The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-02

The Special Committee Of the House of Reprcsen-
tatives, which was appointed TO examine into and
report upon the hest route for railroad TO the Pa
cifc is divided in opinion. Some of lis members
advocate the extreme Northern route, which, fol-
lowing the headwatcrs Of the Missouri river to
Fort Mckenzie, proceeds thence through CADoTT's
Pass into Washington Territory. Others prefer
what is sometimes called the Northern Central
route, by way Of the South Pass. In this diem
ma, Mr.. FsNToN, one of the Committee has written
a letter 10 Col. LANDER, of the Pacific wagon road
expedition, asking him to present his views the
question, and he has promptly complied; but
whether they will prove satisfactory to the Com
mttcc, or will tend TO harmonic lis differences is
altogether another matter. Col. LANDER is not
contcntsd with a single line Of railway TO the Pa
ciic, but in effect, advocates the construction OF
three With equal boldncss and brevtv he
throws entirely ont of the discussion the line OF
the ;;5lh parallcBEALL's rouie-not because it is
not the best in many respects, but because he con-
sdcss it "toO far South 10 within the limit of
''the term Central whilst it completely 10
'norcs the claim Of Washington and Ore
"g0n TO n branch road" lie considers the most
eligible line to be that of the Platte Valley and
the South Pass, which strikes the Pixies Peak
gold mines, tile Salt Lake settlement, and the
Washoe silver diggings, and in connection with
which branch road TO Washington and Oregon
can also he constructed under the auspices of the
General Government. AS if the additional cost
which would thus be incurred were too trfne to
he regarded as matter Of any consequence
whatever, Col. LANDER advocates likewise the
completion Of the extreme Southern line through
Texas and along the Mexican border, to the port
Of San Diego on the Pacific, or, perhaps, to that
Of Guayamas. The arguments which he adduces
on behalf of the Texas route, are certainly novel
and ought to he conclusive against it. of" he
SAYS
90 across the unduating country Of Texas this road is
difficult of constructonif labor is hight contractors
cannot fulfill their engagements-if fuel is scarca-C
timber cannot readily be furnished to the roadif there
Is local traffic to sustain it when built--so much the
reason for direct and efficient aid to it by the
eminent OF the United States. IF it needs twice the
amount to sustain it that the central does it
have it,
Couched in different phraseology, Col. LANDERs
reasoning amounts to this The more worthless
and expensive the road the more imperative is It's
claims upon the Government to build It. lie
admits that the Texas line presents many engi-
hN'llhH hllltNititSi bndJ lutl IS scarce tnUl
timber is not TO he had, and that of To-
cal traffic there would be little or none. lie
might have also stated, with equal propriety, that
considerable portion of the route is an arid desert
utterly deficient in water, and is, therefore,
wholly unadapted 10 purposes of settlement. AS
It military road, designed TO facilitate the move
ment Of troops and munitions of war from the
States cast Of the Rocky Mountains with view
10 protect our possessions on the Pacific in The
event of Il war with any foreign power, il would
prove o.! no value whatever; for il involves trans
Portation by from San Diego TO California,
Oregon or Washington, our communications
with those States would at all times be liable to
he broken up by blockade Of the Pacific crmi-
nus. The extreme Northern route by Cadets
Pass, and the Northern Central by South Pass,
m" alike Objectionable for different reasons Both
o. those lines lie too far North Of what must uIti-
mately he the centre of population in the UNITED
STATES they also present almost nsuperable engi-
uecrng difficulties, and, according to the most re-
liable testimony that we possess, would he blocked
up hy heavy SHOWS during the winter season
The most advantageous route is unqucs-
tionahly that which Col. LANDER and tn,
Committee on the Pacific Railroad are disposed tC
guorr. EEAIL's line which connects on orahou
tn" &9th parallel Of north latitude, with the vas
network Of railways already constructed east o
the Missouri river, is the only one yet surveyed
that REACHES HE Pacific by easy gradients aud en-
coamters no serious physical obstacles in It's course
'ctiecting, on lis passage westward, TO the line OF
the 18th parallel, it travcrses region of country
where wood and water are to be had in abuh-
dance, and where there are larger tracts of fertile
land inviting settlement than are to be found on
either Of the other routes which have been advo-
Gated