Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-06-16

in latitude about fdriy-two degrees north-but
two degiees north of st. Joseph, the western
terminus Of this work. From an acquaintance
with the Topography Of portion Of bis region,
and reliable information Of the whole country
bctwec1 liter place and The South Pass,i-s.o
have gdof--4,.son 10 believe that the best route
exists on the south side Of Platte river, in con-
sequence Of its numerous tributaries flowing -
from the north. This is practically deinonstrs.
ted from the fact that ninetenths of The OVER
land emigration travel that route three-rourths-,
of which pass through st. Joseph. If my pre-
misses are correct, it will be seen that only two ~
degrees of northing are required 10 approach tie
South Pass from ST. Joseph, in a distance Of ana,
thousand miles. One degree of this detection y,
is rendered absolutely necessary from the posi-
ton of Fort Kearuey,two hundred and eighty ''i
miles from ST, Joseph, which is necessarily hiss
from the Typographical features of the country,t,v
governing point in all routes going 10 the South
Pass. There is every reason to believe that
the route from St. Joseph TO The South Pass Asm
possesses superior advantages over any oiher,sss
taking into view tie topography Of the country - :
(three-fourths Of the route being surface line
nearly equivalent TO level) the direcness of =
the route: especially when we take into con.
sideraton that most important object, in the il
establishment Of this great thoroughfare, is de 10
rect communication with the Atlantic Giles,
! 1t will readily be perceived, that to carry out
tHlS OOlect, tne l1dllmOal and 81. Joseph Kall@
road occupies prominent position, having a n
due east ana west direction on the same parallel
with The great "divide" between the waters Of is
the Lakes and the Ohio river. Nor is this all;
there only remains at this time to be constructs
ed a road, now in contemplation, between Han.
ibal, the eastern terminus Of this road, and Ma
pies, on the Illinois river, Ga distance of thirty
! five mes,) to effect the connection Of this
work with the Illinois roads From Naples 10
Springfield, the capital of Illinois, Ga distance OF
htty-Seven miles road formerly called the '1
Northern Cross Railroad, is in successful ope.
ration; and from recent information it appears,
/ that the Central Railroad Company have taken
steps Tor an early extension Of that york TO De.
caur, distance Of forty-f miles where it in. q
terscctS the Central Railroad. This connection
rs inevitable; and no one can doubt that after it
takes place, the same line will be continued still
further east, until it connects with the Indiana ~
and Ohio improvements, thereby forming d.
rect communication with the eastern cites.-
And should this great thoroughrare from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific, through the South Pass, d
be constructed, um confident that the line indi.
Gated through the States Of Illinois and Indiana
:, will be pursued, as none possessing equal adj
vantages can be found. As to its drectness,
there can be no doubt; and with regard to its
comparative value | can speak advisedly, asa
large portion Of the public works Of the State Of
Illinois were formerly made under my direction
as Principal Engineer, and it was demonstrated
from actual surveys of the three roads then pro-
f iected across the State, that the Northern Cross
/ Railroad Ga division of which is now called the
: Morgan and Sangamon Railroad located gene
/ rally on tangents from ten TO sixty miles in
length, was incomparably the best, and in my
/ opinion superior to any route | ever examined.
The routes of the two Southern Cross Roads
e were found inferior, which may be inferred
from an inspection Of any map of the State, as
how hath
flowing from the north, consequently presenting
very interior profile in pursuing even an APP.
Proclamation TO direct course. The prolonga-
I ton east Of the route before menoned-viz, the
4 Northern Cross Railroad through the States Of b
t Indiana and Ohio, is in high degree favorable
I TO economy Of construction and transportation.
: OF the value of this portion of the route have
been enabled TO form an estimate from personal
r observations From the Wabash west to the
S Mississippi, my conclusions are derived from
, the results of instrumental examinations made in
&; the survey Of a route from the Wabash west 10
i the Vennion river, in 1885, and in the Local
tion of the Northern Cross Railroad, from the
= Nermillion TO the Mississippi, in 1897. From
$ these results il is ascertaincd that the average
maximum net load Tor n 20 ton engine on the
entire route from the Mississippi TO the Wabash,
: will be 2l0 tons; and on the same line from the
= Wabash east through the States Of Indiana and
= Ohio, the topography Of the country apparently
r sanctions the assumption of 200 tons as the av-
d crage load on the route through these States
4 With the above facts before us, there is good
r reason 10 believe that the average load on the en-
= tire route from st. Joseph to the Atlantic Cities
will not fall short of the average load on the
Hannibal and St. Joseph road, viz, 1877 tons
f On the route adopted from Kansas to ST. &
r Louis, the average maximum load is reported 10 q
= TO be | II tons, for the same weight of engine.
:, To take this as the average load from Kansas 10
: New York, via St. LOUIS and Cincinnati is pro-
!, baby fair estimate, when we take into consid-
t Grafton that the route crosses numerous tributa.
e ries Of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, in pass
= ing through the States of Illinois, Indiana and
n Ohio. The difference in distance and in the
probable cost of construction is apparently very =
a great between the two routes, as the route from
e St. Joseph TO the Atlantic, east of the Wabash
S river, follows the divide between the waters Of
d the Lakes and the Ohio river, as before remark
s ed. For the purpose Of enabling the Board
j. more fully TO appreciate the value of direct
;, and favorable communication, will endeavOr TO
c show, approximately, the comparative value Of
e the two entire routes. To do this, | take the
n Hannibal and St. Joseph line, end the adopted
e route from Kansas to St. Louis as the standards
: throughout their grades, distance, and cost, res
IS pectively.
n From ST. Joseph to New York, the
it measured distance will be 100 miles, Ia
: kfGe.lre re Tad as the standard Of the prob
ii able increase over mir fines fran Doint to-