, 1864-01-29
Tue PACIFIC RAILROAD,
THE SHORTEST AND BEST
ROUTE.


CHICAGO, Jan. q, 1884.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
If Chicago and the South Pass be taken as
two points on the line of tho Pacific Railrond.
it then becomes question Of no small inter-
est md Importance as to which Is the prefer
able route, from one to the other. From tho
Mtssoun River three routes are provided for
In the law OF Congress. One through Kan
sas, ono up the Platte Valley, and one west
erly from Sioux City. They arc all to unite
at point about two hundred and f,fty miles
west Of the Missouri River. This Is most
unjust and pre}udicial to the northern brauch.
shall not conf}nc myself however, to- that
rt6tricted line, In discussing the merits Of the
several routes designated. It Is IN axiom in
all mathematical calculations that tho short
est limo between two given pointa should a.
ways be preferred, other things being equal.
shall apply that rule in this case. The
shortest line from Chicago OF any other point
on Lake Michigan, TO the South Pass, will
run up the valley of h1iobrara River, 4 stream
rising little northwest OF Fort Laramie, and
running due east on about the parallel Of
forty:two and halt degrees, to the Missouri.
This 1oute Will be ut least three hundred miles
In travelled distance, shorter from Chicago
TO the South Pass than the 'Platte Valley
route. The Kansas route will bo much far
tier. THIS is easier demonstrated. If man
wishes to go from ono point to another
mile distant, md instead Of keeping on the
stra1ght line between the two points, he goes
half mile sonth or north, of course he must
come back again to the straight line ut or be-
fore he reaches the given point. Hence he will
traEcl very nearly two miles instead Of one.
That exacty demonstrates these two routes.
The southerly bend of the Platte Valley ia a
little over twea:y-scven townships, or one
hundred and sixty-two miles south of this
str-Ight line, running up the hliobrera Val
Icy. Now the Railroad, like the Individual,
must come back aguin to the straight line be-
fore reaching sontl.. Pass, making the extra
twelt, -four miles. OF course allowance
mist lc made for The mathematical
proportion OF the lines, composing The trian-
gle. stnl the extra distance viii not be much
u any leEs than 200 miles. In point OF time,
The hiobrara Vel1ey route will have about Ii
hours the advantage; In cost Of construction
about ten millions Of dollars. This estimate
is upon The suppusition that the facilities Of
Building the road arc equal. But they are
not cqnal By long odds. On the Plltte Val
Icy route, from the Missouri river, there is
not timber enough In the whole distance to
Eo1t1aramie, 10 furnish ties for one mile Of
read. About the same Is true on the kansas
route. Unless central Iowa can furnish the
tics (which she c4nr0t and build her own
foaos, tne t1es aor that Snuie lstance, must
thc northern boundary Of Illinois, Whereas
Tn the kicbFara route there is an abundance
Of Timber, for all purposes, the entire dis
taucc- Ing Only Inconvenience IN lnls re.
99pce!' VIII ee aof aoont 70 maics West q
1oMn. Ana even thefc, ues OF Inc Fer5 best
prise they Will u cost on the first hundred
mnes on lne flatte valley route; should
| tne Fcau lun M me immaculate valley OF the
| Naob1aia (Which It tEndonbted1y Till) in about
| nitf mics Weet o. the Missouri tics IN abun.
cance (ee0ar ( and RED pine) can be obtained
| Within hu 1eet Of tie road bed, the entire
distance 70 Fort 1aranie. At that distance,
| ~ mics west OF the Missouri, sets in \ dense
| ooG{ o. 1lnper, mostly pine and red cedar,
| reaching 70 the head waters OF the Niobr,ra,
! leSlhc ocean. In the AiobEar. Valley this
boty oi timbe. Averages about six miles wide,
and Will furnish vast amounts Of lumber and
1uei: n INC f4atte valley tn re is not only
70 lie tlmocf, but tucl timber Is equally
tca1cc. and up 10 the present time no coal
las been discoyered until the road reaches
the vicinity Of Fort Laramie. Every stick of
ifnoerss well us every tic and bushel ofcoai
hus3 DC transported from Iowa or brought
Gown IRON the head Watets Of the Platte to
I - A1AA4 w I'LL uUhA
the line from the Missouri to Fort Laramie,
Wheieas on the Nlobrara route there Is timber
eLough Iot only for the uses Of the road, but
aieo 10 supply dense settlements for At least
twenty-five miles on each side. In Centr
Iowa both routes viii run through rich and
| Tcnfc cGa1 Will not again occnr Short Of the
| vicinity Of Fort Laramie On the Niobrara
route coal Of reEy good quality crops ont Of
the blnGs OF The Big Sioux about q mile
e ff1N Nd n1t
miles above. At the latter point there is
known 10 be three strata, or layers, averag
1Ig about five feet each In thickness. About
thirty miles west Of this point the Missouri
in high water casts up from It's bed large
blocks Of coal Of excellent quality, proving
incontestibly that tie whole Valley in that
locality is underlaid with thick coal strata.
| This can be easily mined, as the clay forma-
ton Of the Valley is impervions to water.
About sixty miles west Of the Missouri, in
feet" thick crops ont of the blufE This ID
| said not to be OF the best quality, but it will
undoubtedly improve as it runs into the lljli.
Towards the head waters Of the Niobrara
| ole 1urdred and fifty miles up the Platt Val
ley tie conuiry is not susceptible Of settle
ment, and never viii br. On the Niobrara
| route it is q rich and fertile country nearly
all the way, with abundance OF timber and
water. The White River Valley, a little
S4uf IL.
| Er. Hay den the geo!osist Of Lieut., G, Z.
| Warrcn's expedition in 1Sj5, describes it as
| t'bejng equal to the best portions Of Kan
sae." The Niobrura runs in a gorge about
bali Il mile wide, and from $50 to zoo feet
below. thc general Level Of the country.
Tie road can Lc constructed OF either side
OF The river the entire distance tn fts
Etadwattrs, or it can run up 0u the table
lard on the sorth side, This Is no more than
{ smooth, beautiful md fertile valley, aver
With springs and c:ccks, rising in the valley
OF il The b1nfs south oi it. It llas a great
many beautiful groves Of hard wood timber
For the first fifty miles nearly enough for the
necessities OF the conntrj. Tie immediate
valley, routc will be far preferable, as tt will
then pass directly through tli; body of nine
timber before described, md will also be en-
urcly out Of the reach Of the drifting SHOWS
Of The plains. But notwithstanding al these
great advantages enjoyed BY the Eiobrara
route, 1T labors under one immense dlsadvan-
tegc, which tins lar has neutralized all the
o1hers- There has never been any ofhcial or
government survey Of this route nor has
there ever been anything but vey partial
and Imperfect surrey OF portion Of the val
Icy by private individuals. What Is needed,
and the only thing needed to brinsit Into I'm
meaaate nonce ano cfeot Wlth capltallsle IS
Luoioagh P'eM,nhaly survey ~ co1npe-
tene 1iE EnFinsel- s 4Ae GAPcase vi socu sal.
tty .ey VII " very s1iaa lnaeeo, Conpaieu, 70
- lae nnpoItauee p u 1s l1uG Luz 4ues.'on
" NY 9ISs plopounaeo Y almost EVERY oae y,
e4ls 19uie nas lnese n11eass aosan.
taEess uu" II IL lu8L tuey Afe uut OEttSI huoHn