Washington telegraph., 1852-06-23
New Plan for a Railroad to the
Pacific.

New Plan for a Railroad to the
Pacific.
The following article is taken from the
Caddo Gazette, and we commend it to the
careful investigation of all who are friendly
to the great cause of internal improvements,
which have already produced such astonish-
ing results in this country, and by means of
which, an entire revolution may be brought
about in the commerce and social relations
of the civilized world. If we are not great
ly mistaken, this plan for Pacific railroad
as proposed by the Hon. T. Butler King,
will be found free from every well found
ed objection. 1t is by far the simplest plan
we have yet seen, and its simplicity is no
small recommendation. Every one can
readily understand it. 1t opens no door for
frauds or speculations, at the expense Of the
government or the people. Nothing is ask
ed of the government but it's naked guaran-
tee, so as to inspire confidence among pri-
vatc capitalists We presume no one will
doubt that such a guarantee will readily
command one hundred millions or even
twice that sum, if necessary, at six per cent.
The gain to government will be immense,
and to the people and country at large, al
most incalculable. The merits of this plan
appear to us so obvious, that we think it
should be urged upon the attention of Con-
gress without delay. But we proceed to the
article: / Marshall, (Iero) Patriot
2 CALIFORNIA ENTERPRISE.
The people of California, the youngest
State in the Union, and which has happily
been called the Benjamin of the family of
States, are wide awake to their interest, and
are discussing the expediency of organizing
a line of steamers to China and constructing
railway from San Francisco to connect
with the railways now in progress from the
Atlantic cities to the valley Of the Mississip-
pi. A committee of citizens have address
ed a communication to the Hon. L. Butler
King, asking his views in relation to these
projects The reply of Mr.. King is exceed
ingly interesting, and his views, though
novel, seem to be entirely feasible. In re-
ference to the ways and means by which
this immense line of road, costing $60,O0O,-
600, is to be built, his schemes strikes us as
being plausible and rational. Discarding
the often mooted plan of grant of public
lands bordering the route-an issue Of one
or two hundred millions of Government
stock, or sale Of the gold region, and the
application of the proceeds to work-he
submits the following scheme "Let the
Government order an immediate survey Of
the routes supposed to be practicable, and as
soon as the location shall have been made,
offer guarantee for forty years Of SIX per
per cent. per annum of the cost Of the road
to take effect on the completion Of the work.
This done, the road will be made within the
shortest possible period of time, and the
Government will never be called on to pay
one dollar. The number of persons COM
ing to and going from California amount to
an average Of about sixty thousand per an
mum. at cost of not less than three hundred
dollars each, which makes a sum total OF
eighteen millions of dollars, as the annual
expenses of the emigration to and from this
State This does not of course, include
the transportation of merchandise, which
must amount, by the present route, to
very large sum.-There cannot, it seems to
me, be a doubt that the receipts of the road,
when completed, will be at least twenty mil
lions per annum. If we allow one half for
repairs and expenses, there will remain ten
millions for dividends-or sixteen and a
half per cent. on sixty millions the estima-
ted cost of the work If the road shall,
contrary to all reasonable calculation, cost
one hundred millions, there would still be a
dividend of ten per cent. per annum This
would be sufficient for capitalists, and protect
the Government. Tie Government now
paws more than eleven hundred thousand
dollars for the semi-monthly transportation
of the mail by steamers, via Isthmus OF Pan
anna. For tri-weekly or daily conveyance
of the mail, on railway, the transportation
of troops, Government officers agents and
munitions of war, the Government could
well afford to pay three million six hundred
thousand dollars per annum, which would
be the interest, at six per cent per annum,
on the estimated cost of the road, $6O,OOO,-
600. The Guarantee Of six per cent. interest
on the cost of the work should be made for
the consideration that the mails, Govern
ment officers, and munitions of war should
be conveyed on the road, during forty
years, free of costs. So that if the plan be
we'll founded, that the road will pay an in
terest of at least six per cent. per annum
the Government will, during the forty years,
save more than one hundred and forty mil
lions of dollars, by simply making the guar
antee
This plan obviates all objections which
have been urged against other schemes and
combines the credit and power of the Gov
ernment with the energy, skill, capital and
economy Of individuals.
CALIPoRNIA-Both the South and the