The Placer herald., 1856-04-26

OF the good and true, by the faculties
OF Will and Understanding, free from strfe:--
Nor shall thy lustre cease at last to shine:
Nor thy quick flames die in the ashes low;
Nor spirit fail when blood shall cease to flow;
Nor faded lie the flowers of Love Divine;
For every struggle in the latest breath,
Is but progressive Life, and death of Death.
From our Yankee Jim Correspondent,
Pacifc Rai1rood- Carton's Letter-Tempest
IN q Teopot-Down on the Temperance
Men.
YANKEE JIM's, April "a, 1856
Messrs. Editors: The Pacific railroad is
now the all important topic Of the day. In
deed it is subject in which the whole nation
is deeply and lastingly concerned, and espe-
cially so California-this the golden section
of its wide domain. In peace and in war its
Importance is commensurate with the extent
and prosperity of our fair and glorious coun-
try; and loudly does this subject call for the
deep researches of its scholars that the best
and most economical mode of its construc-
ton may be discovered and adopted.
AS commencement to unanimty of
action all political and sectional differences
and preferences should be buried-buried
deep for the good and prosperity of our
country; and let all rest content, each one
receiving his share of the work performed.
Let each one dedicate all his intellectual
means to the fair and legitimate advocacy of
that which is right-the good of our com
mon country-the denunciation of all that is
vile, vicious and corrupt, come they from
Il, Lot
heart and mind retain the br!liancy Of this
noble spirit in the individuality of his char
acter and my word for it the work is under
way to rapid completion But, gentlemen,
what has been done? Talking-everlastng
talking to Mons Buncombe, for Buncombes
sake. | cannot see that any Ian has as yet
been suggested to meet the emergency-such
an one as the nation can accept without be-
coming the victim of its machination. The
whole scheme so far is a speculative one to
all intents and purposes. This will not do,
nor can it be received; let us, therefore, have
suggestions no matter how futile they may
be, from ever one who has the ability and
even the conceit, to WELD the pen. Some
onP, in all probability, may hit upon the
ripht idea. and ono h','n>!,f" - r. enH.'o
permit ME to occupy a small portion of your
valuable journal in the way of beginning.
The average cost Of our railroads in the
Eastern States amounts to some SAG 900 per
mile. In the Middle States some $4,000
per mile down to $4,000 per mile The
cheapest constructed in the United States is
the Charleston Railroad in South Carolina to
Augusta on the Savannah river making an
average cost of S6,7OO per mile. 1t was
completed and opened for traffic in 1888,
and had not up to 1851 exceeded at any pc
riod counting cost and repairs, over SIC, 900 |
per mile.
mile those who have made the survey can
best tell | presume it will require some
$lOO,OOO,OOO if not $l2O,OOO,OOO to COM
plete the entire work. A small amount it is
true in these days Of plenty? That It may
be constitutional it must be q national IN
dertaking. Let the government therefore
resolve to do the work, and call the public
to their aid to purchase two-thirds of the en-
tire amount to be paid in as required and as
the work progresses to completion, which
would be some five or seven years. Having
the. right Of way free from all expense, it |
strikes me there would not be much difficulty
in disposing of the necessary amount of
stock that Is if the public desire the road
completed on fair and just terms.
The money required to be paid in this way
either on the part Of the government or the
public could be advanced without much trou-
Bile. Congress could appoint suitable persons
annually, whose duty should be to manage
and protect the government interest, and re-
port progress according to instructions. Some
such undertaking as this would far better
serve the government than any other | have
heard Of 1t would have the thousands of
acres of land which is now proposed should
be virtually given away, still on hand, to re-
plenish its Golfers if necessary, as well as the
property in the road, which could be sold
probably, at premium, when it became the
will and pleasure Of the nation to do so.
Fellow citizens, permit justice and truth to
embrace III one indissoluble, fraternal bond,
and let no man harbor the idea of a dissolu-
ton of our giant Union. Perish for ever the |
thought, and perish first the man! aye, ten
millions of men, than this glorious fabric
should become the wreck and ruin of their
doings.
"Caxton's" celebrated letter on the ap-
preaching ruin of this State is sad picture
sad, indeed, to contemplate, were his ideas
founded either upon truth or common reason.
The writer surely must have found himself
just out of mesmeric sleep, and with dis
torted brain sits down to pen his aerial vision.
Any one conversant with cause and effect
can easily tell why the present apparent en-
barrassment exists in San Francisco and else
where, and sorry am that such respecta-
bic journal as the Sacramento Union should
in its leader, lament that such production
emanated from the author "and particularly
at this time" Pray, what effect can it have
either in this State or in the States general