The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-28
THE PAcfFIc RaHWAY.

The Houston CIexas) Telegraph after stating that IL Il
too much for any one company TO build two thousand
miles of railroad aud at stupendous enterprise
il to be built by single company, could be soonest
made through regions already settled aud where local
capital could be brought TO their aid thus speaks Of the
progress which is being made TO connect the Atlantic
with the Pacific
The time viii be very short comparatively, when New
Orleans will be connected by railroad with all parts Of
the United States when there viii be considerable
break from New York to the Crescent City Now from
New Orleans to Houston, have road already in ope-
ration for the distance Of eighty miles and the balance
certain TO be constructed that the years win roll
round. Ii is only question OF time and that not a
long one Ii is darling project OF many enterprsng
men IL is also chartered basis by which the con
struction can be accomplished. This link in the chain
completed the plan of coast road to a convenient
point for crossing the continent and have 10 look out
for the balance From Houston we have Two roads lead
ing westward one striking the Colorado at Columbus
and which viii be completed to that point we doubt
not, within the coming year, and the other striking
that river at Wharton, forty miles lower down The
former OF these roads will when the plan Of
western line carried out be extended to San Anto
MO on the direct line to III Paso, the highest point
which successful Pacific road be made for many
years to The latter will become link to connect
with the Arkansas road which Is chartered TO run to the
Rio Grande, line 10 ntersect there with the great
Central Transit route, chartered by the Mexican govern
,ent 10 run from the Rio Grande to Maaatlan at the
mouth the Gulf Of California This road is laid OF ON
route eminently favorable 10 its construction and has
charter well calculated to facilitate the enterprise. The
Mexican government will, of course, throw out ali in
tucements in its power have this road made M
srritcry The only link wanting in this great chain OF
roads from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific is the short
distance of perhaps 100 miles from Wharton to the
Arkansas road Tho distance from New Orleans Is
follows
New Orleans to the Sabine 2i0 miles
Sabine TO Houston ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 96 +"
Houston to Wharton $500 ----~----- 20 ="
Wharton 10 Arkansas ----------- 100 :"
Arkansas to the Rio Grande- --------------l 60 az
nio Grande TO Mazatlan- $40 %
Total distance -.---.------------l,22I /"
of which 95I miles are now under charter 81 in opera
ton 80 graded liz under contracts and for
the so miles graded 43 miles of iron is purchased and
now being received which will make 100 in operation by
the LIST of May, 1859 The several links OF this great
chain are under five different and distinct companies
and there two to be organized They all lead
through fertile country, and each, separate road,
without any connection with the other links, will be
profable Investment Taken together, the amount Of
travel that will pass over them, when completed, will DO
enormous.
This great will become the channel for the worlds
business All Europe and the United States east of; and
including the Mississippi valley will take this route to
the Pacific coast and the Pacific Islands. The time from
New York may be estimated follows at the rate of 500
miles per day when the roads are compcted which Is II
miles per hour
New York to New Orleans ---------------- 81 days.
New Orleans to Mazatlan. -----.-------------2a !"
Total time to the Pacific ------------6
This scheme. when carried out, will have immediate
and direct railroad connection with every port of the
Gulf and Atlantic coast from Portland to the Rio Grande
1t will thus already TO its hands hundreds of feeders
central trunk branching to every point from which
travel can come 1t finds the Pacific coast splendid
harbor within short sail Of San francisco, Oregon Cen
trail America the Sandwich Islands, in fact the whole
Pacific ocean it being the most central point upon the
western coast of America.
Or, again. suppose the road to New Orleans were
not considered. We have lines already under charter
and construction connect Houston with Cairo and
Memphis aud through them with the whole system OF
roads in the United States and these lines also being
built sulserve local interests and TO meet local de
mand which absolutely requires thcm and is able to con
struct them
Thus while we hear of the Northcn Pacific route the
Central Pacific route and the Southern Pacific route, all
in the hands of great SPECTATORS, all aiming at far too
much for individual companies to accomplish the various
links of this the best line quietly being constructed
by companies who have undertaken no more than they
can accomplish and long before these great roads butt
against the Rocky Mountains with their perpetual SHOWS
the locomotive will he actually running ON continuous
line OF rail from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the most
feasible route possible connecting the two halves of the
world in perpetual bend aud giving the whole world
the thoroughlarc il demands
Who darcs TO say that ten fifteen years shall not fce
the accomplishment of this great plan
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