The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-04-14

oss c'"1Unt ct'eT 70 INC Pcopc ot MisSouTi, III We
half Of the Railway to the Pacific. 1t is marked by
all Of his youthful fire and vigor, and there is tone
OF broad Craftsmanship in his views which it does
one good to read. In language perfectly convincing,
he proves that the nation could justly and Con-
additionally expend its millions on land steamers as
it can steamers, and that it would be wor
thier object for Republic to engage in tn an any
war that nation has ever waged. There is a
massive grandeur in his sentiments which will ac-
cord with the eagle spirit of his countrymcn. lie
SAYS
''Thesc two documents-thc letter of Colonel FIRE.
mont and the statement Of MIR. LerOux-estabish two
tacts which are necessary to give the Central
place in the public mind, and to entitlc it
animation under the act Of Congress; and in the
meantime to satisfy all inquiries that this great work
is not only practicable but easy, and the line
which every national consideration would require it
to be upon, aud with every advantage of Ecie con-
structIOn and universal use. Central to the Union
and embracing the business centres Of the Atlantic
aud Pacific, and the Mississippi valley States-on
straight line with San Francisco and St. Louis, and
connecting at this latter point with the concentrated
steamboat navigation OF the great west and with the
entire Railroad system from the Mississippi to the
AtianlIc-Straght and smoo,h--not mountain TO be
climbed, or river or swamp to be crossed hill to
he tunneled-wood, water and soil for continuous set
tiemcns--coal known to be many points of the
linc-the whole traversabe in winter, and all south
OF 81, IS and 81 degrees such is the character Of
the Central route which now claims share of pub
IIc attention and of the Congress appropriation.
Regarding IT as certain that the road is to he made,
now add some observations upon It's character and
construction; believing that erroneous ideas prevail
upon these points, which the public good requires to
be corrected. am opposed to all schemes Of max
ing a job OF the work-against mixil, public and
private interests; against furnishing the means of
maxim. the road to jobbcrs, and then ieitin, them
own IL, and charge the people double upon Condition
OF carry ing for the Federal Government free. hold
that it should be made by the United States, 50 far
Their tarit2ry eIteads, (Which would he almost the
whole distance of the Central route,) leaving two
ends, where it would 90 through States, TO the ope-
ration OF State laws and State authority. This
would be from the Missouri State Hne at the
mouth of the Kansas, TO a point the California
State line, opposite the end of the Sierre Nevada
Walkers Pass-a distance of 81 degrees of longi-
tue, equal to about 200 miles, $50 miles a de-
gree in that aiitude) with southern DETECTION,
1t went west, OF 81 degrees. This would be the
main body of the work, leaving the two ends Of the
road to be made under State authority, and which
already projected and IN some degree commenced,
both in California and Missouri. In the meantime,
and as permanent hc and resource at each end of
the road, there is steamboat travel of several
hundred miles at each end---lrom San Francisco
halt way up the San Joaquin, more; from st.
Louis TO the mouth of the Kansas, and up it Gas
The new Tereitory is estahlishcd,) several humid
rel miles further Stages aso and all The usual land
coavcyinces would lie at each end of the national
rtoral road
Ny idea is, that thc road should be built by the
United States. by the creation Of stock, hypo,hc-
Gated upon the Public Lands, and payable a fixed
period at the Federal Treasury; and that ade-
qatc force should be put upon it to do the work at
once. We think nothing of levying an army Of fifty
hundred thousand men for a war; here is OBJ
Icct OF more moment TO the United States, aud To
the 'ord than any wars; and should be in favor of
seeing an army of iaborers employed upon it once,
and the work done in years, instead of bidding
at it for a lifetime. And Why not! We can have
The money and the men; aud the line of 200
miles there would be room for 80 900 Il work,
without Glowing each other, 1t would only be 10
men to the mile. The prescription system would give
the money and the sctcrsthc right kind Of settlers
--men who would defend themselves from Indians
and raisc provisions for the supply of the road. and
occupy on both sides, and from end the tther
the hrst season they were allowed to do
! The Indian title should be extnguishcd on
breadth of fifty hundred miles, and a nile re-
served for the different tracks Of railroads. and for
common road, and tor Geographic lines. 1t il work
Tor poSterity, and for three continents and should
elevate ourselves to the grandeur of the occasion.--
Z The man street IN the city which Alexander the
Great founded to supcrsCcde Tyrc. in the East Idia
trade, five miles long ana a thousand feet wide
with a coonaded and covered footway Ct one hunalc
feet on each side. There were men of ample ideas
in those times, and still it was not the age that built
the pyramids. ''Frum the summit Of those pN.;i-
mdS, siid the Conque,er q the Mamelukcs, ''lortv
centuries look down upon U.S. The time win come
when forty centuries may look back upon the read
and they should not be left repne the providence
which would dwindIe it to the petty calculations Of
Jobbcrs, corporations, and spectators.
repeat; l deem all schemes of making this road
by Il mixture Of public and private means; giving
lands or money t. companies To make it, and then let
them own II; conveying for the United States gratis
and doubling upon the people To make it up; getting
IN addition to their other profits, interest upon the
cost OF construction, and which cost betrayed by
the nitcd States aud all this crowned with mo-
nopoiy Of the road deem all such schemes To he
fundamentally Unwise, un,ls, to the community, I'M
polite, aud vicious, | hold that the United States
should build the road and the fixtures and let out the
use OF 1t for periods of seven ten YEAR. con-
tractors who will carry all freight, public private,
and all passengers, individuli ADD governmental at
the same rate-thc lowest responsible bidder To take
the contract and furnish his aud run them;
an II nndcrbid, al the end OF the time, or super
seicd the successor to take all his stock at valua-
hon.
1t Il an Illusion and cheat. to suppose that
tractors will carry for the United States gratis. The,
Will get their pay somewhere, and ouaht; and the
only lntrl9lble way ana the only way f1r each party
to know what they about is ,r the United States
10 pay like an individual for all that is done for it
IT is the only way to save the PEOPLE from being OPP
pressed and p!undercd. Besides, what is the Gov
cinincnt--oW UOVcrnmcnt-but the people. " hy
rob one pocket to put in the othcr Why rob ndi-
VIdua'' Ia detail, to give to the community GOV
eminent, especially when i; is very certain that the
ndN iduals double charged will never get back any Of
their money! The United States pay ocean steamers
for nj they carry, and that enormously and the
Enlistment of oppressive moDopo!ies and why not
pay their land steamers fairly and cquably; instead
OF throwing the burden upon the travelling and bust
ness community This road is to be long one and in
tended for universal use and raveland freight upon 1t
should be made as cheap possible. Besides cur
own trade and our travel, the trade and travel &C
Europe and ASA should 60 upon it, A free road
that is to say, road which, like the ocean or river
charges nothing for It's use-is the first great step
toward cheap transportation; and for the Govern
mcnt 10 pay like individually The second completing
step TO that chearncss.
The Old Roman thus concludes his mastery letter
Time has not taken either from his ability or his pat
riotisn:
In view Of the magnitude of this work--in view
of our dominion over the public land from Missouri
to Caiiornla-in view of the immensely of travel
and business upon 1t. great at the start, and to in