New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-07-07
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.

diagram has been published by Mr.. W. L. stei
ger Of the General Land Office, showing the routes
proposed for the Pacific Railroad and Its branches
in connection with the various systems OF existing
and unfinished railroads from the Mississippi Naliey
to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts 1t seems there are
some seven different routes under contemplation.
The shortest one from New-York to the Pacific is
thst known as the Northern route, which was last
year surveyed throughout by Gov. Stevens of Wash
nptop Territory. From Dubuque, Iowa, to Pugets
Sound the finest harbor in the Northern Pacific. and
the nearer, to Japan China and India, the distance is
| 700 miles or $3.50 miles from New-York to that
Pacific port-a point destined hereafter to be the
entrepot of very extensive commerce. Another route
to Pugets Sound starts from Fond du Lac, at the head
of Lake Superior, having connections with St. Paul
and Chicago From the Lake to the Pacific the
course OF the line is pretty nearly west.
To San Francisco from New-York the shortest line
appears to be that designated the Memphis route
which runs by way of Philadelphia and Baltimore
Lynchburg, Va, Huntsville, Ala, Memphis, Tenn
Little Rock Ark, aud thence to San Francisco. The
distance is 3.tel miles. The st. Louis route comes
next leading from New-York to Philadelphia aud Bal
tmore thence 10 Parkersburg Va, thence to Gin
cinnati Vincennes Ind. St Louis, and Independence
Mo. 1t intersects the Memphis road just before the
Rocky Mountains are reached. 1t should be stated.
perhaps that the distance to Memphis from San Fran
cisco is 3 Is miles; to St. Louis go. There is not
much to choose between these routes.
On some accounts, the Lake route to San Fran
cisco seems the preferable one. There the iron Is
down nearly one-thrd Of the whole distance.
We refer to the ordinary lines of travel between
New-York and Dubuque, Iowa. whence the dis
lance to San Francisco is 2Oin miles, according to
the map before US. From Dubuque, the road runs
little south of west crossing the Mississippi River at
ts junction with the Fox, thence proceeding through
the south Pass, and Mobiles Pass, in California.
There sre several other routes proposed from diff
ferent southern cities; among them, one from New
Orleans which follows up the Red River, and unites
with the Memphis and St. Louis roads at Santa Ft
The distance from New Orleans to San Francisco is
9, IG5 miles Another line passes up from Matagorda,
Texas: this also unites with the other roads ut
Santa Ff-l,ncth of the road 1 $50 miles. Indeed,
the Santa Fe route seems to be the one generally
adopted in the Atlantic States and it is perhaps, the
one over which the pioneer road will be constructed
though this 10 by means certain n continuous
track will soon be completed to Independence. No.
whence some seventeen hundred miles of rail will
reach through to the Pacific.
For the convenience of readers we repeat here
in tabular form the principal distances given above
From New York Dubuque about $50 miles.
Dubuque Sound is about. miles
From New Yors to the Pacific. miles.
From Sound no miles
fIen New York to San Francisco, via Dubuque Central o
From Francisco, via St Louis ia mles
From NewYork TO San Francisco via Memphis miles
The facts in favor of the Northern route are that it
ia already built through to the Mississippi aud will
be carried further; that it passes through fine,
wel-wooded and well-watered country, all Of which
on both sides of the mountains is exceeutly adapted
for cultivation: that it will be settled up to the
mountains than the lands further south, and better
able to contribute to the support of the road by way
business that the climate is more equal and the
SHOWS less obstructive than the Central route
and that the passes through the mountains are much
more favorable; Besides about twenty -four hours
railway speed, nearer the Pacific, and after you are
there fifteen hundred miles to Japan and China.
These are facts we think, which cannot be Judi
ciously overlooked.