Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-02
Texas.

HE PACIFIC RAILRoAD.-A public dinner
was given to General Rusk, United States Sen.
ator, at Austin, Texas, on the 9Th ult, which
was largely attended by members Of the legis.
lature and prominent citizens from all parts Of
the State.
General Rusk took the opportunity to give
his opinions at large on the subject of the Pa.
cifc railroad, and develop freely his opinions
upon the practicability and mode of building it
through Texas, which he enlarges upon as the
most eligible line of route.
The train of his argument is to show that
the line near the southern portion Of the United
States. terminating in San Diego, is in every
military point of view the best for national de.
fence. 1t would moreover create the necessity
and the means for connecting San Diego with
San Francisco by coast road thus creating
line of defences better than large armies and
fleets, bringing the available forces of the Uni.
ted States within ten days of any exposed point
along the immense frontier
AS to the line within Texas Mr.. Rusk ad-
vlses that as few specific points as possible
should be named, until the general scheme is
sufficiently organized The general idea he
supports is, that it should not be begun further
north than Fulton, on Red river, and that it
should be carried as nearly as possible along
the line of the thirty-second degree of north
latitude, upon which he vouches for personal
knowledge of eight hundred miles of the route,
that there is plenty of wood and water The
land is generally well timbered, and General
Rnsk says the most fertile he ever saw in his
life.
General Rusk thus sketches his plan for the
building of the road. Texas has no accumu.
lated capital, nothing to invest; but she has a
vast amount of unappropriated lands of i'm
mt IF ryb; oh C~l IL
means of establishing connections with such
other States as have means and funds. There
are 800 miles within Texas of the line of the
most favored route.
Mr.. Rusk suggests that the State should
grant twenty sections of land to the mile to a
company contracting for the building of the
road, with authority to connect with other
routes, not designating any particular starting
point on the east, but STIMULATING that it should
not begin north of particular point, but might
commence anywhere south of it in the State.
That policy will give those who are willing to
invest capital a chance to examine and satisfy
themselves of the best starting point and route;
it will bring those at the end of that route the
connective points with other roads, to terms, in
order to secure the advantages of the connec
ton.
He proposes that the company should be re.
quutu W uepoSlG 9ZUU,UUU In the treasury OF
the State, to be forfeited in case certain
length of road is not finished within year, and
forfeiture of the charter of the road fin.
ished, and the State might require reletting to
another company, if certain length of the
road should not be finished, yearly, until the
whole was completed. These terms, he thinks,
would not be onerous to bona tide contractors
who have the means, and intend in good faith
to build the road, and not make speculation
BY the sale of the privileges.
The amount Of public land in Texas il
l02,747,0OO acres, and the appropriation he
recommends would require l0,240,OOO acres.
DE considers that the gain in the increased
value of the reserved lands would repay imme.
dately many times over the value of the land
granted. He thinks the aid of Congress can
De depended upon--we suppose by grants of
land in aid of those portions Of the road which
lie beyond the State of Texas. The United
States have no land in Texas.
General Rusk presses this subject upon the
action of the legislature Of Texas, which is
now in session. Postpone it for year, and
he fears the opportunity may be lost by the
superior exertions of the friends of other routes