The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-05-26

lJ"he III tucIcIotc never dHSWeI.-
To- oobviate the difficulty, would advis
he construction Of a second irou highwa,
designed for the accommodation Of the peo
'ic residing in the New England, middle
Atlantic, western, and northwestern
States; and ! would establish its easter,
terminus on the Mississippi, opposite Rocl
Island, or at Council Bluffs, Nebraska Ter
r'tofy, latitude II degs., 30 min, longitude
" degs., ID mn. All The prominent, rail
roads e,dng from the several New Eng
and States westward. as well AZ the saint
description Of roads in New York, Penn
ISisania, Mar, land, Michigan, and north
,ru Ohio, Indiana, aud Illinois, conuec,
with iron avenues that approach lht
south bend Of l. Ike Michigan. latitude / /
deg. 3S min. as will be seen bs reference
10 ant chart, exhibiting the railroads uuw
il use, or intended 10 be constructed in the
States mentioned. The distance from The
AXE TO the Mississippi, at Rock Island, j,
$50 miles, and to Council Bluffs 400 mite,
nj the line from The lake 10 the Missouri
Il The Bluff. Is nearly due west. LAX,
Michigan Is 6ls feet above The Aiianltc
hpck Island Is J2S feet, and the Missouri
Al The B.uHs. Is I,03I feet. A raliroae
rom Like Michigan TO Rock Island. i,
pow being constructed, and will be com
pieied III the present Year Westward
frnm Rock Island, across Iowa, TO Coubci
Butl<. corps oi engineers are now Gu
legged IN surveying and locating the route
Ii, raiir,.,d tpfa,.lHI a. ha
and prosecuted TO completion, without de
lay. That portion IT our country embrac
I'd within the 3Sth and 43d parallels o.
Borth latitude. and extending lrum the
western slope of the Allegheny moun,4in~
% the iOOth deg, Of west longitude, CON
prising within its limits The greater part
f,he granary of the Mississippi valley
| Within the territory mentioned, the sill Is
| f the most fertile character. the climate
mild and salubrous, and the region is full,
capable, Of furnishing a population OF SIX,
" millions OF inhabitants. with all The com
ITS and accessories OF life; aud aside from
It's immense agricultural resources, is
mineral wealth is Of inca C l,be value.
A railroad to the Pacific. commencing
at Council Bluffs, and following the valley
# The Platte to Briager's Pass in 1he
Rocky monutains, latitude fl degs., 32
min. longitude l0S deqs,. would ohair
! rom the region Just mentioned. sufficient
pecuniary alitnen, tn meet its current e1
pcnses aud pay remuneratlng interest on
the cost OF its construction, without includ
ing or calculating its large receipts from
passengers or freight, derived from the
,."untrv and people east OF the Allegha
nies Thl section Of The proposed grea,
lhghwa>. extending from the Bluffs lati-
lnde Al drgs, 30 min longitude 95 degs
80 mn estward io the crossing OF tht
North Fork ni The nIal'e. near Ash Hollow
,,nude III degs.. II min. longitude 10.
.rgs. would traverse the most productive
nas,oraI region Of our republic, and the
.,rrtece Of the country presents to the eye
tlm' s, perfect, level plain.
Crossing the North Fork OF the Platte a
;he pout mentioned, the proposed roat
should follow a west course across tb'
plains TO the head,waters Of Crow creek
la,. Al degs., 8 min, long. l05 degs., n
| y HIf'tf pbfIti. IL "tiIb SUNNI ibt ""f
: rail Of Captain Siansbury, and follow j
/, estward, crossing Main and Western
{ rks of Laramie creek, Frappe's creek
Il atlcsna Ike creek, Sage creek. and North
Fork Of Platte. to Bridger's PISS in TIN
Rocky mountains. lat. A degs.. 80 min
long los dsgs. IA min, at an elevation @
about 400 feet above the Atlantic. W.
have now reached the watershed, separa
L no The waters of, the Atlantic, from iho-,
Of the Pacific, and The average grade from
The Missouri, to Bridger's Pass, will not ex
ceed ten fee, per mile. Westward Of th'
pass. the road will descend gently for on
hundred fifty miles to the ieli bank OF ,h
Colorado of the Gulf, and cross the Coorn
do, near the mouth of Bitter creek, in la'
Al deg. 30 min, at an elevation ot 81
hnusand fee, above the Pacific; and theme
continuing n west course reach Fort Bird
ger. on Black Fork, lat. Al deg Is min
long. 10 deg. 80 min. The dis,nnc
from the pass 10 Fort Bridger, is two hun
dred miles and on this portion of the line
cca of superior quality, in veins OF grea
thickness, cropping out TO the snr'are. j
,, known to exist. From Council Bluffs +
. For, Bridger,a distance Of nearly tif'eer
degrees of longitude, the grades on lh
proposed road will be extremely moderat
the elevation of the Missouri at tn
: Bluffs, being, according to Nicolet, ] ,03
ieet, The pass about l,4OO feet. the Colora
DO a, the poin, of crossing. 5000 feet, an
!; Fort Bridger, probably $500 feet.
Otlhe entire feasibility of CONSTRUCTING
an iron highway from the pass TO For
! Brdger, with easy grades, Captain Stans
: bury, who carefully examined the coun,r
on his return from Salt Lake, speaks wit.
entire confidence.
This in'elIigcn, aud highly mer'oriou
officer SAYS:
"Thc grades will be easy, the brdgin
comp .ra,vely light, and, with the excep
,ion of The MUDDY, where long aud heav
!. embankmenl may be required, The cutting
: nd filings vii! be entirely within modeI
r ate limits. In no case will an incline
plane he requircd; and the ground is NOR
e rhqn usual, free from the oh lection of hlg
= and narrow canons, liable to be filed "
n obstructed with snow during the winter.
. And Captain Stansburv further assures u'
, tt,, ;,b h.. a yconti,p pf he rnuUh q