The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-14

rary says that it is almost inevitable
that a large proportion Of the East In
dian trade, such as silk and teas, will
be diverted from IFS accustomed cham
nels TO the most expeditions route, over
land and the same influences will tcnG
TO foster enterprises for the establish
ment Of steam lines on the Pacific, bring
ing the West coast into close connection
with the Orient, and speedily giving i'm
portancc TO the long coveted trade Of ia
pan and the AMOR.
California papers, as might be expect
ed, are exuliant with the prospect which
they conceive to be daWning on thei
laud Of gold and vegetable prodigie,
The route, IN general terms, is from The
Missouri to Sacramento riyers-its en-
tire length about 600 miles-and is di
yided into three sections, each 10 be con-
trolled by a separate company. Th'
main or central division Of the road is
tn be built by a company incorporated
by the bill the Western division, from
the Sacramento river TO the Eastern
boundary Of California, a distance of ll2
miles, is entrusted to a company preyi-
ously organized in the latter State, and
the Eastern division is to be built by a
company organized in Kansas. The
route inieisccts what is no doubt the
richest mineral region in the know
world, at once making accessible the sill
YER deposits of Arizona and Washoe, the
salt and iron Of Utah and Missouri, and
opening up the whole auriferous belt OF
country extending from California East
ward TO Pixies Peak in Colorado. Cali
fornia editors regard the recent action o.
the general government as ensuring tn,
completion Of the work. The Alta Cal
ifornia says -;
"The whole value Of the bill depends
upon the suiicicncv Of tho bonus. The
| most important part Of the bonus is the
| loan for 80 wears Of 4 large sum Of mon
cy for every mile of road built. The
| road will be about LOGO miles long. For
$50 miles at the Sierra Nevada, and $50
miles at the Rocky Mountains, t6e loan
will be $4,000 per mile. For GOO miles
between those two ranges Of mountains,
the loan will be $4,000 per mile. For
GOO miles east of the Rocky Mountains,
and all that may be made west Of the
Sierra Nevada, the loan is to be $4,000
per mile. These loans are 10 be repaid
at the end of 80 years, with 6 per cent.
annual interest, provided that they are
not previously paid by the transportion
Of mails, troops and stores. The Gov
ernmcnt would have so much use for the
road, that probably the full amount OF
the loan would be due for freight before
the eud ofthe 80 years. The loan, there
fore, may be considered as a payment oi
30yoars' freight money in advance"
In addition to the loan is a grant oil
land for five alternate sections on each
side Of the road, where the land is pub
lie and not mineral. Though much Of
this land is worthless, the grant is on i'm
portant consideration. To show what
reliance is placed upon the resources Of
the country for the maintenance Of tn,
enterprise in its carly stages, the edition
above quoted says:-
"The land grant and the loan t0gcth-
er appear to us a sufficient bonus 10 lead
TO the construction of the road. When
the public mind is once made up that il
will be built, there will be such a rush
for settlement, and such a demand for
travel and freight along the line, that the
road would almost pay without n bonus
The laborers required in constructing
the road will themselves form 10 small
population. When 500 or 600 miles are
built, people will already begin TO pre-
fer il as a mode of travel between New
York and San Francisco. The time by
stage is now about the same as by steam-
err; but when 600 miles Of RAILROAD
have been substituted for the same num-
Der by stage. the time overland will be
reduced 60 about ten or twelve days, As
the overland route is made more attrac-
tive, more travellers will resort to il. and
better accommodation will be demanded
Large towns will be required 20 supply
the wants Of the multitude Of passengers
The freight for the central portion Of the
railroad will make work for these por-
tlons at the ends. So vast will he the
quantities Of lumber, iron, provisions,
to Il, and supplies Of a thousand kinds
needed for the road in Utah, Colorado
and Nevada, that the Kansas aud Cali
rOruian reads might make n fine profit
over all expenses in that trade alone, il
they were permitted 70 charge moro than
cost bus they are not
Why may not the Government take as
many thousand slaves as may be needed
from rebel masters, and set them tC
work on this road which is one Of tho
strongest cords ever devised to unite ID,
distant parts Of the Union The slave.
might be taken rs apprentices for a few
years and at the expiration OF The tern
be colonizcd comfortably at the expense
of the Federal Government, IL would b,
unwisc to neglect a power which treason
has provided for us,