soon as
possible; and for that purpose to employ as
many citizen civil engineers as may be ne
cessary.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That
as soon as Congress shall fix upon the route
for said central highway and branches, the
President shall be and hereby is authorized
and requested to cause the Indian title to
be extinguisI,ed upon a breadth Of one hun
dred miles, to cover the ronte Of said cen
trail highway, and also TO e%xtinguish the In
dian title upon suitable breadths covering
the said branch roads; and the location end
construction Of the central highway shall
immediately be commenced, both for the
common road and the railway, and with q
force calculated to finish the common road
in one year, so as to be passible for wagons
and carriages, and the railway in ten years.
SEC. s. And be itfurther enacted, That
as soon as the said common road is finished,
the same shall be a post road, and a daily
mail carried thereon in wagons or coaches,
or sIaighs, when necessary, ct the rate Of
at least one hundred miles in twenty-foui
hours; and a daily horse mail for light letters
and printed slips, at the rate ofat least two
hundred miles in twenty-four hours.
SEC. 6. And pc it further enacted, That
as soon as said railway, or any sufficient