The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-16
CONGRESSIONAL.
REMARKS OF M :. owN,
OF cALIfoRNIA

present gave notice that would Introduce the
bill under consideration for the construction ot
railroad unite the Atlantic and Pacific roGties OF the
republic. and which, with lis branches shall reach from
The great inland OF the North and the forty ninth
parallel 10 the Gull Of Mexico, and the twenty fourth
degree OF north latitude. !.
For advances in civilization the age in which we live
is without parallel IN The history OF the world, and yet
il continues be etnneniiy progressive. The human
mind, not content with ils astonishing tumphs in every
department OF natural science, and in the uaran ants
is still exerling its ceaseess and wonderworking
gies further uniod the secrets of Nature and
apply every newly discovered principle IN her Kingdom
that may aid in asserting the triumph OF mind
Public opinion, enlightened BY the extraordinary
discoveries OF The last quarter OF century Is abandon
ing enterprises which previous age had regarded a.
works OF advanced civilization.
The old post horse and posl-chaise system OF travel
and mail communication is abandoned The country
track has yielded 10 the turnpike and tram road. willis,
these in giving way 10 the railroad
system, which. not wiihstanding the progress il has al
ready made yet destined 10 produce results 10 the well
being OF society, moral, mental and poiiticato effect
revolution in great agricultural and manufacturing
interests, trade, domestic and foreign that is i'm
possible for Imagination TO estimate or predict
The enighiened nations OF Europe, as well as Amer-
ca are pressing forward in this march OF improvement
The spirit Of the age demands the utmost OF human en-
science natural obstacles vanishing rocks are exca-
waited, mountains two, or pierced at ther bases
valleys are eveled up rivers spanned and mnd acting
upon mind is now striving effect discoveries TO
hasten the speed OF the sieam-engne and obtain sll
greater triumphs in the rapidty OF transit and facilities
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is
pierced and nlesec,ed in directions by the
improved ways. and the iron horse glow ing
der his fiery impulse, Is there speeding his way by day
and by night al The rate OF twelve hundred miles IN TWEEN
ty-fodr hours. The governments Of Belgium, France
Prussia, Austria RUSSIA and Italy, alive 10 the i'm
portance OF securing 10 their people the benefits of rap
id transit and nsercomnuncatlon, and are steadily
pushing forward the great work OF road reformation ;
whilst Span and the Sublime Porte, have become
aroused 10 the importance OF the subject. a ...-
And what have own citizens done in this respect
by means OF individual enterprise and State assistance
We have in The north the Albany Buffalo, and Boston
routes the New York and Erie, the Michigan Central
and Southern then in The middle States have the
Pennsylvania Central the Baltimore and Ohio, The Gin
cinnali and 81. LOUIS the southern States the Nir
pinia and Tennessee, the Cincinnati and Tennessee, the
Alabama Tennessee, the Gulf and Western Atlantic
the Central Georgia and Macon, with various branches
direct and lateral running 10 and from the Atlantic the
great lakes, and towards the gulf coast and the Mis-
sisspp river. besides the great Mobile and Olio and
The Illinois Cenua! railroad the lasl Two forming one
chain running from the Gulf of Mexico the SOUTH
Lake Michigan the north, and the others taking the
direction generally IRON east 10 west
These routes actual and in progress will form mag
nifcent work OF railways, stretching from Augusta
the capital OF Name, the extreme northeastern State ol
this Union. through New Hampshire, Vermont Massa-
chusets, Rhode Island, Connecncut. New York. New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia,
North and South Carolina, Georgia into FLORIDA, through
Alabama, into Mississippi 10 Louisiana. through Ono
Michigan Wisconsin. indiana. illinois, Kentucky and
Tennessee and generally having their ermni on or near
the Mississippi river.
The extent of railroads now actually made may be
down nj upwards of twelve thousand miles, almost equal
10 the extent OF those in the whole European world
whilst the progress about twelve thou
sand nine hundred miles, making length already I'm.
ished equal about half the circumference o the globe
and with those under way equal to Its whole cncum-
ference. ST.. .. ...
The surface Of the American Union, thus improved by
railways is situated between the Atlantic ocean and the
Mississpp river or the meridans OF nine degrees east
and nineteen degrees west longitude from Washington
extending from the twenty fifth TO the ninth de,
ob,act tvpn 1t
longitude and twenty five degrees OF latitude
These giant enterprises, The most astonishing on rec
ord have been undertaken and are carried on upon an
invested capital, according 10 the returns. OF
Se72 ITO Oo0, and without dollar from the national
treasury We, with libsraliy the part OF Com
rress IN donations OF land The sphere OF these opera
tons embraces OF ei6052 square miles, or $751;
633 $50 acres with huspnc coast OF 1900 miles, and
Gulf coast OF COO miles, from lhe southern cape
of Florida to the mouths OF The Mississippi ..
This s what the energy oil the American people has
done, developing The reDarksbe aci that IN this great
interviewer chain o iron railways lhey have, as wete
been moved by mind and purl ose of stretching
these routes mountains. valleys, and rivers, from
the Atlantic the the lakes on the north, TO the
Great West: aud this they have accomplished With
perseverance, against apparently the most nsurmoun,able
obstacles. and with an outlay OF capital without par
allel
Now LEI To another side OF The picture and see
what be done carry out the great design Of
the American people in this system OF mproy oyenent We
find that The surface yet be improved by railroads is
situated between the Mississippi river and the Pacific
seven degrees of west long ude iron Washington ex
tending from the twenty. sixth degree iory-ninh
degree oil north latitude embracing the States OF Mis-.
sonri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Iowa, Texas, California
and the Territories OF Minnesota, Utah, New Mexico
Oregon, Nebraska, the old northwestern and Indian Ter
riories, covering surface OF 2,3i3,5O2 square miles
or i4g9 Sal 2S0 acres. with seaboard the Pacific oil
l,620 miles, and gulf coast The south of about coo
miles from the mouths OF the Mississippi westward, in
cudg the southern coast OF Louisiana and Texas. Over
this portion OF bound empire, having coast
ocean, and gulf oil 2 900 mes, and being thlrs of
the whole territorial extent OF the American Union, and
the government OF the Uni,et States baa done rompsa-
lively nohlng, whilst citizans. out OF their own
sources, have accomplished 80 much IN that region OF
our country east oi the hissi, spp and, have al.
ready shown, al a cost approaching 500 100000.
- now bring before The Senate project by which il IL
proposed that the government shall Ils part in ha great
work OF sssbshng petpsnaai aal enduring route OF
land communication between ocean fron,,srl The
plan proposed requires that the main trunk of grea
Pacific railway system shall commence al San Francisco
in California, and passing around The snniheTn arm OF
the bay OF Francisco, through Santa Clara San jose
and in northeast direction across The coast range OF
mountains, through storston, to point nearly south of
the source of the Sianislaus rvaS, ihenee along the
"fool hills" OF The Sierra Nevada range aud east OF the
San joaquin and Lake Tuares, 10 point deslgna-
ted on The map as sWsker's Pass" thence easiwatdy
on, and the parallel OF % deg OF north antnde, TO
2uni, In longitude % deg west across the Sierra Madre
are wagon roads in use, to Albuquerque Town on
The east fork OF The Rio Grande and continuing east on
saI parallel to point about thirty hive miles souh oi
Santa Fs, in the meridian OF ~ deg OF west longlufr
from Washington thence southeasteTy TO the source oi
Red river ana aDng the left north hank ~ sad yer