Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-08-01
For the Times.
THE GREAT WEST.
BY JOHN Z. WARREN.

Railway. The American people, without single
dissenting voice, have expressed themselves en-
Enthusiastically in its favor, and there is no longer
a doubt but that its construction will be COM
menced at an early day. 1t remains only to set
tie upon the route, and decide by whom and in
what manner this grandest conception of human
enterprise would be most successfully carried out.
Shall we have a southern, central or northern
route? Shall the road be built by government
or by private capital? These are the questions
of the day. All that has been definitely deter
mined is-frstly, that the road must be built, and
secondly, that the road shall extend from some
point on the Mississippi river to point on the
| Pacific coast, not yet ascertained. That the gov
eminent will undertake the exclusive cOnstruc
ton and management of this stupendous highway,
we have every reason to disbeeve. The major
ity of the people would cry out against such an
appropriation of the public funds. 1t would find
but little favor among the leaders Of either of the
great parties by whom political sentiment in
this country is divided-millions would be squan-
dered. A century would elapse before the COM
| peton of the work. Private enterprise will
accomplish the stupendous task in COMPARE
lively brief period, more thoroughly and effectu-
ally and at an infinitely less expenditure. This
fact no one can doubt. All that the world de-
mands is due proportion of practical encour-
agement and ''material aid, on the part of those
who have been intrusted with the guardianship of
our national domain, whose duty it is to foster to
the greatest extent which the constitution allows,
every colossal undertaking which has for its OBJ
ject the speedy development of the resources of
our country, and the promotion Of the general
welfare of our people. 1t would i'll become me
at the present time to touch upon the delicate
ground of sectional politics. would offend no
man. l would speak, not as Democrat or
Wing, but as an American and an humble advo-
| cate of the west. owe are embarked in the same
great ship of State and we must sink or swim to-
getherp' The Pacific Railroad is subject of
incalculable Importance to the Union, and as such
it is deserving of reasonable degree of national
support. Surveying parties were early dispatch
ed bv the President to make scientific explorations
of the different routes proposed. Concerning two
of these but little of satisfactory nature has
reached our ears-of these, therefore we have
nothing to say-they have their eloquent and
powerful champions, who, blindedb by interest and
passion, speak zealously in their praise. Great
y do they need the force of all the talent they
bring to bear to countcract the disadvantages
which are incident to them both. Their immense
length, course, absence of wood and water,
barren soil and greater depth Of SHOWS upon the
mountains, convincing proofs that northern
and eastern capital at least will be reluctant to
make any considerable investments in those quar-
tiers. Entertaining no invidious prejudiccs against
other routes, we fearlessl y maintain that the one
which nature has intended for the most magnf
cent highway which science attempted, lies
far north of that which ignorance and conceit
have bostered into such prominence before the
public. Senator's aud Statesmen from the south
are clamorous for central and southern road.
Nature and science make comparatively little
noise. but their resistless energies are pleading
silently for the northern route, from Lake Superb
or to Pugct's sound. We have no great champi-
onS in the august council of the American Nation,
prompted by interest, to maintain our cause
1t stands alone and speaks for itself. 1t addresses
itself with confidence to every unbiased mind,
throughout the whole length and breadth of the
land. Its advantages over every other route are
various and great. II Is the shortest by several
nunUTeU MlcS; us expense tucTcloTc Woulu NC
less by millions! The letters which already have
been received from Ma Or Stevens and his party,
corroborate the fact that the entire range of coun
try lying between Lake Superior and the Rocky
Mountains, is level and fertile, well wooded and
watered, and eminently adapted for settlement,
and for the construction of the proposed railroad
to the Pacific. Ma jor Stevens has the utmost
confidence in this northern route and believes it to
be infinitely superior to all others; he pronounces
it to be perfectly practicable in every respect, and
it must be admitted, that the candid opinion of one
scientific and upright man like Stevens, is of
thousand fold more weight, than the insane raw
ings of every demagogue and clustering politician
in the land!
On the eighth of September last, the parties
from the Mississippi and the Pacific, meeting at
Fort Benton, in the language of Major Stevens,
''stook hands across the continent" ''The pass
of the Rocky Mountains,' says the Major in
dispatch written at that time, s'is found to be
more than one thousand feet below the South
Pass, and is not only practicable, but expressly
made to our hands for the great Northern Rail-
road" Both parties experienced much less diff
Guilty than anticipated. No insurmountable
obstacles were encountered; timber and water
were found in sufficient abundance, throughout
the entire route. The healthfulness of the eli
mate was generally remarked. Scarcely case
of sickness occurred. The most buoyant spirits
prevailed; each one realized that he was con-
nccted with an expedition that was to fill an hon
orablc page in the future history of his country.
Every day was bringing them nearer to the ac-
complishment of their grand mission. The rising
and setting of the sun upon the vast prairies,
seemed like morning and evening upon the wide
ocean, an unuttcrable solitude reigned. The I'M
peopled vastness, seemed like luxuriant desert.
But the enchanted wand of civilization will soon
wave over this bOundless region of the west, and
transform its present widness into the most ad-
mirable cultivation and productive fertility
Summer is here as beautiful as in southern climes.
The exhu5erance of vegetation and the prodigality
of flowers, are not excelled in any other land
The winters are much more moderate than is gen.
orally supposed. The falls of are consid-
erably lighter in tn latitude than they are sew
cral degrees further south-less snow falls in
Minnesota than in the northern parts Of New
England and New York. This indisputable fact
proves the absurdity of the pretended argument,
that the ''northern route,'' would be impracti-
cable for railroad to The Pacific, on account of