The Placer herald., 1857-01-31
The Union-The Iron Bond which con-
meets it Statistics for California to
think ahout


A scheme is propoeed by correspondent
in late number of the United States Rail-
road Register, to connect by means of
the Pennsylvania, Pittsburg, f. Wayne
and Chicago Railways, and others west of
Lima, Ohio through Indiana, Illinois and
Iowa, now building, the city of Philadelphia
with the Platte River on the upper waters
of the Missouri. The correspondent above
alluded to writes from Peoria. Illinois
whence he mentions that the great East and
West road connecting at Lima, Ohio with
the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne and Chicago Rail
road and running due west via Logansport.
in Indiana, Peoria in Illinois, and Buriing-
ton in Iowa to the mouth of the Platte
river is now progressing rapidly under very
favorable auspices.
The writer from Peoria remarks that "the
route Is at present under the control of four
companies: the Lima Logansport, the Lo-
gansport and Pacific, the Peoria and Oquaw-
ka, and the Burlington and Missouri
River. Between Lima and Logansport moth
ing has been done, except the securing of a
charter but connection is already formed
between Logansport and the Pittsburg,
Fort Wayne-the Lima and Logansport
concern being simply Strengthening of the
line, which can be done at any future time.
From Logansport west, they are hard at
work grading and preparing for the super
structure, but of the full amount of work done
| am not at present prepared to say; they
however promise to meet us at the Eastern
extension Of the Peoria and Oquawka Rail
road, and so cause no detention. On our
Peoria and Oquawka Railroad we shall have
in thirty days time $50 miles in running or
der and equipped with rolling stock, incud-
ing the bridge across the Illinois river at this
point (being the only navigable stream, and
therefore the only drawbridge between Pitts
burg and the Mississippi river) This $50
miles lies between the Chicago Alton and
st. Louis Railroad, so miles east of Peoria
and the Mississippi river at Burlington
where another bridge is secured by charter
and will be built as soon as necessary
West of Burlington, the Burlington and
Missouri River Railroad is finished, and run
ming so miles and will be completed to Of
tumwa, 80 miles west of Burlington, on the
Des Moines river, before lst January"
This scheme, if carried out would make
continuous line OF railway raising 800 miles
in length from Philadel phia. 1t would run
nearly the whole way through a rich and
fruitful country and be tapped along the
route by prosperous roads running south
from the shores of the lake. The Iowa end
Of the route is rich in means by the grant
from Congress of 100000 acres of land
along the line Of construction. The road
from Lima to Logansport, for which char
ter has been already secured will run nearly
due west from the former place to the latter
and is, as the Register above remarks, scar
cely more than the STRENGTHENING of a great
line of travel extending entirely across five
great Staes.-The terminus Of this great
trunk railway upon the Missouri at the
mouth of the Platte, would be but one de-
gree north of Philadelphia, and almost up
on the same parallel with Pittsburgh, while
the windings of the entire route would not
swerve more than 80 miles upon either side
of straight line touching i'hiadeI phia at
one end, the Missouri a: the other, and
passing through the principal inland cities
| between the two termiuI.