Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1863-12-12
sANTAFE, SATURDAY DEC. 10, 1858.
Pacific Railroad.

will be called upon, without doubt, to make
additional Legislation in reference to the
Pacific Railroad. As the Investigations
upon the subject progress, information is
developed which renders changes # plans
and calculations in regard to the great ma
tional thoroughGare absolutely necessary
thas heretofore been the policy Of one of
the great parties Of the country to cover up
and conceal much that should have been
made known to the public ia reference to
the feasibility Of the work, ond as con-
sequence the great enterprise WIS com
menced under disadvantages in this res
pcct that should not have existed, and
which can now be easily removed if heed
will be given to those who are well inform.
ed upon the subject, and who have no in
terest in misguidiug the managers of the
corporation.
A brief review VI the positions taken by
the party which has heretofore bad con-
troll Of the government, and which has dir
ectcd its Legislation in this behalf, may
not be Improbable hcre, because ii may
tend 10 do away with some of the errone'
GUS opinions which prevailed when the act
incorporating the Union Pacific Railroad
Company was passed by the last Congress.
One Of the points made by that party
was; that the northern routes were imprac-
ticablc in consequence Of the distractions
intcrposed by Nature. The enows which
covered the mountains and gorged
tho mountain passes in the winter were
persistently put forward as an insuperable
objection to on attempt to construct the
road in those latitudcs. Exploring expe-
ditions were fitted out at great expense,
anil placed under the guidance Of the most
practical and experienced mountaineers,
some of whom are well known in New
Mexico, for tho purpose Of testing the prac.
ticabilty of some OF these routes. The
tests TO all intents and purposes demons
trated the truth Of the theories that had
been promulgated. Col. Benton when he
was in the Senate was one Of the most
powerful advocates Of the most southern
# the northern routes-that which leads
through the northern part of New Mexico
and passes through what is known as the
Sangre de Christie PAS. The expedition
Of Gcn'l Fremont, the suilerings and loss
IS of which are well known to the coun
try, partially, at least, convinced Col, Ben
ton Of the error under which he was labor.
ing, aGd after that event he was not so
Jealous in his advocacy of his favorite
theory. lie, however, was consistent in
favoring the construction of the work
When the present Company was incor.
porstcd it was though, doubtless, that by
the appliances of the best engineering skill
o( the country and the enormous wealth
that could be commanded by the corpora
tion, these natural distractions could be-
overcome as mountain distractions had
been overcome by local roads in the States,
aud that the SHOWS and ices of the Rocky
Mountains would present no more lormda-
bic impediments than did those of the
Allegheny range in Pennsylvania and Vir'
glnia. That, however, was delusion that
must have been dispelled ere this ifthe at
teuton of the company has been seriously
directed to the subject. The early SHOWS
of the present season present an argument
against the practicabiIity Of those routes
that cannot be answered, and that should
have powerful influence in determining
the future policy Of the Company and Of
Congress in reference to tho northern
routes.
Whilst the company is entitled to great
credit for the enterprise manif .sted by
them in undertaking thegreat work in such
discouraging circumstances they are un-