, 1859-12-09

(Fcm tho Rocky Mountain NeWa.l
ment of the approaching Congress some action
looking to the earlJ COMMENCEMENT Of this great
enterprise, Pacific Rsilroad} either by Govern
tneut aid or in the chaytcriDg of private COM
pany which will undertake the work.
Already this middle point on the route is
fixed, almost as iudssolubly ss is the Eastern
tic, or San Francisco on the Pacific. which will
be, IN any erens, the real termiui Of this great
national route. The road must pass through
the South Platte gold fields, and this, our con-
solidated city At the eastern foot Of the Rocky
Mountains, will be point which cannot be
tion to consider the advantages and disadran-
tages OF the several routes lending from the
Western States to this point, aud from here
westward.
Tie Platte Valley has, no doubt, the adran-
tage in every respect, being the shortest, most
direct. has the best supply Of building material,
aud tue easiest, most regular and uniform grada
Of any route across the plains, or, in fact, in the
world.
From here westward the route may defect L
little to the north. passing through the Cache-a-
la-poudre Pass Of the Black Hills, cruising the
Laramie plains, and entering the great basin
through Iridger Pass; or it may continpe frou,
here directly westward. entering the mountains
BY the Platte Canon, following up that stream
| to the junction Of the North and South Forks,
thence up the North Fork to the South Park,
cross . low mountsin summit, and thence down
the waters Of the Colorado into the heart Of the
| great BASIN This route we consider entirely
practicable, presenting less obstacles-if We
except the first fifteen miles OF the Platte Canon
| and even there they ars not At Nil insurm0unt-
| abte-thun hare been overcome on the Batl-
| more and Ohio Railroad, and trayeraing the
| gold filed in the exact direction OF the great
leads, and its greatest known length, for dis'
tance Of not less than Eve hundred miles.
| For hundreds Of ml!as through the mountain
region on the route indicated, the profile Of The
country is fu1lF dscribed when We say 'hilly'
but few elevations staining the prominence OF
mountains The valleys and slopes are rich in
! grasses, prolific in fruits, md aboundlng With
inexhaustible forests Of pine, fir and cedar
timber, presenting most vivid contrast to the
stretch away from the South Pass, which, whilst
We admit their practicability as railroad route
present but few pleasing features and no nd
vautages as the home Of man. We think the
estimate fairly within the mark, when We say
that fully one.half the country, for over -four
hundred miles along this route, on the head
waters Of the Platte, (after penetrating the FIRST
belt Of the mountains) in the South Park, and
on tile nearest tributaries Of he Colorado, vii
be inhabited and cultivated within the next ter
Years, au argument which no other railroat
route across the continent can present.
Il HUN UEluQhCa k1H ~ [SAE4A &VAoo-tGoSs
leading through Iowa and Missouri especially
to bury their spirit Of risalry, and by some con
cert OF action secure the perfection of plan By
| which all may unite and drive one n,ain trun}
,iuc directly to the gold fields at the earlies
possible day.
Suppose the Dubuque 4 Pacific, Iowa Cen
trail. Mississippi / Missouri, Hannibal i St. 10
seph, and St. Louis & Pacific Railroad Compa
MES, unite, and begin Immediately the constrnc
| ton Of one or two roads westward from tue Nils
souri, riser, looking ultimately to aconcentratio
of I'll the above named lines ut some point in til
| Platte valley, say ut or near Fort keaTney, nn
one main line from there westward BY 50 Dc
ing, they will secure the right Of way. and po.
session Of what will in few years become til
most valuable aud important railway route i
the United States, or il the world.
Even now railroad up the valley Of III
Platte would pay better than two thirds Of th
roads in the states. For the past seven month
to do the passage and freight business that ha
fown over II is route, and it is unnecessary I
assert that if road were once built it would d
n1l this immense carrying trade. No man wouE
plod along for weeks and months, to or fro,
Pixies Peak, when be could, ut the same e.
pense, make the trip By rail in less than tw
days, end the same reasoning will apply TO tt
carving Of freight.
Nor Is the construction of this rosd 10 th
point any great undertaking. The grading
hsrdly to be taxen into account, the bridging
but triling matter; timber for the supetstru
ture can be found all along the whole leHgsh
: the route, except for about one hundred ar
tifv miles on tic South Platte. for which it CO
! be taken from the mount1ins by the hundtel
and thousands VI unladen tcalrs that are col
I stantly returning to the Sta:es.
e Had the men and animals that have traverse
= this route the past season been engaged I!
= same length Of time in the construction Of ra
ro1d, wc might now hear. the snort Of the loo
motive and the rattle Of thr trajrs.