Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-11-13
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.


The Washington letter writer's intimate that
the President in his forthcoming message will
recommend the construction of n railroad TO
the Pacific. But the particular plans to be
adopted is not at present known to outsiders
But whatever plan may be recommended, if a
feasible one, will be ioyfully haled by the whole
people of the country. An empire is rapidly
springing up on the shores of the Pacific and
unless better communication can be had, than
there is at present, between the Atlantic and
Pacific States our brethren west of the Rocky
Mountains will "dissolve the Union" and set up
a government of their own. But if the East
and the West is bound together by railroad and
telegraph wires, the promise of as grand flu
ture as the world ever beheld, or as the minds
eve ever contemplated, will be realized before
the years of the present century shall have
been numbered. On this subject the New
York Times has the following appropriate re-
marks -
"'rhe marvellous progress of the Pacific
States was in itself an argument, unanswerable
and complete, that road connecting the East
and the West. should be connected without de-
lay and carried on with all possible speed. If
there had been a Pacific raroad--if it had
been only commemorative should not have
been obliged to expend millions to suppress a
Mormon rebellion. A Pacific railroad, besides
developing the resources of an immense tract
of country, and connecting the American
settlements of the East with those of the West,
would put an end to our anxiety about the
Isthmian routes and the quarrels that are in
cessantly springing from this interminable
question. 4 Pacific railroad would make us,
comparatively speaking, Independent Of the
casualties of war, and would be a safeguard to
those distant States, which would otherwise lie
at the mercy of a great naval power in the
event of hostilities.
Great Britain, whose interests on this Cont
nent are not to be compared with ours, has al
ready manifested disposition to prosecute this
important enterprise. Since the discovery OF
the Fraser River gold mines, and the spread of
Canadian settlements towards the Red Rlver
the work is looked upon, from British
point of view as a national necessity and as a
means of opening up that immense territory
which will soon be freed from an odious mono
poly. The magnificent country, whose re-
sources the Hudson's Bay Company have taken
such pains to conceal, is no longer an unknown
wilderness but surveys and examinations
have been made, and have fully demonstrated
the practicability of a road from the head of
Lake Superior TO the gold region of the Fraser
River. 1t is reported, among the last news
/ from Europe that the British Government will
guarantee a liberal interest on the capital ex-
pended on the construction of such road, and
this, it would seem is all that is required to in
sure its immediate commencement. a glance
at the map will illustrate the feasibility of con-
structing a road through the British North
American possessions, and the superiority OF
the route over any one that the territory of the
United States affords. Starting at a given
point at the west end of Lake Superior, it is
proposed that the road be constructed along
the banks of Rainy Lake, and thence to lied
Rivera distance of about $50 miles. From
the Red River to the Northern extremity OF
Lake Winnepeg-a further distance OF 500
milcs-there is good navigation for large-slzed
steamboats,; and from thI head of Lake VIM
narse. the Saskatchewan ltver is naligable foi
100 miles, to the base of the Noeh. SIou"."i"s
Here the road would again be taken up, and il
is remarkable that the pass selected for the
route is only 900 feet high-a very small OBJ.
stacle to so great an undertaking. The lowest
pass through which it is possible to construct {
railroad in United States territory is double
and treble the hight of this. After the noun
tains are crossed on the projected British route
a branch of the Fraser River is in close prox
unity. making distance of $50 miles from tn,
head of Lake Winnepeg, and of about GOO
miles from Lake Superior 1t will be observed
that two-thirds of the journey will be performed
bv steamboat. The remainder, to be Travelled
by rail. is over prairie land, with climate sim
liar TO that of Northern New York, ani {
country plentifully supplied with coal and wa
ter. Now that the whole route has been sur
veyed, and its character accurately determined
the construction of the railroad appears ne
longer a chimerical or even a difficult under
taking. Money alone is required, and none,
; can be obtained; and considering the attention
which the subject has attracted in England ant
the Provinces, and the number of influential
men and capitalists who have expressed thel
readiness to commence the work and to carry 1
; through, we have little doubt that railroad Il
the Pacific is already settled Pohcy oil TIT
British Government
We commend these facts-for facts they ar,
TO the earnest attention of the Administration
1t is notorious that, through their influence,
! Pacific Railroad bill was defeated last Winter
We leave Mr. Buchanan to reconcile this actor
: of his Government with his past persona
promises and with his declaration that tn,
measure was a Democratic one, and should re
ceive the encouragement and aid of Demo
cratic Administration. We have yet to sc,
these promises and pledges-ncgected by th'
|, Government of President Pierce-fulflled b,
, that of his successor; and if Mr.. Buchanan
should so far consult the vital interests OF Cal
ifornia, and the wishes of the entire people o
the Union, as to make this national measure
part of his programme, we trust that, in 1T
prosecution, all sectional and party interest
will be thrust aside and the welfare of th
country alone consulted We do not car
whether this or that route is selected. Let i
be impartially decided which road, the North
ern or Southern, can be most economically AM
! advantageously constructed and the peopl
will be satisfied with the choice
5 1t is clear to all who have taken the troubl
i to think upon the matter, that, at no very dis
D tant day, railroad to the Pacific must be con
structed, either by the United States or Greu
: Britain. We have endeavored tie show the ia
J, cilities for such road through the BIRTHS
:, American possessions, and the determinatio
Il evinced by the British Government and b
5 British capitalists to see the enterprise carrie
: out. 1t will be the very next step taken afte
G the abolition of the Hudson Bay monopoly
Upon the importance of such work to Britis
: America, and of its tendencies to consolidat
g an Empire that may one day be a tormidabl
: rival to the United States, we need not enlarge
1t requires no special vision of prophecy to fore
< see the immense tide Of emigration that woul
u nour along this highway of travel between Ell