The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-10-16
Misceiiapeops.
Gold and the Pacific Railroad.

cific. 1t is only a question OF time and
of money. The gold of California has
long demanded it, and the people of all
our Pacific tier of States are clamorous
for it. 1t is essential for the full devel-
opment of the wealth of those States; it
is necessary for the promotion of civiliza-
ton at Utah; it is important for the in
terests of the whole country's commerce
and the commerce of the world, and it is
especially required as a military work,
for the use of the United States Govern
ment.
II is almost like a special dispensation
of Providence, designed to promote the
construction of Railroad to California,
that gold region, probably as rich as
that, of California, has been discovered on
the east side of the Rocky Mountains,
and about midway between the Mis-
sissippi and the Pacific. The first account
of the Pixies Peak gold discoveries was
given to the world through the, cores
pondence of the Bulletin, published on
the 5th of June last. All the subsequent
accounts confirm that first report, and
there is no doubt that gold in abundance
exists in the region referred to. More
thorough exploration of the whole Rocky
Mountain region, on both slopes, will
probably reveal other gold deposits of in
calculable richness. The Pixies Peak
gold region is about the head waters of
the Arkansas river, in latitude 81 to 40
and longitude los to 110. 1t is Just
within the western boundary of the Ter
- t., a
to travellers from the Eastern States
Already thousands of emigraEts have
gone thither from eastern Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Nebraska and other States and Ter
ritories, and we shall not be surprised if,
within single year, population ef fifty
thousand souls shall be reported in that
region, which, until recently, was only
inhabited by few Indians, trappers and
wild beasts.
Gold, the great civilizer and the great
founder of commonwealths, IS founding a
new commonwealth at the foot of the
Rocky Mountains. 1t is offering its ire
sistable invitations to the men of the East,
and they are going, with their wives and
families, their rifles and their knives, their
shoyels and their axes, their Bibles and
their printing presses, to build up new
State, which, standing midway between
4 Eastern and Western civilization, shall
extend hand to each, and receive
strength. from each, till the intervening
wilderness too shall become civilized, and
the nation become homogeneous, in popu-
lation and in enterprise, from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific coast. The increase of pop
ulstion in Western Kansas, resulting from
the gold discoveries, will hasten the con-
struction of the great Railroad across the
continent by at least ten years. The dis
lance from Leavenworth to Pixies Peak,
in direct line, is less than six hundred
miles. A Railroad along the route of the
Kansas and Arkansas rivers would be
longer, but it would be of comparatively
easy construction, and, we suppose, would
scarcely cost more than twenty millions
of dollars, Perhaps it would cost far less
even than this. If the gold is as abun-
dant as represented to be, there will soon
be forty or fifty million of dollars obtained
from Kansas annually. Could some pro-
vision be made for setting apart a certain
per centage of the product for the con.
struction Of a Railroad to connect with
the Missouri Pacific Railroad, the work
would be accomplished in few years
without seriously taxing the people Of
requiring much eastern capital.
A Railroad TO the Rocky Mountains ha'
hitherto been looked upon as an absurd
lproject because it was to lead to nothing
but rocks and mountains. AL ideas wer'
fixed on a Railroad across the mountain
to the Pacific. But now, with an Eldora
do for Western terminus, Railroad Il
the Rocky Mountains becomes a reason
. able, sensible and feasible enterprise /
We accomplish it, we accomplish the per
, manent prosperity Of Kansas, or tn
States into which it may be subdivided
we bring Utah, with its sblasphemou
rebels, within easy reach, either for pun
! 'ishment or reformation, and we also OBJ
l tain an easy access 10 New Mexico, whicl
, will thus become settled and civilized
But the great thing We achieve is the con
struction of nearly one-haf of the Paci6
Railroad. The passage of the mountain
1 remains, but half the distance is overcom
3 and the rest of the work Is made com
:. paratively easy. The gold Of Californi
!, and Kansas will soon complete the gran
e work, even If the government should nc
be liberal, and should refuse TO assist
!. its construction. .-Ph1. Bulletin.
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