Washington telegraph., 1853-07-27
PACIFIC RAILROAD,


90, California, in reference to the construc-
ton of Railroad to the Pacific Included
in the record of the proceedings, as given
by the San Diego Herald, . is report pre-
pared by Col. j. BANKHEAD MAGRUDER,
& i. s. A, which was unanimously adopted
by the meeting.
This report enters into an examination of
the merits Of the three proposed routes from
the Mississippi
First-That from Independence, in Mis-
souri,, to the Sacramento Valley, via the
South Pass.
Second-The route from FULTON, in Ar
kansas, via Albuquerque, and through Walk
er's Pass TO San Francisco.
Thirj-That from FULTON or Shreveport,
via Ell Paso and the South Bank of the Gil
la River to San Diego
The first of these routes is summarily dis
missed as the most Objectionable of all, by
reason of its greater length between the set
tied sportions of the Atlantic and Pacific
States the uninhabited and for the most
part unproductive expanse of the country
through which it must pass and the phys
ical distractions to its outlet in the Sacra-
mento Valley. presented by the Sierra Ne
yada, which is covered in that section with
deep snow for at least four months in the
year.
The second or middle route is deemed
more feasible, but there are many natural
obstacles to the construction of the road
These are canvassed at great length in the
report The distractions of ''the pass are
said to be difficult to overcome; there are
a GREAT number of sloughs on the route, in
which herds of cattle have been known to
sink by their own weight portions of the
country are periodically inundated in the
rainy season ; there is scarcity and great
difficulty of transportation of material on
the route and the lowest elevation at which
the Sierra Madra can be crossed. North of
the ella river, is annually covered with
snow to depth so great as absolutely to OBJ
struct travel Other objections are urged
against the adoption of this route, but these
are the principal.
For the third route, it is claimed that it
has the advantage of being six hundred
miles less in distance than the proposed
middle route, while it is more practicable
than either of the others The report says:
This location is through country Of great
agricultural Importance, and immense min
eraI value. and will attract to itself the COM
merce of large portion of the mining dis
tncts of Mexico 1t will bring into immedi-
ate settlement and cultivation, not only the
rich lands of the valley of the Gila, but
those of the Colorado from its junction with
the ella to the great Canon, which are cov-
cred with fine growth of timber, and adj
mirably adapted to the production of cotton
sugar, corn, rice, tobacco, wheat, and all the
tropical fruits 1t is also well known that
on this route, gold and silver mines of great
value have already been found, and success
fully worked, and that they were only aban-
doned in consequence Of the hostility Of the
numerous and powerful tribes of Indians
who infested that region. Many valuable
mines however, are still in successful oper-
ton in the more settled parts Of the coun-
try, which is rich in other minerals besides
those above enumerated.
1t is found that the climate is mild, equa-
ble and healthy, and also that this region is
less subjected to rains than that of any other
route across the continent, while it will have
at its western terminus one of the best har-
bors on the Pacific.
The citizens of Utah, after repeated ex-
amlnations of the different routes from that
country to the Pacific ocean, with the ulti-
mate view of constructing Railroad, have
expressed their opinion in favor of that TO
San Diego, and have invited those who de-
sire to settle among them to embark for this
port, In preference to any other mode OF
reaching their destination.
The distance between San Diego and
Canton is also less than that from any other
port north or south of it on the whole Pacl-
he coast. San Diego and Canton are situa-
ted ted nearly in the prolongation of straight
line passing through Liverpool and New
ork. The distance from San Diego te
Canton is one-third less than that from Pan
ANA to Canton, and or 400 miles less thar
that from San Francisco to the same place
but the voyage from San Diego to Cantor