The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-04

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In the House Of Representatives on the
Goth, a Pacific Railroad bill was hurried
through. by sharp parliamentary practice,
which utterly ignores and repudiates the
construction of Railroad to the Pacific by
the Northern route. The bill provides for
a Central and Southern road to the Pacific.
The Central road is to start from two
points, one on the western border of Mis-
souri,, and the other on the western border
of Iowa, with converging lines bearing
westward and uniting within two hundred
miles of the Missouri river, and, thence pro.
ceeding by a single trunk line,@ by the
nearest and best route, and by the vicinity
OF Salt Lake, to the city of San Francisco,
or to the navigable waters of the Sacra-
mento, in the State of California. The
Southern road also starts from two points
Fort Smith, Arkansas, and point on the
western border of Louisiana-with con-
verging lines bearing westward, and uniting
west OF longitude ninety>seven degrees, and
thence proceeding by single trunk line,
and by the nearest and best route, to the
Pacific ocean, at or near San Francisco,
crossing the Rocky Mountains south of the
thirty'fourth parallel of north latitude. The
House bill also grants to the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company, chartered by the State
OF Texas, OF which company J. EDGAR
THOMPSON is president, alternate sections of
land, etc., and provides for the erection of
Geographic lines. TO aid in the construc-
ton of these two roads, for the special benefit
of the western and southern portions of
the coniederacy, United States bonds to the
Southern road are to be issued, in amount
not exceeding thirty-six naslltons of dollars,
and to the Central road to the amount of
si1ty millions of dollars! The bonds are to
be secured by mortgage on the roads, and
are made payable in thirty years, if the
government is not sooner reimbursed by
postal and military service performed by the
roads. Five hundred miles of road and tele-
graph are to be completed in six years, and
the whole within fifteen years, or forfeit all
rights and privileges granted. The bill also
provides for the grant to the central route
of every alternate section of land within one
mile Of such railroad line, and to the southern
route of ten alternate sections per mile on
each side from Texas to California, and six
alternate sections per mile in California.
On Thursday, when the bill was under
consideration in the House, Mr.. ALDRIcH
offered an additional section, authorizing the
construction of northern road, from the
western borders of Minnesota to Puget's
Southland guaranteeing to the company
undertaking the construction of such road,
the same amount Of government land and
United States bonds as were proposed to be
given to the southern roads. Mr.. STEVENS,
OF Washington Territory, eloquently advo.
Gated the adoption of Colonel ALDR1cH's
amendment. he said: ..I
The bill of the committee proposes not
northern and southern route, but a southern
and central route; for the line of location of
what is there called northern route, goes
mostly upon the parallel of forty and forty. one
degrees of north latitude; in other words,
through the geographical center of this CONT.
nent. We claim that the. great interests of
commerce, and the development of our int.
rior, should cause this committee to vote for
the amendment of my friend from Minnesota.
Why, MIR. Chairman. this very last season we
have been compelled to send troops to Oregon
and Washington over the route of this northern
line. They went up the Missouri; they crossed
over by the wagon road recently constructed,
and were thence distributed to the different
military posts in the department Of oregon;
If this committee and the House are determined
to decide that there shall be no northern route,
let me call their attention particularly to the
decision they make. That decision will be
putting off indefinitely this northern route, SO
far as Americans are concerned, and Ignoring
the great line of commerce, and the great line
of Communication from our lakes to that north
west Pacific. The question is simply this:
will this Congress see to it that we have line
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shall such line of communication be the
work of our British neighbors? Shall that great
line of communication 60 north OF our northern
parallel Gentlemen frequently talk OF the
glowing future of this country and the growing
strength of the Pacific; but, if you pass this bill
without amendment you will yield up that
Pacific and the northwestern portion OF our
country to our British neighbors and to BRUSH
adyancement; for they have there growing
empire northwest of our borders we nave
there not simply Puget Sound, but great inland
waters now alive with commerce, ana reveI-
beratiug from the forests of their shores the
shrin sound of the steamer. This very season
the products of British Columbia are hve or SIX
million jloliars; and we have now great goid
region developing in our Territory; wish 70
present this question definitely. have sug.
rested that this northern route Is the great
route of commerce; that it is the easiest route
to grade: and that it saves great issuance III
the route to Asia. 1t is the natural route OF
the great international commerce Whlcn must
flow through our midst.
Mr., WAsHBURNE, of Illinois, wanted to
see If the northern route had any friends in
the House, SO be demanded tellers. The
House divided, and there were, Tor AL
pR1cH's amendment-ayes, forty; noes not
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subsequently, Mr.. STEVENS Offered offered an
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