The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-27

nWs"Se eeuatoi IRON Texas, General Rusk which he
approved and wished 10 published in one OF the pa
pers OF this city, TO the end ha il might meet The eve
OF members oil Congress. who celebrating on
lhat great question. therefore present il to YOU with
lhe nope thsl n may be copied into the Unioa that il
may be seen not only by members OF Congress- but re-
eeiSe more extended circulation throughout the
country
am very respectfully, your obedient servant.
LEVI II. PARISH
From the Rochester Daily Advertise.
Railroad TO the Pacific.
WAsHIsGToE, August 20.
MI EDITOR ! see in your Republican of the 18th in
saht ihdl you very properly call the attention OF your
readers TO the project of railroad 10 The Pacific This
IS an important subject and well deserving the attention
Oh 'hs people, we have long line of seacoast near
Two thousand mes) on the shores of The broad Pacific
one p,ae has already as II by magic sprung into exist
10 follow.
i these United States are hold together (Which Cpd
in His mercy grant we are destined 10 command the
trade OF The vast Pacific the Indian, and the Chinese
seas With such immense interests connecting the
fachc WIN the Atlantic States it is Indispensable
across the continent
To this end we must look for railroad the
tneni through our own territory.
You mention two rouies--the one the original route
proposed by Mr. Whitney, starting from Lake Michigan
and running westward across the Mississippi into Iowa,
thence take northwest direction, and. finding gap
through the Rocky mountains strike the Columbia
and terminate either at the mouth of the Columbia river
or still further north at Pagers sound the other south
eTn route more recently discussed starting from the Mis-
slsspp opposite Memphis, Tennessee, and running west
through the State OF Arkansas. up the Canadian river,
across the Rio Grande at FL Paso, strike the
headwaies OF the ella river pass down that stream TO its
junction with the Colorado, the latter stream, and
take due west course for San Diego on the Pacific.
There y another route proposed-that advocated by
Colonel Benton IN the Senatehe great Central Rail
starting from ST. Louis. Missouri, and running west
through the great South Pass in the Rocky Mountains,
and thence west to San Francisco.
These are the three routes Indicated None others
proposednone Others deemed practicable. These may
all be practicable but not equally feasible; for the two
northern routes will have pass through immense ranges
OF mountains; not only the Rocky FOUNTAINS, but nai
to Oregon through the Cascade mountains and that to
California through the Sierra Nevada and the coast range
OF mountains all OF whose peaks, rising to the clouds,
are covered with eternal snow
Not SO with the southern route. There we have no
formidable mountain barriers to pass. The Canadian
river takes It's rise among the mountains near the Rio
Grande on the east, while the Gla takes lis rise
near the Rio Grande the west. II is only through
the intervening space, between the head waters of
the Canadian and the ella, that we have any noun
alns at all And these not one continuous range
lof high, unbroken, but broken mountains through
which railroad might pass with gentle grade and not al
heavy expense. The whole OF The route beside from the
Mississippi to the Pacihcthat is, the Canadan down
the ella 10 It's junction with the Colorado, and thence TO
San Diego be perfect euet-not mountain, not
hill, not knoll the route 10 obstruct our path
This is moi only the smoothesi, most direct route,
where railroad could be constructed at Tar less ex
pense, but is also The shortest route by several hundred
milea, TO the Pacific This is consideration Of great
Importance the time OF transporting passengers,
freight mails, &c. throughout The line either way will
always be object OF great interest and sohcude with
the American people
| Another consideration OF immeasurabe Importance
il will always be what may be termed the route;
will be open oil The gear while either OF The other two
routes would be blocked up with among the noun
ians three four in The year. This would put
complete stop 10 The transmission OF passengers freight
mails, everything, during the winter months.
Besides, unfortunate trains might now and then,
be caught in the mountains, buried in drifts, forced
iohe by until spring-the passengers all die OF cold or
Starvation the goods and mails damaged or destroyed
would far trust my life on board OF the lated
Henry Clay lately burned the Hudson, than in train
OF cars thus situated.
Thus, then. the southern route altogether pref.
cradle 10 either OF the more northern ones, both 10
length OF line, pIactcablliy cheapncss OF consruc
lion, and the certainty OF its being always open and ready
for use, from one years end 10 another, FOREVER.
But II may be objected 10 this southern route that
rs too lar souihon the extreme southern border OF
territory, and running close the Mexican line from the
Rio Grande TO the Pacific "Why not" says the Oh
lecor "consruct northern route, If be practca.
be-at least central route, such the great central
| highway proposed by Colonel Benton, running direct
from ST. Louis San Francisco Why 80 TO the ex.
IRENE southern border Will that accommodate cit
liens nhabting district OF country two thousand miles
in extent from north TO south Why not provide for
own peoplehe great mas, OF our fellow citizens, who,
with stout hearts and lndomabe courage and perse-
veTance have emgraed or may yet emgrae, 10 the vast
regions beyond the Rocky mountains !"
But icH provide for them The sole object OF our
putting pen to paper ihe greatest good to the greatest
number"
! We have no sectional feeling God forbid should
have any, in this matter II we bad, northern birth
and education, and associations would rise UP 10 rebuke
our feeble effort IN advocating southern route by
which TO reach the Pacific We have earthly
interest whatever IN The matter except that great absorb
ing interest OF our common country both North and
South, East and West
Blu, Nature is kind and benefcen to her children Let
| US follow her teaching.
Look abroad through the continent We there all
the great ranges OF mountains running moth and south
1t is easy open thooughsres in the direction
along the valleys between the several ranges OF
in many places impossible TO the mountains from
east 10 west or from west TO east
Now lei us have one great milway-a principal trunk,
leading from the Mississippi 10 the Pacific on The route
Indicsted aad will be easy 10 construct lateral rail
ways from this main trunk, running north through all
the valleys IN all the prominent sections OF New Next
co, Utah. Oregon, and California.
As for instance, could have from the crossing
nj or near III Paso running up the Rio Gfande 10 Santa
IFe.
second wosd run up the valley OF the Colorado into
the valley OF the great Salt Lake. and extend from thence
10 the Columbia river IN Oregon.
A third would start from point the head OF the
Cult OF California and run north through the San Jose
and sacramento valleys, and thence to the mouth OF
| the Columbia IN Oregon.
| fourth would run from San Diego through Los An
gelos, Santa Barbara, Monterey, 10 San Francisco.
These need not all be constructed al once but the
waols OF the country required And when construct
ed they would accommodate all the inhabitants OF those
vast regions in sending their produce 10 market bringing
IN Their goods, and transporting the mails. all The ysar.