The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-17

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chesply furnished lines Of the prrss extended
through region where horses and neat stock wnteed
In the open air The shallow cuttings and side bitches Of
cheap road the gathering Of blocking drifts
which would have been swept off the elevated embank
ment Of rscsss line by the oroe Of the wind which
caused its accumulation.
letter from the Chicago Press Of February ls states
that he present winter unexamped in the history Of
this region for the last twenty years and trust win
not be paraeled for twenty years 10 come And again
Hereafter the railroad companies viii be better prepared
TO meet such emergency, by having on hand saou-
p0aghs n efficient construction, and al other appliances for
keeping he tracks free from O5sfrueioH.''
This letter Of the Chicago Press published in the
number Of the Herald which contains the very gatutons
Of the writer dsposes Of the great national
question Of railroad the Pacific with stroke of the
PEN predieang bis conclusion the result OF single
great upon road not fully equipped and in
region where such an only at intervals Of
twenty years.
In the of the article the following expression is
made: Experience is a wholesome teacher Now expe-
rienee is wholesome teacher aud some Of its light may
be pro6tbly expended the discussion of the present
question Does this gentleman know has be cared to
certain that the mail from Oregon to the Salt Lake city and
from the Salt Lake city TO ST. Joseph in Missouri makes
monthly trips through the regions which he has been
pleased to consider of such hyperborean character
that the passage of great river valleys the Arkansas La
Platte the wide valley of the Columbia renders diff
Guilty from obstacle of occurrenoe2 that on
the plains 10 which he alludes the complete absence
great forests not Of nos has produced such e
feet on climate great falls of seldom known
that the Indian horse the antelope and the buffalo sub
ss upon the short grass of the praries reaching with
slight effort even beneath terrible snoEs and that these
animals found in high condition throughout the year
Does he know that the mounaneer and the wild Indian
of the plains winter in these vast regions in open skin
lodges warmed by the crumbng Goals OF the Bois-le-
vache, or the scanty sticks of the cotton tree2
The trading season of the American Fur Company-the
period OF visiting the rbes-is during the winter The
SHOWS light that the sedge is resorted to- and
loaded wagons these districts drawn by oxen
mules horses the latter subsisng upon the grass be-
meath the great which to prevent the
nation the Pachcralroad project upon any but
treme southern route.
Why insure the development of project import
ant as that of the Pacific railroad the whole line of the
mountainous region fwherc the only real difficulty from
need be appehendsd might be covered with iron
or timber structure.
But upon the question Of adopting extreme southern
route and neglecting all Others in the building of rail-
road TO the Pacific, diverse opinions win doubtless exist
That great central section of the Union teemng with pop
uaton and those wealthy cities Of the North and East
the capitalists of which have furnished the of
tending so many thousand miles of iron roads, win
doubtedly have a voice in such decisions.
railroad that of the isthmus of Panama) is in
operation which extends through unhealthy region and
climate of high temperature to be destructive to
many OF the materials needing transportation No pac
and wellinormed railroad manager engineer build
misunderstands the nearly nsurmountable difficulties
which attend the extension of grand trunk railroad
the Pacific and the necessity Of concentrating all efforts in
attempt at constructing but line, which, thus sup
ported by abundant business may character
throughout adapted to the inaax of the mighty
of the West But it is quite subject for argument wheth
- 49,. e. L. =. ~.
this road through local district whether the repre-
sentaves of the great interests of the American
will bestow the national aid of land grants for
like purpose The Californian population is ia
of northern origin, afraid of sno but praying Con-
gress for ready means of overland communication
through healthy climate and territory
where making connexon from their isolated position
with the great of the population they may be
decmaed by the hydraheaded evils of the thmus
portaon exposed southern road during half the
year to the yellow fever of Texas and the Gulf
railroad to the Pacific viii probably be built by north
capital and the engineering talent in the country will
provide of transit through the snowy regions
OF the elevated mountain passes The practical good
by which the investment of northern capital has
uniformly been directed will undoubtedly regard
pance with the wishes and stringent need of that
travelling public from which reimbursement is to be
pected and in effort single
grand line to the Pacific occupying central position
But friend of the Herald maintains that the whole
question of railroad TO the Pacific and this crying need
of the great population of the distant western coast is to
be solved by the of that of engine which perch
ed upon legs, or in his words camels and dromed-
ries have long legs, which would enable them walk
through the snow-drfts where railroad locomotive would
stick fast
Cames and dromedaries supersede the necessity
of transportation oforty 40 ofeyen eighty miles per
hour and through which il is believed "Booghdee
camel can wade is to prevent the passage Of Yankee
snow-plongh and a hrst-cass locomotive engine This
whole question of inland transportation to be resolved
into mode of transit of eighteen ls miles per day
the backs of dromedaes from forty miles per hour
down to and one-half which is the speed the only
ety of camel known be serviceabe in snowy districts
Is capable of performing.
This great subject of overland transportation by the
of the rail has engaged the attention of the first minds
in the American nation 1t is necessity which has be-
come obvious. 1t longer be regarded OF chmer
cal character II has passed through the various
tain phases of project to the important position which it
occupies in the attention of the public Therefore
the dicatornl style of the article in the Herald indirect
propositions which assumed the character of absolute
vctions and unsupported by argument has led this
slight revision of the data from which its differences
emphatcally drawn. KAYA.
GEoRaEroyS CorfFap IN g. 4