The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-03-10

investments IN the great lines of communication be
tween the remote points in our Coniederacy Cali
forn'a ana Australia continue to pour their solde
tribute into the money circulation Of the world upti
there threatens TO be a plethora of wealth every
where. All kinds Of stocks are unprcced,ptedlv no
IN the market and millions OF treasure lies dornan
In the banking Establishments Of the large cities read,
70 De employed whenever opportunity offers re-
pear, therefore, that the present time is most nroo
tious ior originating the great railroad projects which
are 10 BIND together the different portions OF the Tn
ion.
With these few remarks in conrec,;on with The
general subject, beg leave dwell fr short time
upon the features of Pacific railway PROPOSED 10 be
constructed, also Of the bill seek 10 INTRODUCE. and
"i another upon your calendar, the three being int;
ihaieiy Connected with each other. i have peruscd
with much pleasure, Mr.. Chairman, the details O.
tbc scheme introduced by honor able Senator from
CaiiiornIa, Mr. Gwin,l for uniting the waters Of
the Pacic ocean and the Mississippi river by moaus
oi a railroad. That such IA communication mus, be
made very soon, can doubt " ho reflects uDoD
The necessity that exists for its immediate consrue-
'on ana the FAVOR with which the proec, is received
IN AL parts OF the country. The integrity of the
Republic may depend upon that great link in the
cna'n which Is now wanting 10 complete the union
Of our eastern and western extremes. There may
wei exist Al honest difference Of opinion in Congress
as to the best mode 10 effect that desirable object bu
IL Is TO I've hoped that the whole energies Of the M
ton may be devoted to bring the work TO speedy
conclusion, and IN manner the least calculated 10
entail uture evils npon Us, by the creation Of huge
landed monopoiies.
lhe proportion Of the Hon. Mr.. Gwin embraces
several branches oi railroad connect Ted with the main
trunk om Memphis, Tennessee, 10 San Francisco.
tnese branches to terminate sevelal'y at ST. Louis
Missouri; Dnouque, Iowa; New ORLEANS, and at
haiagoda Bay, Texas, and a western branch 70
terminate st Fort Nisqually. in Oregon. lie esti-
mates the distance from Memphis San Francisco,
oy the vale. OF the Red river and Walkers Pass al
TWO thousand miles; and the aggregate lcns.h Of the
branches at three thousand hundred and fifteen
ihsieS--n All, five thousand hundred and flteen
hiieS; snt that an approp, iaiion Of ninety seven
n'hions hive handred and ;hlry->iX thousand acres CT
id"o' which, at the minimum pice Of the Iublic
lands, would be equal to S>l2l 900 900, be made bv
the Government TO cunst uc these four tn housand fnur
hundred nies Of ,ailrcad, (excldng the Texas
olanch) assuming that the cost would not exceed
S21 200 per mile, which has hitherto been the aver
aye oi the railways al eady built. This is indeed
gigantic project, and requires he weighed wei! be-
lore it becomes law Of the land. il my Judgment
the main trunk should first be constructed, (he
mini To be at the most favorable and convenient
ronis,) without embarrassing the scheme with the
proposed lateral branches. These will follow in
course OF time, when the requirements Of COM
nerce and travel shall deman these additional
aids,
Another route 10 the Pacific, which seems not TO
have received much attention in the discussion Of the
question, and which must, sooner later be resorted
to Tor a railway communication, is that from the
head Of Lake Superior to Puget's Sound, in Oregon.
