Washington telegraph., 1853-03-09
NO. TO-.

ought to connect with the Pacific ocean, which
Is 800 miles southeast of San Francisco, in
straight line. With favorable climate and
location for the continuation Of the road af-
ter the two oceans were chained together
This road should be extended to San Fran
cisco, and eventually 10 the mouth Of the
. Columbia river
will now endeavor to show the danger
and folly Of chartering the New York At
lantic and Pacific Railroad Company The
object Of this cannot be mistaken it is, to
maze that already favored city, which now
rules the commercial destinies of the States,
still more powerful, to the injury of those
not equally blessed BY nature with equal ad-
vantages Such company ought not TO be
Chartered in any city Or State. rs it would
accumulate power sufficient to control the
elections, they could hold the balance of
power in almost every way. They would
give law to AL the smaller railroad charters
The Empire State and city would dictate
the time and manner Of connections con-
trolling this stupendous road, connecting n.
York City with the western ocean. Napo-
leon the third would take otf Lis Lat 10 this
monopoly and conclude be had been digging
small potatoes. If line j. drawn due east
from San Diego. it would strike the Missis-
sippi at Napoleon, at the mouth Of the Ar
kansas river-15OC miles distant If the
reader viii now look at the map, We will
start with him at San Diego and 90 east to
tie Rio Colorado and cross it little above
the Rio Gila and follow the Gila to near its
source, from thence to Tome, on the Rio
Grande, (abOlt so miles south Of Santa Fe,)
continuing cast we cross the Puerco river.
from thence across the head waters Of Red
river, which run nearly east to Fulton, Ar.
kansas, from thence to Napoleon on the Mis-
sissippi Or from Fulton We will 90 to
Nicksburg. and from there we will, if thought
best, 20 to jackson, and from thence to Mo-
bile on the Gulf If Mexico; thus literally
chaining the oceans together. On straight
line, these extreme ends are only 1T40
miles distant. aud this is the nearest and
cheapest route, in my opinion. and it will,
if adopted, distribute tie benefits more
equally than any other. From Fulton a
railroad would be constructed to Little Rock
and from thence to st. Louis From Lit
tie Rock to Me,nphis and Nashville, Ten
nessee, from whence cars are running to Au-
gusta and Charleston.
Texas might also bring branch Gown
the Rio Grande valley, and continue it
through her territory. Thus the ahole Union
would be nearly equally benefited, and thus
10 monopoly be allowed the Government.
Government should construct, own and con-
troll the main trunk, and the States and in
divilual companies take care of the shorter
routes connecting Herewith. The Union
would be thus chained together in peace.
and in war from abroad become impregEa-
ble-railroads being acknowledged the best
means Of national defence.
| Let us now estimate the cost to Mobile
and the Mississippi river. If We add 100
miles for curyes to the Mississippi river it
viii make 1900 miles. Should We adopt
the G-foot guage and grade sufficiently wide
| for a double track Of Il rail, with sufficient
/ quantities of engines, cars, and every neces-
sary appendage for running, an Of the
opinion S40,00G per mile will be abundant.
as it is double the cost Of Ohio Railroads.
At $4,000 per nile Il would cost 64 mil
lions to the Mississippi, and IA millions
to Mobile If completed in years to Mo
bile, SIS 5,000,00 year would be required
annually. This sum the general govern
government could easily raise, part Of
which could be alvantageously raised by
selling TO actual settlers along the line, as
soon as it is located. and thus providing sup
plies cf food and materials in the cheapest
manner. Contracts to individuals and COM
panies, not exceeding loo miles to each.
should be let by the government; who ought
to- employ good, experienced agents, to
push the work forward with skill aud en-
ergy.
Tunneling through some mountains would
be the best way Of avoiding the snow. which.
in this most southern route, will often i'm
pedc the travei; but by striking the Missis-
sippi well to the south we avoid the Ice
dams, which obstruct this river hundreds Of
miles below the Ohio. and above it the Mis-
sissippi at times cannot be navigated by
steamers, drawing four feet water, as far as
ST. Louis. 50 that merchandise, provisions,
and minerals, would have to remain depen-
dent there for the water to rise and become
clear of ice, before it could descend TO its des-
tination. Those distractions are not gener-
ally understood by the friends Of the north
ern or ST. Louis route.
A couple of Shakers eloped from a set.
tlement near Troy the other day One was
a man Of 3S, the other lady Of uncommon
beauty, aged seventeen. The parties were
married, and then left for this city. The
man related his Shaker experience, and
among other terrible secrets of his prison
house, related the awful fact that he had
never kissed girl in his life until be kissed
his inamorata about As hours before their
marriage.-N. Y. paper.