The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-06-09
RAILROAD 70 THE PACIFIC.

i AAAA0VAO ~ AAG KAVAkAV.
] Areview ofthe able article we published
fortnight since upon the above subject, from
the pen of s. II. FISHER, Esq, of Philadel
phia, has been handed us for publication
We omit such portions as are verbatim from
that article and refer the reader, precise witt
regard to data, back to the Gazette of the Goth
lult. A
The following extract is from all acconpa.
nying letter ofthe author:-"Dear Sir:-Ihc
editor of the ssNews" has reviewed my com
mAnic ationin the Washington Union of the
tb in favorofa Railroad via the Platte Val
~ and FortBridger to the Pacific. Here
with you will receive a copy Of the review
mentioned. The Siberian route from the
Falls of st. Anthony to Puget's sound, will
prove visionary, wild and impracticable.
| We noticed day or two since commune
cation which appeared in the Washington
Union, and which we attributed to the pen Of
our townsman Samuel II. Fisher, Esq, urg-
ing the construction Of two Iron Highways
to the Pacific, the one to commence at the
Mississippi in one of the South western
States, and following the route indicated by
Senator Gwin, and the other taking its start
at Council Bluffs. We had not the requisite
!, space then to give the details of the latter
route. or any of the reasons advanced by him
in its support This we propose now to do
briefly.
Mr.. Fisher sets out with the declaration,
which we conceive to be undeniablc, that the
portion OF country, embraced within the 3Sth
and Add parallels of north latitude, and ex-
tending from the western slope of the Ale
ghany mountains. to the Tooth deg. of west
longitude, comprises within its limits, the
greater part the granary of the Mississippi
valley. Within the territory mentioned, the
soil is of the most fertile character, the eli
mate is mild and salubrious, and the region is
! fully capable of furnishing population Of
sixty millions of inhabitants, with all the
comforts and necessaries Of life; and aside
from its immense agricultural resources, its
mineral wealth is OF incalculable value.
He proposes therefore, to constructs sec
ond Iron Highway, from Council Bluffs, fol-
lowing the valley Of the Platte to Brdeer's
Pass in the Rocky mountains, latitude II deg
| 80 min. longitude 1913 deg. To reach the
great basin at Utah Lake, from Fort Bridger,
he adopts the recommendation of Capt.
Stansbury, and says the road, should follow
up the valley of Blacks Fork, thence across
Bear river, and follow that stream up until it
approaches the head of one of the branches
of Weber river: thence cross to Weber, and
70 low the valley of Weber, to Camas prairie;
thence cross the prairie to the Timpanogos,
and descend the latter river to Utah Lake.
From this point. he would follow the Wasach
chain, from Utah Lake, southwestward, tra-
yersinr the M~-.a -~..l0n'eiIts 70 La cSds
DC Santa Clara, and thence still continuing a
southwest course, until it reached the line OF
Senator Gwinn's road, near latitude 80 deg
i 80 MN, at which point, it would turn to the
west and continue west course through
/ Walkers Pass, to the valley OF San Joaquin,
! Ifthat portion Of the great basin lying be-
/ tween the southwestern extremity OF Utah
/ Lake and Walkers Pass, should after care
! ful reconnaissance, be found not wholly ster-
| lie, he thinks it probably would be preferable,
to cross the basin at the head of Utah Lake,
and unite with Senator Gwirn's road; at the
eastern mouth of Walkers Pass.
Ofthe practicability of this route he has
no doubts. From Council Bluffs to Fort
Bridger, distance of nearly fifteen degrees
of longitude. the grades would be extremely
moderate-the elevation ofth Missouri at
: the Bluffs being according to Nicollet, 1884
feet, the Pass about 7i0o feet, and the Color
ado at the point of crossing 5000 feet, and
Fort Bridger, probably $500 feet.
This route would, as proposed by him, fol
low the Platte river valley for $50 miles. and
but five streams of any considerable size,
from the Bluffs to Fort Brdger, would re-
quire bridging. From the south bend CT
Lake Michigan to Fort Bridger, in Utah Ter
ritory, distance of $50 miles, the line indi-
Gated, would not dchect more than forty miles,
from due west course. That perfectly
practicable route exists on the trace men
toned from Fort Brdger to Utah Lake, with
out resorting to inclined planes. ne can
entertain no doubt. and "when once the level
of the basin is attained, the road, either north
or south, appears to be OPEN" The distance
from Utah Lake to Walkers Pass Is less
than 500 miles. Utah Lake is in latitude
40 deg. longitude ll2 deg, and its elevation
above the Pacific 4,l00 feet.
Eastward of Council Bluffs to the south
bend of Lake Michigan, the prominent points
on the line intended to be cut by the railroad
| from the Bluffs, to Davenport, and also those
on line of the Rock Island, Ottawa, La Sale,
and Chicago Railroad, have the following
geographical positions: Council Blufis' lat.
Al deg. 80 min: Crossing Desmoines river,
lat Al deg. 80 min: Davenport, lat Al deg.
80 min; Rock Upland, Illinois, lat. A deg. 81
min.: Ottawa, lat. Al deg Is min.; South
Bend, Lake Michigan, lat. Al deg. 80 min;
and this chain ofiron, leading to all the prom
inent Atlantic cites, would connect with the
contemplated iron highway to California
and Oregon. via the valley of the Platte, at
! Council Bluffs Immense us would be the
trade and travel thus brought upon 1t, ne
thinks it would obtain from the grain grow,
Il ing region of the Mississippi, first described
by him, to which we have referred, sufhclcn'
pecuniary aliment to meet its current eN-
penses and pay remunerating interest on
the cost ofits construction, without including
or calculating its large receipts from passen,
gers or freight, derived from the country ahd
people east ofthe Allcghanies.
Besides these considerations there are
Others noticed by him, to few OF which we
have now barely room to refer. The section
ofthc road extending from the Bluffs, lat. Al
der. 30 min, lon. 80 deg. 80 min, westward
TO the crossing Of the North Fork OF the
Platte. near Ash Hollow, lat. deg II mln.
lon. lo2 deg, would traverse the most pro-
ductivc pastoral region the Repuphc, from
the Pass to Fort Bridger, distance OF near