The true Democrat., 1855-04-24
From the New York Railroad Advocate Railroads to the Pacific.

gwen by us last week, will have strong effect on the popular estimation of these routes. It IS conclusive against the Central route; and we regard It as unfortunate for the reputation of Co., Benton, foraccdracy and sincerity, that he ever appeared as the advocate of the Coo-che tO-pa pass
 True, we might believe that the difficulties encountered in a first examination. could be eventually reduced. We might believe there- fore, that the Central route, between the head of the Arkansas and the Great Basin. now pro- nounced impracticable, might, upon more careful survny, be found passable for a railroad But where one single pass only is brought to question, ,-where we have on one hand the irresponsible assertion that an easy, direct, and well-wooded and watered pass exists, at an ele- Vatlon of 1000 feet above the sea.-and. on the other hand, the minute report of government engineers that such pass Is 1O,O32 feet at it's lowest summit lt,-requifing a two-mile tunnel l24 feet grades for several miles, and being fol- lowed by deep gorges, and other very difficult Sround-We may at once plead our respect for probabilities, and decide against Benton. Ere mont LerouX & Co. Since the Central route was first brought before the public, its practica- blllty has been much doubted, and there can be no dispute that, but for the leadeshrip of such man as Benton, it would have gone overheard long ago. It is pretty thoroughly exploded now, at all events. For the whole distance from the head of the Arkansas to the Great Ba. sln, 5OO miles, and where Benton had pictured such magnificent country, such easy ground such drcctness of streams,-and evervthing else favorable to its claims, the government report reveals rugged ground, sterile and i'm practicable, ,-towcring summits, long, con- tinuous gorscs and deflcs along sinuous water courses, and every other circumstances opposed more or less to railroad construction
 We have no faith in the Northern route- The report shows 1t to be practicable but 'llthcult, which was as much as could have been inferred from the general character of the country.
 The South Pass route is difficult, but practica- blc. Except }enton's route, 1t is more elevated than any of the others.
 But of all the routes surveyed, the Southern route Is physically the best for the whole coun- try. In distance, grade, and in most other par. tculars of comparison, 1t is essentially superior to all the others. The following extracts, from the Secretary's summary upon this route, will exhibit its advantages:
 IillS IS the shortest route; and not only is Us estimated cost less by third than that of any other of the lines, but the characterof the work required is such that it could be executed in a vastly shorter period. It is obvious that road on any of these routes, with the exception per haps of the 47th pararellel, must be built con- tlnuously from the two cXtrcmities, and an ob- staclc that arrests it's progress at any point de- icrs the commencement of all the work in advance The tunnels and much of the other work on the more northerly routes in the most desoate regions are such as could not be con- menced until q road was constructed up to those points, and would then require long period for their completion.
 On the southernmost route, on the contrary, the progress of the work will be regulated chiefly by the speed with which cross ties and rails can be delivered and laid, the nature of the country being such that throughout the whole line the road-bed can easily be prepared in advance of the superstructure. The few difficult points, such as the Pass of the Guadalupe an Hucco mountains. and the passes between the Rio Grande and Gila would delay the work but an nconsiderable period.
 "'This pecuiarity of the ground presents another advantage in the fact that temporary tracks could be laid upon the natural surface oi the earth to almost any extent, to serve for the transportation of materials and SUD- plies.
 "The climate on this route is such as to cause less interruption to the work than on any other route.
 ot only is this the shortest and least cost V route to the Pacific, but 1t is the shortest and cheapest route to San Francisco, the greatest commercial city on our western coast; while the aggregate length of railroad lines connecting it at it's eastern terminus with the Atlantic and N,,1f q q lion with any other route, as will be seen by reference to the appended table B.
 "With regard to the circumstances which af- feet the cost of working and maintaining the road, they are more favorable than on any other route. In this dry climate the decay of cross Lies and other timber would be very slow, and the absence of severe frost would have most important influence upon the permanence of the road-bed, and heavier grades could be adopted than in climate where ice, and snow prevail.
 "The snows on all the other routes, except that of the 32th parallel, could not fail at cer- tain seasons to suspend the working of the road, for on all, such snows are known to have fallen as would interpose an effectual barrier to the passage of trains. Such an occurrence in this desoate region would be attended with ulole seilouS consequences Indn III lhhdpiteu districts.
 '' In only one important respect is this route supposed to be less favorable than some of the others, and that is, in the supply of fuel. The difference, however, in favor of the others is not great unless the existence of coal at certain points along those routes where it is indica- ted should be verified by further examination The cost of fuel is about one fifth of the whole expenses of maintaining and working a railroad"
 We shall have occasion hereafter, to detail, more fully, the character of this route. and to show its comparative features, as entrusted with the other routes.
 Buying Marbles; or Hard Times in Lilli-
 Pa-l Reading newspaper, mutters)-No rlse Tn the rlvers-never going to rise again, believe, wife.
 Little Daughter-I wish the rivers would rise. tst
 Pa-Why, what have you got to do with the rivers rising?
 Little Daughter-A great deal, papa; for then the boats would run.
 J