Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-20
Daily a'irginian.
Routes to tho Pacific and Railroads of the
lJnitpd States

kalruau from the Older states 10 IN. newly
settled regions the mountain pnsscs very
important points. Formerly these gates" we're
regarded nv all but iusurmountablc but now
il appears thut several very easy Ia traverse.
and that the gradients oi railroads over them will
hc even more gently than ON tho Pcnnsy lyana
Central Road on tho Alleghanics. 4 very excel
lent md explanatory article has Just appeared in
the New York Tribune. from which We learn that
there are nine passes ut tho head waters of the
Missouri, nearly nll practicable for railroad
Six ot them houchc into the valley OF the Glitter
Root River. of which five available for rail
road. The Little blnckfect Pass il thus desert
bed
we'll worn road and is perfectly practicable ior
wagons. The dividing ridge is an nconsilcrablc
hill3On to 500 feet high The barometer gave nm
clc, alton of $3.50 feet above tho son. which will
probably. i'll II discussion Of observations be rcdu.
ced to less than 6oOu.
The country is 81 level that in March Journey
wns made with wagon from Fort Benton to Can.
tonmcnt Stevens 2ad miles. in twelve days. The
inclination is gradual TINT tho wheels wero not
locked in the descent
We now proceed To quote comparative view
Of several roulca:=-
\ comparison of distances from the Lakes aud
lhe Mississippi 10 the Pacific in round numbers,
il ny follows
From Memphis to San Francisco. 2,S5o miles.
From Rock Island. Ark. and the
South Pass oSnn Francisco. 800 miles
From St Paul to Seattle. On Puget
Sound 500 miles
West end Of Lake Superior To Seattle 1913 niles
II ia we'll known 10 all who hn,e anything to do
with railroads. that nSccnls aud dcsccnts hills and
valley are to he avoided if possible In this
spect tho comparison Of nscrnts and dcscents on
the different routes are follows
From Memphis to san Frnncieco..... 1881 feet.
From Rock leland to San Francisco %, ,l2O feet.
From st. Paul 10 Nancuu,rr-hend or
ship navigation. Columbia River. 1861 feet.
Tn" mountain passes nre elevated ns follows:
Memphis route. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. S,oOo iuet.
south N,'iiJ lcet
81. Paul To pupe Sound .,,............ 6,oII feet.
I'm h route has the following number Of miles
at mn elevation OF more thnn Wo feet nboyc the
sra
Memphis routc....................... ~ miles
S9nih mcS'
ST. Paul. Observation-Disclosures. l25 miles
Mllcs elevated 5000 feet
Memphis 93S mcp
south ,l32 miles
st. Paul 25t miles
Practical railroad men alone know the value of
level routes. The wear nud tear ami increased
expense Of routes on high elevation and short
cur,aurcs excessive. In &c ,nomy Of opera
tlnns. tho route frcm st. Paul stands far ahead of
ali others.
The question to be finally thought of !s-"Can
that score by what we have already done in the
way of railroads. Thus:
In 1882 we built .,,5il miles Of road.
In 1853 we built 2,7l9 miles Of road.
In 1854 we built 3,54o miles OF rond.
In 1858 We built 1876 miles of road.
la lS56 we built 1878 miles Of rond.
Total III five years l5, lj2 miles of road.
In 1880. there 1870 miles of railroad in
operation in the United States now there cnnnot
be less than 10000 miles in operation aud 200
under way. costing about SI7GO0D.0Uo. OF this
amount in lo56, the country indebted about
s3o).ooo,ooo. The entire amount of stock and
bonds held in lorrgn hands was Ssl 100000 only
IT, in 1906, the country put nearly 5000 mile, III
operation. there need be no hcstancy in regard TO
ability to construct during tho next two or
three years loco miles. even though it bo through
an unsettled country, portion Of the way, cspe-
cally when more than half of the distance s ns
cay uf construction roads III Illinois and Wis
Gonsn We learn from the authority we have
quoted, that the route from ST. Paul is already
under construction. a company is chartered and
in operation, aided by land grants to construct u
rond from st, Paul to the junction of the Bois do
Sioux with the Red River Of the North, distance
toward the Pacific IF 231 miles, leaving less than
lG0o miles to bo provided for.