The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-30
.HE PACIFIC RAILRoAD.


the Texas and GaSisden Country Route
Advantages or the Route--Commercial and
NEw YORK, Oct. "A, 1855.
GKSnMES-Having had the pleasure OF communicate
ing to you verbally my views the subject Of railroad
the Pacific ocean, beg leave to submit them in
connected and tangible form. The people Of the
United States both sides of the continent have be-
thoroughly convinced of the importance Of this
great work. as national necessity, shall not take into
consideration that branch of the subject further than
may be developed in the course Of my observations
That point being conceded the next that itself
the proper route for the road its practcabiity and
he results which will probably flow from its construc.
ton.
The legislation of Congress- exhibiting most reuarka
want of practical statesmanship has indicated and
proposed to provide for the construction three lines
Now nothing be certain than if the broad
expanse OF country extending to the Pacific we're per-
fei plain it would be unwse to attempt at such vast
expense the construction Of three roads at the
time when it is clear that will be quite sufficient for
an INSTRUMENTATION between the Atlantic and Pacific
States for many to come. Therefore, any attempt
10 force the money market three such gigantic
competing enterprises at the time would, beyond
doubt cause the utter failure of ALL 1t has therefore
been matter of surprise among all thinking practical
men, that Congress has not sought out as the sole OBJ
ect its legislation that line for this great enterprise
which, under existing circumstances, combines in
rs favor not only the greatest pecuniary reward
10 those who may undertake it, but also the most i'm
portant pressing national considerations. 1t is not
quite certain that the surveys and examinations which
have been made prove than route be pract-
cable That the extreme southern line running along
and near the parallel of north latitude 80 deg through
the State OF Texas and the terri acquired from Mexico
under the adsden treaty the junction of the ella and
Go andt hem Ca IN tha
1t is claimed, however that the extreme northern
route practicable extending from Chicago through the
Of the Missouri and crossing the depression in the Rocky
Mountains at the point of the HUI 1son's Bay
portage 70 Inc waters OF the Columbia river;
aius to Puges SOUND descending the gorges the
Columbia tor hundred miles through the Territory
Of Oregon to the mouth that river. This route, II
practicable, after leaving the settled portions Of Iowa.
passes through country without inhabitants distance
q some two thousand miles Pugets Sound and strikes
the Pacnc thousand miles, by the of nav
Cation, north Of San Francisco great commercial
emporium ON that ocean, II nature had imposed no
s extreme northern latitude and the drifting SHOWS in
winter the extensive prares through which passes
would present obstacles quite insurnounable. In add
hon to these objections its great length added to the
distance from New York to its eastern terminus would
render it almost and probably quite useless chan
nel of commerce. To communicate from San Francisco
- puges sound-its western terminus-would luire
ut least half much time and expense as would be
quired the southern line from San Francisco to New
York. would therefore, to be unwise while the
preservation Of the union Of the Atlantic and Pacific
States appears to depend in great degree railway
work in vain attempts to bring forward this extreme
northern route rival Of its southern competitor
The ortieh parallel of north latitude the position of
this city is believed to be the centre Of population
Of the free States that 80 degrees the southern
route, is not great deviation from that supposed
centre the northern line in latitude 4S1s degrees
Therefore, if efforts were solely directed with view
10 ascertain the best route the Pacific the Northern
States the line of 80 degrees would unquesonably be
r In vii nuf afornnn fnf t.aC a,t
As the examinations Of the government engineers
denim all the intermediate routes shall pass them with
Of 81 degrees through Texas and the country recently
acquired under the Gadsden treaty TO the junction Of
the CHA and Colorado and thence through California to
the Pacific The charter Of the Texas Western Railroad
Company permits the work to commence at point on
the eastern boundary Of that State which will afford
the greatest facilities for connecting with the railways
which extending in that direction from st. Louis
Cairo and Memphis through Arkansas by way of Little
Rock and Fulton from vicksbug, Louisiana to shreve
port from New Orleans by the Opousas Railroad thus
bringing the system OF railways throughout the Union
north and south by conyergiDg pes to that point
The line under consideration to the Pacific. These rail
roads are al In state OF progress and the pro-
For their ultimate completion, which be de-
sayed beyond very few years, aud connecting they
% with the railways in the southern middle and north
ern States, their completion will open railway
nication from this all other Atlantic cities nj re
than half the distance across the continent.
From the eastern boundary Of Texas to the Pacific
the route surveyed by Col A. b. Gray the Engineer Of
1621 miles, which will be very much diminished by the
grade Of the road, making it not far from twice the
length of the Illinois Central Railroad This Is supposng
the road TO strike the Pacific at the nearest point Ii
it be extended to san Francisco the distance will be in
creased some five hundred miles,
The Climate this line is mild and saubrious be- 90
ee from snow and ice in winter ami the dieses nanae
IN ~ =, 'udes by miasm in summer Uniting a
Il VIII in healthy FELTON, with the railroads leading
north and east at transit over AZ ' seasons OF the
year viii be safe and pleasant
The lands reserved Texas to encourage the contrnc
ton Of this work through that State are not
N fertility by any other portion OF the Union IN t hs
they are produced elsewhere, all the crops cultivated
IN the Northern and Southern States IL il beyond
doubt the best grazing country on tue continent.
wheat is produced in greater quantity to the
acre, and a much heavier and moro ainty
other serial grains in equal proportion Inc product OF
cotton per larger and of better quality than in any
other portion of the southern country Edible roots Of
m kinds produced in the greatest perfection Sugar
and molasses may be produced with facility.
Texas grants TO the company making this road in COM
pliance with terms Of the charter sixteen sections OF
these lands or thousand two hundred aud forty
for every mile Of road constructed. IT. after the work
shall be completed these lands prove 10 be wo-'h five
dollars an acre. they will produce fund OF S5l 40 pei
mile, 8 reliable basis for credit 10 that amour n
1t is proper to remark that the emigration d hi'
country win be composed Of classes Of persons in al
specs different from those spread over Inc government
lands in the northwest The Territories Of the ted
States IN which the public lands lie do not produce cot
1oDthe great staple Of the SOUTH does the govern
ment own any valuable bodies of cotton lands. These
lands Of present the only great umproved Geld for
tho culture cotton remaining TO he occupied the
continent. Therefore when this road shall be completed,
the emigration to Texas from all the savehong States
must be very large and OF persons who would not under
any circumstances emigrate to the northwest There
FORE the grants OF land made by Congress to encourage
the construction Of railroads and for military services
have influence the price OF the lands which
Texas offers in aid of the construction OF this work
A. we proceed west of the Rio Grande into the country
acquired under the Gadsden treaty, we come into dis
frict which is considered to be almost rich in gold
California possessing also very rich silver aud copper
mines The valleys and plains are very similar to those
of California and will probably he productive 1t
known that previous the revolution In Mexico, which
expelled the Spanish authority, this country sustained
large population, with numerous ho:ks OF sheep, and
HERDS Of cattle and horses II is therefore not desert
waste has becd represented The which have
been made through Texas and from the Rio Granie "a
the Pacific show that although there are spots
without timber, IT he procured, without any very
great expense in transportation in sufficient quantity tc
insure TIE completion 81 the work without greatly aug
rnented cost These surveys also show that water i
found or can he procured at small expense IN sufficient
quantity on the whole route.
This line through Texas which may, at comparatively
-. "A, anft t.D fxxFt