Washington telegraph., 1853-09-07
PACIFIC RAILROAD,
Interesting and Important Letter from Cap
tain Marcy

Tain marcy.
SIR In compliance with the request of
several delegates to the Convention about to
assemble at Memphis, | am induced to offer
the following remarks upon the subject of a
Pacific Railway:
This subject, which is one os os -o-eminent
and absorbing interest to the mercantile
world, and is probably destined to produce
greater revolution in commerce than any
other scheme that has been originated In
modern times. viii undoubtedly occupy
prominent position among the subjects that
viii be submitted to the consideration of the
Convention
Having for several years past given this
matter my attention, by collecting facts from
personal observation, and from others, trust
that the information herein communicated
will not be regarded by the gentlemen of
the Convention as wholly without interest.
The gigantic project of connecting the
..!. ;-;,.i -;,.i t,e l great Naticn-
al Railway is advocated by all parties and
sections of the United States, all agreeing
in the opinion that it should and will be car
ried into effect at no very distant period
The chief obstacles that seem to be present
ed at the present time are those which arise
from local feeling and interest. In the Sc
ton there are several considerations which
it is manifest, should bear upon the issue.
In the first place, it should be located
upon the most central and direct feasib BILE
route or that one which will subserye the
views and interests of the greatest number
of our ciliEens. In the second place, the
distance between the termnl. materials
found for the construction and maintenance
of the road in the district through which it
would pass, as well as the topography and
general physical geography OF the country
along the route, are among the items which
would have an influence in the determlna-
ton of the question In the third place, L
conceive it to be highly important that
route should (if possible) be selected where
the transit would not be obstructed by deep
SHOWS Upon the route which passes the
the Great Salt Lake, and indeed upon all
the routes which cross the range Of the "Si-
ezra Nevada" Mountains, the snow lays
upon the ground for great portion OF the
year.
twill be seen, therefore, if we admit the
practicabilty of constructing a Rall road
through country exceedingly rugged and an
mountainous for several hundred miles, like
that upon the routes which pass the Sierra
Nevada mountains, that in consequence OF
the deep SHOWS it.could only be made use
Of during a part Of the season. In EVIL
dence of this, | have been informed by two
gentlemen of intelligence and undoubted
veracity, that in the month of August they
encountered snow from twenty to hfty feet
deep in these mountains upon the continual
ton of the South Pass route.
The most Jealous champions OF this route
appear to have abandoned the idea OF Its
practicability for a railway. and as the ell
mate and general features OF the coutry
north of the South Pass are OF such char
acter as to preclude the probability OF md
ing suitable pass through the mountains
In this direction they are now seeking lor
route further south. Up to this time
there has not, to my knowledge, been any
we'll authenticated information OF route
which would admit the passage OF a wagon
between latitude so degrees and the valley
OF the ella river am aware that seVeral
mountain men have given accounts OF pas
ses within these limits, but, SO far as an
concerned, l should, in the absence OF TUT
ther evidence, exercise great caution =, y
giving credence to such Statements. 1n'
representations of some Of these men ma!