, 1860-04-19

x AZ ]41A 1k.Ax LkE Oe4 e.,
Repert Of TIC Special Committee
on TIE
PACIFIC RAlLR0iQ BILL.
Submitted to the Hourc &c Kepressn-
1a'ascn, April a, 1860.
1ae select committee to whom were referred
~ matters relating tn Pacific Naitrond snd
telegraph jiue hare had the s1inc under cons'1e-
Fstior. and submit the following report
The tpplica,ioh Of ssean power to propel
steamboats uud locomotive hss become univer~
aal among civilized na.ions. Every pursuit
which reauires ceieriiv, certainty, and economy
of1nore,ncnt goes By steRn'; ind, although il
IL only ab.s,t thirty.hve rcaTs sincc railroads
and locomotives were 'areuted. It would now
be considered rrepcsteroa* to present nrru-
1neuts t.. prove their general necessity in the
prblic Rud riiTste nlasrA Of stutr.
Commercial. postal. naval, and military moye,
upents Gre crerr"ncrc accelerated by the anpli.
aAtiou 6f A.eam on water mud land: and 10 Ivn;a
dangerous and tisErzee:u! deiar in nat;cn,i
Progress, every conn.ry 1nnst make pror;.;nn
in som. way TO compete with this new elen,cr.
Of rational progress. 1u lie Crimean ~
Ffapce aud Eogiaud arasscd tbemsclyes Of st..
proru'z'ons, nod even CONSTRUCTED = r. -soa
ss - ses SGGae sssaaasnss ~ 81 shc sle
-hA'F''Ne
EFerJ country should b.
transportation to. eti;- --ts txcans Of railroad
wise ocean steaD', -sRt .,crao:e points, o.hcr-
he'ofe they -d- can oserwhcltn such points
Toe fece" -sa seccire succnr frfsn home. In
bout - NAliua N;ar, tns adoption Of s,easa-
, - @nd ra:9roads as military facilities or aux
<+feTea concentrated more decisive action in :
Hhfee months campaign than could Otherwise
nave been effected ia thrc. yeats. Railroads
*se no" s5s"'utey necessary for military pro.
Section, and might be justified in some insteu,
Ses On the ground u publ: safety, and uudtr
!1es US apply the general principles to the con-
-dnsoos ot California and1hc surrounding Pacific
.Sze:t'erenfs. Oer nnly effective commercial
lines Connecting with those Suites ART circuit
GUS exterior, and oceanic. rassiug through for
sign ssases by no Mesus particularly friendly II
GS+ AEc routes and sections Of Sou:ee, which
'1e or the ocean. arc exposed to superior naval
fs:fers in Europe-powers that are becoming
skstty stronger 5y recent alliances. and by the
applicstiou Of modern improvements. The
1rRnsitf b7 the lsthmus arc exposed TO intcfna-
xdoual wars that are frequent in the unsettled
sondition of Ccutrsl American ssates. In The
event Of prcbas'!o wars among other nations,
therefore, ard what Is worsc, IN case Of wsr ia.
rolsinG ousSe!ses, all GUT lines of co1cmunicn-
lion tAut cnsld aerre for commercial aud milita
= purposes wond be Immediately besocd cur
reach, end mns. likely &c cceupic.i by otaer
hoss;fs Powers, which couti sc:zs n2on tbo*e
lines, transport bn atu'v 5y stea.a, :.ad make &
oa,apaa5n III California, tefore We could trans
pcs! fo:ccs acre<s The cnurtry to :uccor OF sus-
tain our friends and kindred OF the Pacific shore.
4 racine 'a'lroad Is military necessity to cid
IN the defence nf tie ParSGc States: and every
reflect NJ mind 7usscssed af patriotic emotions
wall pcrccsse ts*t s:s!ioruia's wealth and weak
ness inStte Eressoc, and demand of us i,ume-
dtate and decisive excrtiun in their behalf, Tire
Cons.l'ulinn has dc:olrcd upon Congress the
po~cr ana Toe cuty Ito insure domestic tran
guilty. to provide 70. the common defence.
REGULATE commerce with foreign na1ion., and
Among tho several S1ntts and With the Indian
r'osa acd "to establish post-oftices and ps.t
roads L railrocA connection with the Pacific
Moutd promote each and MI these constitution.
pses!!sions; aud erery citizen desirous Of
maintaining the integrity OF our Union viii md
ample Justification within some of these nroyi..
aons 10 justify the tstioaa1 aid necessnrg IN a..
cure TIC actual rexnlt. Wo have bad fonr.n.
sloas Of the people. resolutions Of States fhe
declarations Of great Political societies for reaTs
presenting and Pressing this matter tefnrc Con.
grrse. Large SUMS have t,csn ap2.nuri1tcd
a7d expended IN preliminary explorations. Iar,-
Tolnncs ltavc Gcen written and nub1:shcd =. X
putftc expense: III" Frssidett las reoes. -.
urged ippn Cnn4ress; andis may be I. .ras;. aE
IS ss, 9a.1oaai determination that ~ NJ: I'D
take dectslse action and accr. "s a'st now
suits. Ni'l this view If + - kaccesstul r5-
nittec have car1.es:'rar - ~sao)ec1 your con1-
lutiou wtich would = ii enx'ops!r sought go
the re4uitc wosF .e.eFu'inc the magnitude Of
plislng it. ia: TIC best means Of accom-
the C. ~1eiS, the experience OF our peepse il
rc' .oe'r-:t,on o: thirty thousand miles Of rail
- ass rendered the s:li~ct fan,i!iarto to every
eoc5, and the eighteen hundred or awo theu-
'Gand sn::es now required IL coruect ouv r,;f.
