The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-16

limitations, can longer be considered open question,
after The various and repeated grants heretofore made
Indeed grants of public lands for public and for
poses Of internal improvements, are almos coeva with
Of Louisiana the lands held by the general
had been ceded by several Of the States for specific pur
poses vet grants have made thererom for public
for this great work would be much less liable
to objections because the lands to be granted we're OBJ
tanned by purchase without condition. the purpose
which they would be applied is Of peners and national
mpor wanted by the general government to carry
the mails and for the transportation Of armies and their
supplies The expressly granted to dispose OF and
make all needfu rules and regulations respecting the
territory and other property of the United States 10
and post roads, to Isise and support armies aud
to provide for the defeo 20, the whole
contracts for the carrying of the mails and for the
tIansPcr taton of troops and their suppes aud pay
vent may be made in land as Wen as in money Many
objections made to the bills before tina Senate at the
last session. Although some opposed copstttu
ticrs grounds YET the greater number of objections
fTIed rather to the details than to the power to make
such grants 1t is useless for to attempt to lay before
this enlightened assembly the immense advantages to be
derived from the structiop of this great work. they
must be apparent to all 1t would to that
reent unbiased who has studied the history OF
his country CT commerce. arc Of railroads. must
the conclusion that is the most important work. for the
purposes Indicated Of the The next point as to the
feasible and best that be travelled at all
This question il OF great i'm portance and
presents difficulty because Of the clashng Of local
and local ealousies but like other questions in
viii be CON promised perceive by the public prints that
the appropriation made by Congress at the last ses
survey several routes in order to ascertain the prac
tcal-one under Gov. Stephens to examine the route
The Columbia river; second, under Lieut. Whpge to
the route from Memphis and Vcksbnrg by Fort Smith
and Albuquerque to Walkers Pass the Sierra Nevada
. third TO examine the Paciic side, and meet Lieut.
Whipple at Walkers pass the fourth to examine the
middle route Iwish that the survey of another route
because am Of opinion from the best information that
have able to collect that it will prove to be the
eligible. The intense cold and deep present
objections northern
proposed perceive, By an extract from St. Louis
house of Pierre Chotesu Co had Just returned from
the upper Missouri md reported that the cold
intense in the middle OF April last that we're
dead upon their feet The route from Fort Sm IN to Al
buque,que Is nearly The pursued by Capt. Marcy,
in his Reconnaissance years since which he de-
Statistical and Geogra phica Socety-as being broken,
and passing through that great North American desert
ing about 400 miles between the parallels Of north lati
tude 80 80 and SO 20in some places 200 miles wde-em
tnde it is of pathless tackess desert prairie
where the voice Of man is seldom heard and where
SERGE Of water causes s animals to shun t-syen the
Inoans do not venture to it except two places
where they find few small ponds The Arkansas Cana.
dian, Brazos, Colorado and Peros rivers have their
lands, where they make their exit from this
plateau their beds confined to vast s,uces canons
the sides Of which rise very abruptly to the
height Of eight hundred fest He that he has passed
through four different These features present
obstacles Of magnitude but il is possible they may
overcome or route found that viii avoid most Of them
cnmrsuvp0 sen.to, OWNS biz spnear. to me to he
prefer ble although of0pnion that far better route
will be found through the northern part Of Texas cross
ing the Red river Fulton and following pretty
nearly the route followed by Capt Marcy his return
nossaDce years since which he describes be-
prairie and timber land, and ab5uneng with clear spring
branches for two hundred miles, The soil cannot be
passed for fertility Again he says-'Our road passes
uniformly level ground crossing mountains or
deep valleys and for five hundred miles, the eastern
extremity, through the heart Of country possess
ing CREST natural advantages. There few difficult
ties to encounter as any other route that can be found in
country 1t would appear to have been designed BY
the great ehitect of the Universe for railroad From
Il Iaso to Red river is about seven hundred miles. !
conceive this to be decidedly the best overland wagon
route to California, for several IT. be
travelled at any time The grass remains green
during, the entire winter, II would form direct
c6c BY several hundred miles than any other.n
BY that route the main trunk to Memphis will be about
the same as that laid down in the map with Senator
OWNS bin whist the branches 10 St Louis AID Du-
buque would be little if longer, ard the Branches to
vicksburg and New Orleans may possibly oe little
shorter This route will however, be liable to the objec
ton that through the sovereign State Of Texas
where the United States land. But will not Texas
give its sssent, and make as LIBERAL grant as the
United States? think that such will be the
it is undoubtedly the best route because it viii traverse
as fne an agricultural country any in the United
States and the others must through desert country
in part can give the Assurance that the branch -
extension Of the New orIesns Opeousas, and Great
Western Railroad now IN tbs Of construction viii
form junction. A ccnf has been formed to
sruct that road from New Orleans to the Texas line
ostarce Of about $40 miles, about four millions six hun
dfed and sixty thousand dollars of stock, including
million two hundred thousand dollars by the State has
been subscribed about four hundred thousand of which
ba been paid IN ten miles of the road is completed forty
lies graded sud the iron the spot to be laid down
that distance contracts have been made to grade and
lay down The rails, 173 miles to Washington, beyond
ther with the locomotives has been ordered and
is expected 10 he finished in January, 1854 that point
passing through rich agricultural section Of the State
hrpn IN Vtekg hnrnv ntahu ho rahc. and
should Congress be liberal towards Louisiana for that
branch towards Arkansas and Missouri that road also
at map it will be perceived that he very point
from the Mississippi to the Pacific is from vicksburg Ac
distance to San Francis co is 925 miles, from Memphis
600 miles, frsm New Orleans, 2 $50 miles and from ST.
distance to New Orleans will be 4O5 miles to vcssburs
$50 miles, TO Memphis 255 miles. From all three Of these
points direct by railroad with the South
Atlantic States will soon be in operation hope and trust
that there those syou here present. who will
live to see this erent work accomplished ana to
great charges in this valley have within short
life. When first descended the Mississippi, ffty.two
years ago, (aDd although then young, have vivid
Rec lection Of the scenery there xsa not white in
10 vicksburg. then called the Walnut Hills and New
Madrid and Little Prairie just below the site of this
whole valley contained but few thousand souls; its
whole productions carried to market in few fat
boats Well do ecollect the frat that landed
at New Orleans; happened to be there aud among
the passengers On lts hrst departure from the evee.
Now lock at the charge wrought In great measure by
the pfupce Of steam power You have thousands of float
ing palaces moving over the bosom Of his mighty stream,
If it were by gc its borders lined with rich plan
tatons and beautiful towns and cities. The population
Of this eat valley Is about ten millions Of souls.
The commerce floating the river carefully esti
mated three years since to be worth two hundred and
twenty millions Of dollars. New Orleans tue outlet, is
the second port in the Union for the exports to foreign
counties OF domestic growth and the fourth in point of
imports OF foreign productions. And all this has been
achieved BY American enterprise and American industry
WHIP would not be proud TO be citizen Of such
Try, and Of these United States? for one feel proud
beyOI expression thank the Convention for its kind
attention 10 my despltory remarks.
Gen. N. Hunt next addressed the Convention. He said
that Dasmuch as there subject properly before
this Convention, he would that a committee be ap
pointed from the delegates Of the different States to bring
this great question OF the Pacific Railroad before this
body in proper manner. And ~be am up-he con-
tiDued II viii remark that government has already
provided for the construction Of the road
tDent 10 the Pacific The Texas Central Railroad Com