Butte record., 1856-01-26
Route Near the 41st and 4and Parallels.

1
volume of the "Explorations and surveys
for railroad route from the Mississippi
river to the Pacific Ocean" The vol
ume contains the report of the Secretary
of War, upon the proposed routes, and
reports of the survey of the Ynute near
the forty y-seventh and lorty-ninth paral-
lels of north latitude, surveyed by Gov.
Stevens.
The report of the Secretary of War,
is favorable TO the route near the thirty
second parallel as the shortest and
cheapest but at the same time, states
that the route near the forty first and
forty-second parallels, has not been sur
vcyed, the entire route The portion
surveyed by Lieutenant Beckwith, COM
mences at Fort Bridger, and extends
| through Mobiles Pass to Fort Redding.
The report says of this route =:
About half the in this latitude extending
from the Missouri River Fort Brdger. on tributary
Of Green River, has not been explored with special
reference to the practicabity of constructing railroad
and the reports do not contain all the details necessary
to the elucdaton of the subject. The Information
spectng is to be found in the reports of Col Fremont
and Capt. Stansbury."
With the information thus obtained
the policy of condemning this route may
at least be regarded as hasty, particularly
as the construction of railroad, over
that portion of the route which has been
surveyed, is found to be practicable.
The distance on this route, from Coun-
ell Bluffs TO Benicia, is two thousand
and thirty-two miles, and the bost of
construction is estimated at one hundred
and sixteen millions and ninety five
thousand dollars Private enterprise
will soon extend railroad from the
Mississippi river through Iowa to Couu-
Gil Bluffs, thus connecting that point by
railroad, with the Atlantic cities. The
total cost, then, of connecting the cities
of the Atlantic, by railroad with the
bay of San Francisco, on the route of
the route of the forty first and forty
second parallels, is, according 10 the es-
innate, $ll6,O95, 900. Now suppose
we compare this with the estimated ex-
pense of the route on the thirty-second
parallel, and see if the advantage of
cheapness and distance, as claimed by
its advocates, can be sustained
The distance from Fulton. on Red
River, to San Pedro on the Pacific, is
1,6lS miles. Length of extension to
San Francisco, 440 miles. Extension
from Fulton to St. Louis, necessary to
form a connection with Atlantic roads,
500 miles This brings the length of
the route on the thirty-second parallel,
to two thousand five hundred and fifty
eight miles-and leaves distance of
five hundred and twenty-six miles in fa-
vor of the route along the forty first
and forty-second parallels. The estima-
ted cost of its construction from Fulton
to San Pedro is $69, 100000 Cost of
extension to San Francisco, $25, ,1O0,-
600. Cost of extension from Fulton to
St. Louis, five hundred miles at $50, 900
per mile, $17, 100000. Making the
total cost of its construction, from St.
Louis to San Francisco, amount to one
hundred aud eleven millions, five hun
dred and seventy thousand dollars-or,
81, 100000 less than the cost Of rosd
along the forty-frst and forty-second
parallels. According to these official
estimates, the argument Of cheapness is
sustained in favor OF the route on the
thirty-sec. nd parallel J.; but the increased
distance on the latter route. must more
than overbalance the difference in the
cost eff construction. The saving of
four millions of dollars, in an enterprise
of this description and magnitude, does
not make up for the increased distance
of these estimates. Next TO cost, the
saving of Time in travelling the route,
is the important consideration, and if
these estimates as regards the distances
of the two routes are correct, the pref.
erence should be given to the route on
the forty-frst parallel. The increased
time and expense consumed in travelling
the longer route, would very soon amount
to more than the increased cost of con-
struction. Is it not singular, that the
saving of four or five millions of dollars,
IN so gigantic an enterprise, should in
duce the Secretary of War to give his
preference for route the longest by five
hundred miles, and route commencing
in the thirty ninth parallel, running
down below the thirty-second, and ter
minating in the thirty ighth :
Every consideration of future pros
perity and greatness demand that the