'@nad system with ,aa nayi:ahle Wxtrrs of .ha
facllac, near San francisco, is oelv uern,ey nv
because It PASSES through sparscIf settled md
fame~aat bsrrsn partio,.a Ut tie Eenuh,ic. md
because Of the importance its copstruction viii
21,s 70 ad]aeest loestions. The e1plorafioas
whicl, have been prosecuted with rreat ability
by officers Of the Tinted States army: and the
resume GE Capt. Iumphress, in c.aree of ths
e1P'o7ssions, have iarnirhsd Tue careful studsut
Wita ample ueans 10 ee,c.uqiue some rs,;one}
conclusion Of this i.aportast subject. A large
Mhp. a1a"h ut".er the direction Of Captain
Humphreys ar1 lieut. Warren "a photographic
;zsa1asnrs q which will accompany this repor11
'3ss also aided -Four committee in the deie,m;-
nStloh OF Z EreHt conflict Of views relntinp To
the length and position OF routes Asapre.
hsa'nart question, roar committee first dctcr-
m'aed to adat'. i'at cite line; although 1nany
able arguments We're urged in favor Of two or
tH0re. HariaE thus determined on one road.
bS Fe!cssace 70 the map w'icl. pre:eu.s the line
reported prac!icat'r it will be perceived lila
subject is reduced to that Of considering four
routes and Selecting tAe hest of these Us the
6eea presented II faror Of each route, and eact.
1as its specte'lt:"s eatf favorable sud uafaYer-
Ao!e 20 t.i'bGr rtute r,ctlutnins, rivcrs. nal
s1er!e lands must 10 rrsrerxed, end On ether
pssts oi each rcate. rich va1seya. gentle grades,
AND cnlt'vahle lands are 70 bc found. 70 pre.
sent TIC l1voraflc sn'i ,nfavog.afe qualities OF
<hca route would extend this report baEoud
1easona5'e limits; and your committee having
1eanlvsa ulnn the presentation Of the ccutrsl
route without prejudice to otscrs, they vii.
present ululEiy the arguments faCorinv the
construction Of . railrcud oa .has l,ypotIesis
1he vast consequence To our couu.rv aud 10 Ia.
eaGIes y AbicA sIcst Ee4u:& fsasn th4 construction
81 Factt:c Fi::ra't casse this question Of route
70 be The E1ns: d:i'icu. and exciting obstacle IL
sc determination af Congressional ac:ion.
Hho'eser the 'oc3:ioa he maac, great adyaot.
age Mn:. iu.fe to tho vicinity. iEd therefore
srcrr section s'f the f+pu5l,c desires and esru-
est's lts-ts on that line which wi best suhserte
local conSGnlcHe". Son:e mi c.:tr desire TIE
1ocst a'ran:a2e. int the slrt atl prestige euch .
work viii give to Il rival section. It's :roy-
naols u fu'is reconcile this a'sugo9!srn By ,lrg
ING the Importance Gs the coa,fnou ua.inpal IL
@erest; but yeur committee have sought to nc
cosunodate this. among G;her considerations.
pT soopiiE. central line, upon HtlIcl, branches
oa each side and from c1ch end can r,nst easiIy
aud directly acc"hnma1ate all sections OF our
conn!ry. The foEr general lines which hare
occn reported as pfact.ce1le. and 50 designated
On the accompanying map, are situated a. fol.
lows: 1st. The route By tic Gi!a riscr through
Ar,z:ma: n."- the parallel CT $. deg. North lasi
tude. tsis route runs worry near our spr.hern
Boundary. and i the ruuie Of tho SPECIALIZED
Southern Fat;Gc 1:airoad-" Cd. The route
through Albuquerque, uear the :5th dee. Vhis
Inc runs w'.h'n isur degrees OF the southern
boua'snrv CT tie wesfcra portion Of tho Htrub-
&c The c".'Isar. route by ,hc ils1te valley,
through .as't Lake -ai''.y, heir tie parallel ci
Il deg, wa,ch ITO deuo.a,nste the C,,MraI linr
t}fib 1%HpY1f IF fr~h
hNv: aseartel. ts!s. Tie route fr:a s. frul te
Puzet Sau:3, sS:.icl sucs Let, ~ tho !; II, snd
3:sh uoss., very near to oa-o ,,theru BOUNDARY,
The Section Of oEs countr..f through which VII
sfeSe Ines run lies n1afnlT between Tue 31st and
ash oess. sorsi la:l:rae, and il therefore Il
would he The 41th degree cf latitude. WHICH, ccr
respeaas nearly with the boundary between
lissour1 and IOWA, a Southern and Ncrther.
ota.s' Nh.out defining passes in the noun
.a,ur' OF rfe.crit'ne the exact points of ternini
aas {" mmittce recommend this AZ tho pro Kim
ale p-@ullci uoon which crntrali,v aud tic iarc
es.. amonnt oflncal interest cau be concentrated
IT is centrnt as to t2rt Vest central es to the mn
1nsTaus lines Of rnilsrads .-syeriein. the West
e:n States, central aud rrt'fonecd eastward astt
rRreas cities, itlcicg tic parallel Of rbiadel
7hia zad central as It passe; through Tue centr,
ofour afmle populs:iss. Ill u.ler things beins
eqnxt, an the p}ao O.: onc road, suc:, location
Tou conmit:ce suppose. all would cors.dc,
u1oEt likely to accommodate .he grea!cst au,n
f.f ot our recrie.
TIE SHORTEST H1,yk.
Before stating tic co.apar.,ive length Of III,
dlfvFeut toutees It IL NECESSARY to see tbst the,
start aud end fairly. Radical error las bce1
fastened upon the public mind by false rresepta
non OF 1he sl3rt'ng :nd ending Of Pacific rail
4he Mississippi 7se7, and 1t faRoy points lirc
are NOW progressing huDdre d. Of miles .rest a