The distance betv those places, dverIiDg at
point to avoid the North Fork Cf the Missouri ,vcr
Is only thousand four hundred and ten milk
while the country, far is known is rema,k klblv
avo able for railroads. Two sing ranges cf noun
tains alone - be aversed, and the thruun
them are probably practicable than those hy
other route. The lower extremity Of Puget Sound
ana the head Of Lake Superior, almost precisely
a e. %
So that the course between them Is directly ana
west, save where the would be required, rs
have before stated 10 avoid two crossings OF the
North Fork of the Missouri river. The passage oi
the first mountains effected, the vailcv CEk'-
Fork Of the Columbia river presents the eligible
track Tor railroad, down TO the dehle through the
western range nearest 10 FoIt squally, on Pu-st's
Sound which is doubtless the best terminus Oh the
waters Of the Pacific in the Territory OF Oregon. II
may be objected that the in those high atit,les
will impede prevent the passage of railroad
tor months III the year. To what extent this
is well founded, do pretend TO know. but the
snow decreases We proceed westward, there is in
my judgment, no more reason TO apprcheud difficulties
from that source than the other proposed
to California, which must necessarily traverse the
Rocky Mountains proper, the Sierra Nevada, and
the coast range. some Of which are covered with per-
lpeual SHOWS. Whatever may be the facts in the
Case, glance at the map must convince every man
that tl.e the parallel Of 46ao north is far
|, its character, and the distance
least five huu,il cd miles shooter, than bv either of
the Others Contemplated. 1t should be horne in mind
also, that ships bound from San Francisco 10 the
East Indies mp tie Oregon coast for several hun
dred miles that being the most direct course, So that
SIP much Of distance would I've saved by enabling those
ships on their return trips, 10 discharge their
goes at Fot Nisquay. The overland trade will
naturally seek the most direct route from New ioik, ,
the commercial metropolis of the Union. to the Pa
lcifc ocean, and The one which vii! diminish the dis
lN
mercc Asia, thousand miles more, must event
,uav. il in aoy wise ract,cabie lie preieir above
all others. il is highly desirable that proper sxp!nr
aiions Vi scientific character should deteI mIne The
Irelatiye and demerits OF each Of the proposed
routes, and trust that Congress will at this session
authorize such to be made.
The line oi railroad from Pembina, in Minnesota,
TO New Orleans, will, VIXEN constructed. bsoct any
or all Of the contemplated routes from the Mississippi
To the Pacific aud add much to the commerce which
" Ill bc carried on by their in>,lumentaliiy he rc-
yon be tavcrsed > Of all others on this Continent
the most favorable for such enterprise There.
YOU have neither mountains hills TO penetrate, bat
a continuous, level prairie, with few interruptions,
invites you 20 open a line of communication north
and south, through nearly twenty degrees ct latitude
Of yonr itory, which, IN point of ciliiv ard
mineral wealth, has no equal m the verdi 1hIs
immense region is accessible to the settler Only
at Few points remote from each other, where the
western pass through II to JOIN The Mississippi
The distance from Pembna, in the AZ noI th latitude,
situated on the Red river Of the North. TO roint
opposite New Orleans, by direct coursc, rs fitecn
hundred miles. BY adding twenty per cent. fo'
necessary de, ations and defec,inns, the ensth OF
the ue of raill Dad between them would bc Increased
TO eighteen hunded miles, Of which 1--WE hundred
and ten would be IN Minnesota. two hundred ard
seventy IA Iowa, three hundred and hiy IN Mssoo',
three hundred in Arkansas, and three hundred ana
seventy in louisiana The contemplated branch to
ST. Anthony may be safely estimated n, eighty i:'les
thus making the course Of the aIlroad IN NJ Minne-
sofa five hundred and ninety miles long, and tho
whole distance one thonsand eight hundred and
eighty mixes To aid IN the construction of this
great wok, my bill proposes that there shall be
granted the alternat' scctlons for ten mies on Fach
side of the road, which wonld give to
Minnesota. ID, to,VVo ''''N''
Iowa ,725 900 ''
Missouri ri............22 2i0,0O0
/ Arkansas. u ,S<V,VVo
/ Louis lana. .....-.,.,.,., .E,oDc,Uoo y
| Making together IL, ,O32,OOO acres
which at the present price Of the public lands, would
i,c 4 ! 0{l the the contribution OF