The Evansville daily journal., 1860-03-07

THE PACIFIC RA1LRoAD.-We take the fol-
lowing well-considered article in relation to
this mighty enterprise from the American
Railscay Review
RAILROAD AND IELEGRAPH BETWEEN THE
ATLANTIC STATES AND CALIFoRNIA.-The bill
introduced on the 9th inst, by Senator Wig
fall of Texas, in the Senate of the United
States, Z" To establish a communication, by
railroad and telegraph, between the Atlantic
States and California, and for other pur-
poses, " provides most literally for the con-
struction of two railroads and telegraphs
through the territories of the United States,
by loan of two millions of dollars for every
one hundred miles of railroad in Treasury
notes, or five per cent. United States Gov
ernment bonds, and twenty-five millions of
acres of the public lands to each company
respectively.
A railroad communication to the Pacific
is one of the great wants of the time, which
must be obtained by government patronage,
and cannot be constructed in the Territories,
unless some such act is passed for that pur-
pose. 1t must be evident the sooner this is
done. the better it will be for the interests
of this country, well as for other nations,
both in Europe and in Asia. .se.ai
In time of war, the Pacific coast is so
from the seat of government and the sour
ces of supply, that it would be cut off from
defence against an active maritime enemy,
except at an enormous cost, and under heavy
disadvantages, amounting in critical cir
cumstances to an abandonment by our gov
ernment. -
This bill is intended to remedy this evil.
The government is protected in this bill in
every form that can reasonably be demand
ed from parties forming a private enterprise
in so vast an undertaking as these two roads.
The bill restricts the payment of bonds, or
the issue of the patents for the lands on the
completion of the road and telegraph for
fifty miles, and it imposes the construction
of five hundred miles of railroad and tele-
graph within six years after the passage OF
the act If the two companies, or either OF
them, fail to proceed with the work and do
not complete the lines to the Pacific ocean
within twelve years, then their rights and
privileges are all forfeited to the Govern
ment of the United States, over such por-
tions of the routes as remain unfinished.
The duties to perform by the Company
are of such a nature, and to such extent,
that it will pay off the whole thirty-fve
millions of dollars of each Company long
before the maturity of the bonds. Ii, there
fore, practically becomes gift to the Com
pany, with the exception of work to be
done for the Government; as the whole pay
ment for the bonds is to be paid in services
to be performed by the Company. The bill
protects the Government from the control
and monopoly of an overland railroad COM
pany, by an association of capitalists, which
might give them a dangerous power over
= the resources and defence of the country, to
the possible injury of the public service in
times of serious importance, by requiring
from the company priority ofrights in ns-
ing both the road and telegraph for public
purposes, in time of peace, and for national
defence in time Of war, on terms that in-