The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-02-18

made quarterly.
Col. Curtis Pacific Railroad HIlI.
We publish to- day the bill Of Col. Curtis
az reported to the House. There was n
large variety of plans before the committee
Of which he is member, some of them pre-
pared BY men Of eminent ability and expe-
rience. The subject was fully debated in
committee, and all the plans of Importance
dissected and discussed. By majority of
one, which would have been in increased to
three If the committee had been full, the
committee laid aside every project but that
Of Col. Curtis, and allowed him to report
his own to the House, as the bill of the CON-
mittee, in fact making him chairman Of the
committee for that purpose. Against ma
jority Of political opponents, majority
originally opposed to his bill, the Colonel
carried his own project triumphantly through,
over all opposition, upon it's own solid merits.
careful perusal Of the bill leads us to con-
slider that it is fairly entitled to the favor
which 1t commanded after such scrutiny
and against such odds. 1t is now before the
and practical men, and is supported by
strong interest in that branch of Congress.
II will be the subject Of much debate for
some time to come, and the great probabili-
ty is that if the Pacific Railroads. construct
ed under the auspices Of Government, it will
be under the provisions Of this bill, substan-
tally as we present it to-day. 1t is, there
fore, deserving Of the careful examination Of
allpersons interested in that great enterprise,
and will doubtless command it.
1t seems to us a practical plan---one which
both offers sufficient inducement to enlist the
employment of capital, and avoids the strong
objections to gigantic and permanent. mo-
nopoly either in the soil or in the road. The
capitalists interested are sure of large re
turn. The road will in short time fall into
the hands Of the states OF territories through
which it passes. The lands set apart to be
employed In it's construction, must within
few years pass into other hands for improve
ment, or revert to Government. And the
Government itself receives ultimate pay for
its advances Of property and credit, in nee
essary service rendered at usual rates. To
crown all, the location of the line is the most
just and equally advantageous that could be
selected. 1t is not q Northern line, nor a
Southern line, but Central AS conve-
nient for Memphis as Chicago, and as conve-
nient for Charleston and New York as for
Philadelphia and Baltimore. 1t will not
pass this session. We do not expect il can
even pass the House. But it is before the
House, and before the country, and the next
House (Which will very certainly be more ia
vorable to the general scheme than the pres
ent one) must take it up and must dispose of
il.
We are glad to learn, and the constituents
of Col. Curtis will be glad to learn, that his
success so far has gained him great eclat at
the Capital, and has greatly heightened his
position and influence, and that his bill i.
growing daily more popular, with an increas-
ing tendency among the friends of the enter
prise to unite upon his project. His practi.
cal knowledge Of the general sub of en-
glneering, Of the geography of the region
the road will traverse, and the general inter
ests OF the country,-with his readiness of
debate, fit him, happily, more fully to sup
port and defend this bill than for any other
public service. Upon that topic, certainly,
he is the right man, in the right place.
cT- In the admission Of Oregon the Dem