Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-07-20
speech OF Mr.. Dodge Of Iowa.


The bill reported from the Select COMMITTEE 7or the
construction OF Railroad and Teieqsaphic line
from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific
OCEAN
Mr.. DODGE sadi
Mr.. PREslpESr: was one Of thu Select Com
mittee to whom this bill was rcferred-the
least efficient and most humble member Of that
committee. Without claiming to my self credit
for anything that is contained in it. ! deem it
but an act Of justice to say cf my distinguished
associates upon that committee. that never did
men labor more faithfully. or in more dsin.
terested spirit. to accomplish, as far as they
could accomplish. the great work committed to
their charge. Day after day. for weeks we
devoted the whole Of our mornings to the pre-
paration, discussion, and consumation Of this
measure. Our chairman, the Senator from
Texas, Mr.. RusK, ] has labored most indefat
gably upon this bill. besides having given
much time and thought to the consideration
Of the general subject Of uniting our distant
Pacific possessions to those Of the interior and
Atlantic, by bands of iron, from the day that
the subject was first introduced All know,
| tended his most sagacious management Of the
Texas boundary bill, Familiarity known as the
ten million bill, that few men better understand
the duties of practical Legislator, or are more
faithful and untiring in their discharge
The venerable Senator from Massachusetts,,
tMr. DAvrs.l whose enlarged experience and
observation touching our railroad system. COM
| &. L. str tc1
with roads of this description, and being more
familiar, perhaps, with the Legislation neces-
sary to protect the rights and interests of the
Government, the travelling and commercial
community, as we'll as those of the companies
having charge of the work, has devoted his
time and talents most patiently and ASST
uousTy to framing this bill, and may appropri.
ately be termed the Mentor of the committee.
every member Of which will bear evidence to
the many sage and valuable suggestions which
We received from him.
The distinguished Senator from Tennessee
[Mr. BELL. has thrown his whole soul into
this noble enterprise, and both in the Senate
and the committee. has brought his researches
and talents zealousiy to the work OF its accom-
plishment.
OF the zeal aud ability of the Senator from
California [Mr GwIN, and Of the time, at,en-
ton, and devotion which he has shown to this
work, it is unnecessary should speak. as
they are familiar to the Senate and the whole
country.
Ny purpose in making this allusion to the
committee to whom all the various projects for
Pacific railroad were referred, is to say, that
excluding myself. humbly conceive that the
Senate, and especially those who are friendly
to the enterprise, should receive the labors OF
the Select Committee with something akin to
generous confidence" The North, tie
South, the East. and the West. were fairly
represented, and am proud to say. that new
or saw the least exhibition of sectional or sci
fish feeling manifested by any member of the
committee in the preparation Of the bill. / al
Jude wi h pleasure to the fact. because it is
well known that there are four or five rival
routes, al of which have their friends and
champions; and because the bill of the Special
Committee has been Enthusiastically and
bitterly attacked-for that feature in winch
consists its CHEF excellence, in my humble
Judgment mean the provision which confdes
to the incoming President Of the United States
after the most thorough geographical and toPo
graphical reconnaissance, the designation oil
the termini and general route of the road.
have said that this is one of the best provisions
Of the bill. and reiterate it, because, with the
lights which that high officer will have before
him when he comes to determine this momen.
tous matter. he will be much more likely to
make the proper designation than would Con.
gress. Besides; sir, as a fast friend to this
measure. o ne who is neither to be coaxed nor
driven from it's support, is my solemn convic.
ton, that upon the retention of this provision
depends the life or deatlppf the bill. You can.
not fix the termin or route of this road in any
bill, and then get votes enough to pass it,
No, sir, not with all the surveys and estimates
of cost, general and particular, that ever have
been made or that ever can be made-and the
reasons are these:
There are, believe, at least five contending
lines or routes, over which it is proposed to
run railway from the valley of the Missis
sippi to the Pacific ocean.
These are beginning at the North
First From Green Bay, in Wisconsin, tc
Puget's Sound, in Oregon, with branch tt
California.
Second. From some point in Iowa. on thu
Mississippi river, via Council Bluffs, Fl Lara
mie, the South Pass, in latitude 42dg 80 north
Salt Lake City, and then by the emigran: trai
through pass in the Sierra Nevada. in lati
tude about 42dg. NORTH to San Francisco.
Third. From St. Louis to Albuquerque
latitude 35dg. north. on the Rio Grande, thence
to Walkers Pass near the same parallel, ir
the Sierra Nevada; thence through the vale,
OF the San joaquin, to San Francisco.
Fourth. Either from st. Louis. Memphis
Vicksburg, southwest corner of Arkansas, o.
Matagorda in Texas, to FL Poso, on the Ri
Grande; and thence by the ella, at its june
; ton with the Rio Colorado; and themes, vii
Tohone pass, abou. latitude 33dg. por:l
through the vallenpf the San Joaquin, to Sa'
, Francisco.
This last line. by way Of Ell Paso and tn
liila, is believed BY many to be the most prac
ticable route; but it passes, large part Of tn
way through the Mexican States of Chihuahu'
: and Sonora. Many able men. and believ
e Mr.. Whitney among the number, think TIL
e first named, route, notwithstanding its hyper
Z borean locality, the most feasible and advan
u tageous.
II r. Ill L.r,a hxxs