Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-02-27

Aiter expanding ono hundred and hfly
thousand dollars for surveys, and nearly
as much more for the printing and bind
ing Of quartz volumes Of reports, estimates
aud speculaiions, another Congress Is like
ly to pass with no action on this important
subject. But even this non-action is not
without rs significance. The letter Of
Mr.. Buchanan to bis California friends,
declaring his opinion In favor Of the road
the strong tendency towards, II not the ao-
tual fact Of Mr.. Walkers appointment rs
Secretary Of State,-the overthrow Of the
Pierce Administration, 80 hostile 10 NIL
improvcmonts--the obvious necessity Of
doing something for tho interior States
all indicate Enthusiastically thA! Buchapan's
administration viii be far moro favorable
TO Pacific Railroad than that now about
to retire. The probability that Congress
will ultimately do something on this sub
ject Is rather increased than Diminished.
In the meanwhile lot us review tho cir
cumstanccs Of tho case. What has beon
done towards Pacific Railroad? Much
moro than our readers generally know FOR
Indeed, the foundation has been laid H.
construction, as fast as time aud labor will
permit. Of Pacific Road---and several
such roads--which are as sure to DO made
IN the growth Of the country, rs that rail-
roads now traverse New York and Ohio.
The first step, and the one that has been
done, was to secure Railroads which con-
tinue our interior system Of Railroads 10
he extreme frontier Of our new Western
States This has been done by the various
land grants within tho last three or four
years.
l. The Grant Of the Hannibal and 81
Josephs road Is valuable grant, enabling
that road TO complete il to the Missouri
river on the Kansas line.
2.trhe Iowa land grants will enable d
main lino.io DO completed to ComcllBluns
on the Nebraska line.
3. Tho Minnesota. land bill (Which has
passed tho Scnate) will enable Minnesota
to complete u line to the western boundary
Of the State.
4. The grant TO the Cairo and Fulton
Railroad will insure tho completion o.
that to the north cast angle Of Tcxas.
5. The immense grants and loans o.
Texas 10 tho Southern Pacific Road will
secure tho completion Of that line to T.
Paso, on the Rio Grandc, a distance 0
7so miles.
6. There arc other lines In Missouri
Iowa and Louisiana, which will by Stat
aid and incorporate subscriptions be car
ricd TO the cxtromo:wcstern frontier.
From these facts II is evident that III,
railroad combinations OF tho Unite,
States will reach some half dozen points
from Canada 10 the Gulf Of Mexico, OF
tho extreme western froniicrof tho States
It's not easy 10 imagine that from thes
points the United States will not max
land grants within tho territories Of tn
North West, OF Now Mexico or the Gads
den Purchase. Ultimately they must, O
they have done In Iowa, Missouri and Al
kansas. But let us suppose for momcn
that no further grants are made, aud no,
stands tho case? Tho only result OF Con
grcss proceeding no further at present.
will be. that the Southern Pacific Railroa
will DO made, while tho Northern road
must wait for time and chance. Tho pc
sltlon Of affairs Is very plain. Take a ma
and look at tho termini Of tho States W
have mentioned. The heavy grants {
Texas. In land and money, can hardly b
estimated ut less than $45, 200, ooo,-(as
sumng tho land 10 DO ultimately wort
90 per acre, (which Is moro than suflit
; lent to construct tho entire road 10 III Pl
: so. on tho Rio Grande. Suppose tho Mi
souri,, Iowa, and Minnesota roads all TO l
, made 10 tho points indicated. how do tho
relatively stand9 Council Bluffs, whoI
tho Iowa roads terminate. 10 IN longitud
90 deg. The termination of tho Nilsson
roads Ia still farther cast But III PAS
the termination Of tho Southern Pacif
10 In longitude i07 dog, or elepcn degree
further West. In ono word, tho souihor
Pacific viii, under present arrangement
DO carried sis hundred miles West Of an
ether termination. III paso Is but abo,
700 miles from tho port Of San Diego, Q
tho Pacific, aud but 500 miles from Il
mouth Of the ella, from which steamboa
can pass out, by tho Gulf Of California,
the Pacific.
We mention these facts simply to sho
thatif Congress docs nothing, tho pacII
Railroad will DO made, but Will DO ma
= on The Southern route which. Is now, for q
spectators, the most preferred, on accou
D Of distance, climate, and cheapness. \
: ono can suppose that when railroad fro
y the Atlantic shall reach within five hui
u dred miles Of Pacific navigation, II vi
D not DO completed. The immense miner
wealth OF the Gadsden Purchase W
II alone secure II.
9 We return, then,to the original probleI
= VIII not Congress do something to secu
o tho early completion Of this great worl
n For both political and commercial consi
erations, we think the Buchanan Admit
!. istration will not lose so golden an oppo
!. tunity to signalizc its devotion to natio
|, atty and conciiate the great valley Of Il
: Mississippi. We most certainly shou
!. prefer the action Of Congress: but II Co
gross should neglect its duty, and In tim
the Southern Pacific Railroad should
made. Cincinnati and Ohio may not III
so great cause to complain. The compl
ton Of the Cairo and Fulton and the TIE
!. as Pacific roads would give moro dire
" route from Cleveland and Cincinnati !
' N.... al. D..sGo .to. ,.,