Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-05
Texa. Pacific Railroad.

The Cincinnati Railroad Record publishes "A
letter from Maj. Heintzelman of the IT, ). Ar
my, in which that gentleman, after severa
years spent on duty in the far west, gives vail
liable testimony rs To the advantages of the
Texas Route for Rail Road to the Pacific.
The Record is equally emphatic in giving to it
the preference over all other proposed or pos
sible lines. it says; Taking the centre OF the
population of the United States, which is in
the Upper Ohio Valley, as a point OF depart
ure, aud the Texas route is the nearest to a
port on the Pacific ocean; and therefore, the
best and most convenient TO the greatest
number of tie population of the United States
This fact IS incOntrOvertible, if the Govern
ment surveys are correct"
The Record adds table Of distances show
ing that even Cincinnati is AL miles nearer to
the Pacific by way of Texas, than by its most
formidable rival lIne-tbat through the South
west Pass, ON the parallel of fl degrees.
But says our authority: The Texas route is
not only the shortest line from the Central
West, but it presents the shortest possible route
from the naUigd5ie Waters of the Pacific
Ocean We have the testimony OF Mpjor 5.
p. Heintze!man,, who was Ihaee years resi-
dent at Fort Yumah, on the Coiurado-that
steamboats, OF four feet draught, navigared the
Colorado in the year 1852 and 1853 al the ioio
est stage 81 IedteT, When the Texas road, then,
shall reach the Colorado, it is on the Rauig4
Die eaters Of the Pacific.
But this point is 300 miles east ofSan Diego
Deducting this from the whole distance and
we have only thirteen hundred miles of rail-
road To connect the nayigable waters of the
Mississippi with those OF the Pacific. But,
from Council Bluffs 10 Benica, the nearest dis
lance on the ii deg, is 2,032 miles. In other
words, between the Mississippi and the Pacific
there is An actual gain on the Texas route Of
seven hundred pilesl This is one third the
whole distance. This alone should determine
the whole question. II Is decisive.
Among other considerations in favor OF the
Southern Route, the Record refers with much
emphasis la the superior cheapness with which
the road over ii may be worked. IL doubts,
with CREST show of reason, whether road
can be run IN winter through the Rocky Moun.
tains. And referring 10 the fact that the u. s.
Mail train from Independence TO the Great
Salt Lake was lately driven back encouOteTing
snow -four feet deep, hard aud levef'-says:
Ii is, therefore, palpable that rail road
constructed on he plains Of the Platte anc
Missouri, must encounter far greater amount
of snow and cold than las been encountered
by any rOad Yet constructed IA the United
States. The effect OF this Obsl ruction can Unly
be conjectured. But we have one fact which
will enable Us TO estimate At least some part OF
the effect 10 running a rail ruad. An attentive
examination Of the reports Of the Erie Rad
Road will show &hat the average expense Of
the three winter months are, IN proportion To
Tie business dons, 10 per cent. greater than
those OF the three Summer months.
Bat the distractions on the Erie road are
slight, eo'nparsd with those Of q road RAINING
on tie eastern SLOPE Of the Rocky Mountains,
II ws place IS pcs esat. Of Tie whole expenses