Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-07-09
The History OfOiGr Southern Pacific
lSailrOnd.

tS1i1rOnd.
1t may not be generally known that we mr.,
building a Pacific Railroad. 1t is rather an
airy, unsubstantial structure, the rails beins
laid nowhere except in the imagination bu
it has already cost up good deal money.
The Road was begun about four years ago.
As our Government is Government which
legislates always for the South and never 10,
the North, II was foregone conclusion that
the railroad must be a Southern Railroad
1t must connect with Charleston and Mobile
instead of New York or Philadelphia, and
must link the States which talk of forming a
Southern Conicderacy to California and tn
Pacific Coast.
We begun by sending out corps of Army
Officers to survey the Southern Route. To
be sure, the country was deluded with the
idea that they were going to survey ALL the
routes, Northern as well as Southern. Blu,
they had their own instructions from the Sec.
rotary of War. "a Mississippian) and the pub
lished report OF their Survey shows what they
we're The first route they surveyed was a
route through Texas. The third route they
surveyed was route through Texas. And SO
on 10 the end of the dozen routes with but
one or two exceptions, being IA route through
texas. his Texas engineering took out of
the Treasury about 81 900, zoo.
The next step was the SURVEYS. Printed
they were III seven magnificent volumes. with
steel encravings, diagrams. etchings. colored
autographs. pictures of red Indians and green
cactuscs, fishes lizards and the like, every
toad on the line having a chance to &c, his
portrait taken at the Government cxpcuse,-
These seven magnificent volumes tof which
every library boasts an odd one and no library
IN the country full set) cost about $780,
600.
Unfortunately for our Railroad. there was
but one point in which the Surveys Agreed
That WAS that there was No feasible route
anywhere SO far South, in Uncle Sans do
main. for Railroad,
Any Government but ours would have
knocked under to this necessity. and consent
ed to build the road further North. But the
genius Of our institutions rose superior To the
dilemma. If we could not have a Southern
Pacific Railroad INSIDE of our territory. we
might build one around the outside of II -
Acting upon this brilliant idea, we sent Gen
uadsden down to Mexico to buy strip of
land from Santa Anna to build eur Pacific
Railroad in.
The General was eminently successful -
lie bought strip of country consistin. of
sandy desert ,asreeably diversified with rocks.
too barren of vegetation for the most part. to
support field mousc-all for the moderate
sum of $40, ZOO, 900
The Mexicans, us is their custom, when
any money comes into their country, immedi-
atey fell to fighting for it, They have al
ready had nine Revolutions in consequences
and there is now prospect of a tenth which
will about exhaust the sum-Revolutious in
Mexico being chiefly afforded at million or
50 apiece.
We do not remember whether it was at
tins tune, or previously, that Government
made the discovery that even Cam,ls cannot
live without water more than ten DAYS or a
fortnight The journey to San Francisco in
that time could not be done by any Camel
that ever Wore hump. Water must be
had, after all, and at any cost. Fortunately
for the Pacific Railroad. Geology had proved
that water CAN be had if YOU only bore deem
enough for it,--providcd you do not hannen
to strike dry spot. Ingenious Franchm,n
have turned the tact to account by boring
Artesian Wells, thousand feet or SO deep. -
50 We must have Artesian Wells. French
men and augurs were called to the relief of
the Camels, and the boring begun. Little
water, but much money flowed therefrom say
about S250,000.
Ii Is impossible to have a we'll re yulated
sandy Desert, wherein the rights of Camcls,
Arteslan Wells, Frenchmen and the Pacific
railroad will be duly respected by the
Indians and Buifilocs, unless YOU establish
also, there Territorial Governm ent. Hence
g, the necessity OF erecting Arizona into a
territory The hill lass, but it will nass
sooner or later, and perhaps after there is a
Government there will be inhabitants. Blu,
whether there are or not, we surely should
not grudgc for the establishment of a Terri
torni Government to protect our Southern
Pacific Railroad, the small sum of $500
, 600
The condition of the Southern Pacific
Railroad may there ore he said 10 stand. 81
iar-ExPENsEs AND LIABILITIES. Sl3 900 900.
ASSETS. sundry Camels and Artesian Wells.
seven volumes OF Surveys, a sandy I erritory
and some Arabs. Let no captious Norther.
ner remark that this Sl3 600 900 would
have built the Railroad from ST. Louis or ST
Paul westward some undred of mile.
already. That might hay e been done. bu,
where then would be SOU TnERN Pacific Rail.
Road?
And now matters have SO for progressed
that we sat about building Wagon Road
rcliminary To hauling material Tor the Rail
Participating it as near as possible to the
eAtr enc Southern verge of our territory
For this enterprise and its brancees Congress
approx rated so, 900
But here arose another difficulty. In n
desert there is no water. Without water
settlements are impracticable, horses perish
and even Army Surveyors cannot live. The
Cabinet cogitated. Another brilliant idea
met the emergency. Camels Away went
Lieut.. Somebody or other, across the
"biilowy ocean" on pilgrimage to Mecca,
and tour through Egypt in pursuit of
Camels to build the Pacific Railroad with -
Back he came with cargo of Camels of all
sorts and sizes-the Arabian Camel, the
Bactrain Camel, the Camel of Asia Minor.
and the Bedoun Dromedary-the double
bumped and single bumped and the hump
ed at all. They were tied On the deck of tic
ship and carefully attended by Arab grooms
and negro walters. Some, devoid of enthus-
iasm for Internal improvements. had the
perversencss to die,of sickness but a dozen
or two We're Slug safely ashore at Galveston
and forwarded into central Texas to commence
ON the line of the Pacific Railroad. They
est, say $3.50 900.
Don't flourish in ah.a Eroo Ssnsc.