The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-17

Location IT q NeU Cng-BcNneHs Ferry-Chosoc "
SAacsow-TAe Pacific Raaroad and Eastern Capital
Different Routes ESamiaed-Tsmber and Water Supplies
The Proper CaIyor~ia rra1-Nebraska City and its
Founders.
The committee appointed BY the Union Sstt,snent
Company Of New York for the purpose Of selecting the
slss Of city for that body, has reported.
De members have made choice Of location (nsarly
opposite to the ns which DIVIDES the States Of Iowa and
NlssosrD which y ON the west bank Of the Missouri
river. Il ID now caIlsd Bsnnstt's ferry.
Ta committee believes that tho great object to be- Of
fectsl IN making such location and building up colony
q Eastern men, and In laying the foundation fer the
future Investment Of Eastern capital is 10 take such
measures as would, far Feasible, secure the To-
oatsa Of the Pacific Railroad In their immediate
vicinity, and that the most sfsetusi means
u lsl.g 70 was b secure location at that psat whore
that work should the Missouri river 70 ths end
Asy to have spared pains to inform Themselves
esaesrnng the character Of the country through which
ths railroad should pass Its and capacities.
the natural advantage and disadvantages Of dsrsat
routes, and the interests be affected BY i consruc.
tisa. send summary Of the principal reasons whisA
isaueaosd the members Of the committee, ~ far ~
can learn them.
The frst confederation the bridging of the Msss
sipei river. This 10 already being done at Rock Island
In ths latitude Of the south shore Of Lake Erie and
banks both aides of nver and there favorable
situatioa for crossing H. 1t appears, also that there
arc important natural advantages at near Keokuk,
very nearly In range with south line of the state Of
Iowa, place we'll staatsa with regard to the river
trade and that of the valley OF the Des Moines
u ct the foot of the RAPIDS in the Mssissppi river
and, consequently, st the head Of navigation for
art class boats st al seasons Of the year. This,
with other advantages, has made it already
and probably the most important town on the river
above st. Louis The good both sides Of
the river which hero bed Of hard limestone
consideration Of great Importance to the engineer. II
Ia confidently believed that tho river will not be bridgd
at any point below th1 pScs for long period
Passing ON the river the committee found
far greater difcultis 70 than ut the ksss
sppi Running, with = swift and ohanSeAble current,
through bottom from three to miles wide, and
h many places partially bed Of qaickssnd and having
rocky bottom nowhere that part Of its course lying
within the range OF the Great Central Route; the brdg
ing Of this stream presented far than ordinary DIFF
acuss TO the eye Of the engineer The country lying
west Of the river stretching far towards the Rocky
Mountains has, unlike the prsries east Of the Missis
spP heavy, ROLLING surface, rendering ths grading of
line Of road laoorious work, except routes
considerably apart. The question OF supply Of wood
and water Ia which tho prActcabihty OF route
that the whole counisy west Of the Missouri and
ef the Platte, does NOT, ~ present, contain suhi
cheney OF timber Tor the OF the settlers.
The supply for the Of the road should, then be
either grown along the route, or come from distant
The only apparent resource the route Is TO
10 found In some " tho valleys among the Rocky
Msustai.s. OF these the valleys in the vicin ~ OF
Longs Peak calico the Three ParAs the most extea
sivs, hest watered contain the largest of
timber The route from the Missouri RIVER due west
to these Parks aso better adapted to the production
q srowth Of timber, and Tor sae support OF large
furthsr SOUTH At esst within the territories Of the
United States.
found hotter region, tar msst destitute Of water
Possessed Of sandy and unproauctiye soil and In
teaA.vs Tracts o. least utterly incapable OF supporting
route to the Rocky Mountains must then Of necessity
take moro northern or far more southern course.
Tho southern is supposed out Of the question The
members found from lay the country and direction
Of M water courses that road passing ct moderate
distance north Of tho Kansas wonld 10 practically
Desirable one IL would not connect interests at
great distances, the most direct route and would
aks DO ths most sxpensvs route from the Mississippi to
Takisg st. Louis as the point Of departure the natu
raj route would appear TO be the valley Of the Kansas
acusiss in construction and also securing local
tereats to the best advantage. Such line, however,
Of
trans Atlantic, would accumulate could not the
great end desired namely that OF connecting the
and forming the great inland thoroughfars Of tho
The most practicable course remaining for road cen.
dvids Or water shss between tie valleys Of tho Kan
and Platte rivers. Passing line having gs-
neral due West for large part Of the way
nouatains and almost exactly in range with the most
favorable point for crossing the Mississippi namely Keo
kuk, II has the advantage OF being the Least broken
crosses no large streams after leaving the Mis-
soun, and also passes through or near the
sss rsesrs and as those
portions best adapted TO sustain large population This
route passes centrally through several Of the most i'm
poant States the most favorable route for
sruotiea and the most uniform grade Of any
freu New York TO the Rocky Mountains and California.
II lss strkss the mountains the most desirable point
for obtaining supplies for the construction and working
OF tbs road With this view the committee examined
the valley Of the Missouri to ASCERTAIN the best point for
crossing that stream and consequently for
Eastern interest and capital II was evident that the
place Of crossing would naturally become the most I'm
the read must evidently hs built BY Eastern capital and
CONTROLLED BY Eastsrn enterprise, 1t appears desirable
that such movement. should be made. Consequently
the efforts which have been made by various parties
build towns along the river were regarded as, pract
caly OF account In view Of what might DO effected at
the Srst place DESTROYS Of finding point where the
bluffs approached each other both sides Of the river
% nearly that ROAD might b easily carried across the
bottom the level nearly OF the adjacent country
Thsy found point however which, from its position
natural advantages offered satisfactory Inducements
any po;as sSev. the mouth Of sns Kansas river Is be-
tween tho Big and Lttle Nemahaw rivers six eight
thu Haf Breed Rsservation Hsre the Bluffs are nearly
quito three miles apart % that the advantages and
eissdvsntasss in point o. construction were pretty
nearly balanced. Then IL too far from the main d.
recten Of the route they wished TO follow too
LEGAL line (ths Hannibal aAdst Jossph to fud favor in
the eyes Of Missouri Legislature; and, what was Of
Consequence the lands adjacent could not readily
30 obtained In satisfactory amer for the purposes OF
colony. TAs location was therefore deemed impracti
cable.
Passing up the river and seeking for point where
the river hugs the bluff on tbs west side the members
found thxte points, within few miles Of each other,
which, far crossing ne river concerned pre-
sentsd nearly equal advantages. These sre-
First, At sonora landing the Missouri side Of the
rver, about nine miles south of the state line Here
the river wider than ut the two points above but has
solid face Of rock In the bu6, and is therefore, to
certain extent, superior place for crossing.
Second At Bennssts ferry, almost exactly the State
line.
Third Az Nebraska City tbs site Of old Fort Kearnsy
about eight miles above the STATE Line.
AZ q question simply for the constructing engineer,