New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-10
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.


WASHINGTON, Jan. g. 1857.
The Pacific Railroad bill is generally regarded
here as hopelessy lost for this Session, as, indeed
it ought to be, unless the subject is better under
stood by Members Of Congress than il is now The
easure has been popular subject for stump ora
tors aid e1uberant par rapbists till many people
Lave come, they know not why, to regard 1t as a
great public necessity. Now, believe it can be
easily shown that Railroad to the Pacific is not
needed AT present and that if it built il would
not pay to run the cars for years 10 come.
IL sawell known aud understood fact among
railroad mep, that the great source If income 10 a
road is the ray travel The through travel pays
but a small part Of the net revenue Of road and
there are at this day few roads in the country
those connecting our most pOpulOus cities,
that have sufficient through travel to pay the eI-
pense Of running the cars. How then would it be
ON Pacific Railroad extending 1000 miles through
a country as yet unDhabted Ii would cost not
less than q, 900 10 run a train OF cars from ST.
Louis 10 Sacramento. II is estimated that II costs
! 81 per mile TO run heavy train upon our Eastern
roads Ii would cost double that amount on the
Pacific read for il would not be necessary 10 run a
train Oitener than once or twice a week and it
would require the same force stationed along the
route 10 keep the road ia order though the ears
passed and repassed several times day. There is
not road in the world the business OF which could
be doLe by ore two trains week that is not mis-
cradle and ruinOus Investment. The freight through
from one terminus to another would not amount to
enough 10 pay for the oil used upon the engine
Some light articles might be taken across, but all
heavy goods would continue, now, 10 go around
the Horn. IL would make but about s. days diff.
ference in the time, and no railroad company could
carry freight for the distance Of 600 miles without
augmentiDg the price 80 as to make it Il runOus
business for the brakeman. The difference Of
freight would much exceed the extra insurance
added 10 the interest the money invested during
the difference Of time that the goods were on the
way, In case OF a scarcity in the market OF any
particular article, there would be q supply or
dered by the railroad; but those cases
would be so rare as TO make hardly an item
in the receipts Of the road. No; the idea of
connecting California with the Mississippi Val
lev before the intermediate country is partially
settled is simply absurd. A road could be built by
the Government or by private companies if the
Government would give Them sufficient lands go
that they could realize from them the amount that
il would cost; but the cars would seldom run over
the track unless the Government paid the expense
thereof The road would be useful in case OF war,
il is true, but in time of peace it would DC tax
aud dead weight OH the Government
speak as a Californian. l have lived IN that
country for nearly seven years, and Undertake TO
say that Pacific Railroad is not the great neces-
lily of California. A railroad or apy other means
of communication is wanted only rs IL VIII ficill-
tate emigration. The great want there Is pOpu-
latoD. The country is unquestOnably the dnest
naturally IN the whole world. The climate,
soil and mineral resources are unequaled,
anG it only IDS more people of the right kind TO
make il the garden Of the world. They have al
ready too many of the genteel kind who went there
TO live without hard work. They want more OF the
producing elass. OflsWyers, doctors, gamblers AMI
spectators, they have too many already; but the
held for fsrmers miners and mechanics is scarcely
occupied at all. How shall these latter be induced
10 tmgIatei
answer, a coed wagon road is the great necessi-
ty. Wee such road built, aud the necessary
IestiDg-plsees established, where abundance Of
good water could be obtained at all seasons Of the
year, ard were military posts stationed along az
such distances as would give adequate protection
irtm the Indians, then those people through the
West who desired Ia GO to California could do 80
with no outlay Of money whatever.
viii suppose for Instance farmer IN moderate
hvng in Indiana, Illinois. or Iowa,
", indeed, any Western State, wishes 50 migrate
" II bic family to California ~ Oregon. he can