, 1855-03-03

Ohnaud Ut tne Nnlteu states, LOT cOnncc'
ting their respective line, in such manner
and on such terms, as may be found most
advantageous, and best calculated to ac,
commodate the business of such railway and
the public travel.
The plan or project Of a continuous rail
way, from the Atlantic seaboard, across
the continent Of America, to the shores oI
the Pacific Ocean, has already engaged to
some extent the public attention, and mca,
sures have been adopted by the Congress,
of the United States to ascertain the prac.
ticability of such an undertaking, by care.
ful explorations Of several routes across the
ridge known as the Rocky Mountains, ly.
ing between the Mississippi Valley aud the
Pacific Ocean.
These explorations have caused com.
plcte revolution Of opinion as to the practi-
cability and the advantages of such an en-.
terprise, by establishing the fact, that Il
route for such railway exists.
The head waters of the Missouri River
are found to rise near to, if not actually to
interlOck with, other streams flowing west
ward to the Pacific, and the chain of the
Rocky Mountains is here cut through by
depressions, whose extreme elevation is
found to be only 5000 feet above the level
of the sea, and by means of short tunnel
the summit may be reduced to an elevation
of oaJy 5000 feet above the sea level.
The approach to this principal summit is
so gradual, that according to the report Of
His Excellency, Isaac l. Stevens, Governor
of the Territory of Washington, a route
for railway may here be obtained, eX-
tending from the waters of the Missouri to
those of the Columbia River, whose gra-
dents shall not exceed sixty feet per mile,
from the head of Lake Superior to Puget
Sound, a sketch Of which route is hereto an
neXed, as part of this petition.
From information furnished by the Re
port of His Excelcncy, Governor Stevens,
We entertain no doubt, not only that Il
practicable route exists in this direction
from the head of Lake Superior TO Puget
Sound, and the mouth Of the Columbia
River but that this is by far the best, if
not the only possible, route for railway
TO the Pacific, north Of III Paso, near the
32d parallel Of north latitude. 1t is also
believed that, after crossing the Rocky
Mountain summit, favorable and direct
route may be found to San Francico As
suming the correctness of the foregoing
propositions, it will be perceived, at a
glance, that at some point or place in the
valley Of the Missouri River, not far from
the great bend Of that river, there will be
found focal point to which all the rail
ways Of the continent, east of the Rocky
Mountains, reaching westward toward the
Pacific, will naturally converge, as to a
common point Of junction and intersection.
Regarding this point as leading or
governing one, in all plans for n Northern
Railway to the Pacific, the purpose Of the
undersigned will at once become obvious.
We desire to secure line Of railway in
the shortest possible distance, between the
great bend Of the Missouri and the Allan
tic Ocean.
From this point eastward, along the
south shore of Lake Superior, to the Sault
St. Mary, crossing the river at that point,
and continuing along the northern shore of
Lake Huron, till the valley Of the Ottawa is
reached, it is believed that an uninterrupted,
practicable and favorable route for rail-
way may be found, from the bend OF the
Missouri to Montreal, which is already con-
nected by railway with the Atlantic Ocean
at Portland.
A glance at a map shows at once the di-
rectness of this route beyond any other pos
sible line that can he projected for rail-
way by any northern route from the Allan
tic to the Pacific Ocean.
We deem it quite unnecessary in this
connection to enter into any argument
showing the value or the necessity of such
an undertaking as railway to the Pacific
1t is enough to Justify us in movement
in this direction, to know that similar ef-
forts are now making at several points
in other parts of the United States, for
which charters have been granted, and con-
siderable progress made to carry them into
effect.
While we look with favor upon all such
undertakings, and would rejoice at the
building of lines of Railway to the Pacific,
wherever practicable routes therefor can be
found, we do not hesitate to declare our
conviction that the route now proposed is
superior to any other that has been, or can
lbe named.
From the shore of the Atlantic Ocean
at Portland to the head waters of the Mis-
souri, River, by the route proposed, no ply
sical difficulties exist, and almost every
portion Of the country presents the greatest
possible attractions to invite immigration.
A. mild climate, healthy at all seasons Of
the year a soil of abundant fertility for
the production of every article of food
known 10 this latitude, with rich mines and
luxurient forests, are here found for hun
dreds of miles beyond the head Of Lake
Superior, if not to the base of the Becky
Mountains.
The country beyond the Mississippi has
not been sufficiently explored to enable US
to pronounce decided opinion as to its
agricultural capabilities, beyond the imme.
diate line examined for Railway rosie on