The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-01
For the Portland Press.
A Continental Railway.
BY GEORGE wADswoRrH, c. n.

The suspension of railroad building is by no
means the least harm done to the South by the
war. At its commencement there were many
hundreds of miles under construction from
Virginia to Texas, and thousands of miles had
been prospected and surveyed with view to
location. The most important suspension,
perhaps, and one that was equally important
to the Northeast as to the South, was from
Dalton, via Rome to Jacksonville, Ala, dis
lance OF 81 miles. This road was intended as
the connecting link between the East Tennes-
see and Virginia chain roads and the railway
system of Alabama, and thence with the whole
Southwest thus binding the Southern States
together as with band Of iron. Excepting a
few miles between Selma and Meridian, which
has since been completely, this was the only
''gdp" in an all-rail communication from Ban
gor to New Orleans-about 1880 miles. This
route is nearly upon direct line, passing
through Portland, Boston, New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Washington, Lynchburg,
Bristol, Knoxville, Rome and Selma.
The Importance as a military road Of this
connection from Dalton to Jacksonville was
appreciated by the Confederate Congress, and
an appropriation of one and one fourth million
of dollars was made for its completion in the
early part of the war. 1t was, however. found
impossible to obtain iron for its equipment
besides the pressure of federal arms greatly
discouraged the enterprise. This road com
pleted would have shortened the distance be-
tween Chattanooga and Vicksburg about $50
miles over the route by Montgomery and No
bile, which was the army route in all great
movements, beside there being no break Of
guage and few if any changes required. Its
completion will be equally important to the
United States Government when Mobile and
the Alabama river to Selma shall be occupied
by Federal forces, since the occupation of the
line from Selma to Dalton would give easy pos
session and control of Alabama and Northern
Georgia.
1t would be well to call the attention of the
Government to the Importance of completing
the work between Dalton and jacksonville,
and thus uniting Selma, which is the head of
low water navigation of the Alabama river.
with Rome, Chattanooga and Knoxville. The
distance from Dalton to Rome by rail direct
would be 40 miles, and it is at present accom-
plished by way OF Kingston in 90 miles, which
answers well the purpose for the time. From
Rome to Jacksonville by the located line is 81
lilo miles, 81 miles of which has been graded
and is ready for the superstructure. The re-
naming 80 miles will be easily done being light
embankment, and made chiefly from side ex
cavations. The gradients OF this road are EASY
and the alignment excellent. Lumber is album
dant and the country is we'll watered, and all
the facilities for rapid construction are con
venient. 1t is estimated that the labor of 500
men for three months would complete the
graduation between Rome and Jacksonville.
The distance from Selma to Jacksonville is AS
miles, and the Alabama and Tennessee Riyer)
Railroad is operating to Blue Mountain, with
in 10 miles of Jacksonville. Selma NAV there.
fore be Joined with Rome and points northeast.
by the grading Of 80 miles and the LAYING Of 81
miles OF track, and thus complete this great
chain Of roads from Maine to Texas.
This route as above described, extended east
to the Gulf of ST. Lawrence or to Halifax. and
west to the Pacific at Mazatlan, NAV we'll be
called Continental Rail,cay, spanning as 1t
would the whole hemisphere. Its direction ia
about northeast and southwest, and its whole
length some $500 miles. It is tangent to the
Gulf Of Mexico, (which in time will undoubt-
eddy become the great entreport of the natiop.A
as well as to the coast Of New England. and
embraces well nigh the great variety of soil
and climate of North America. Prior to the
war the work of construction from New Or
leans to the Rio Grande, upwards of i've hum
dred miles, was in a good state of progress
and of the whole way from Halifax to Mazat.
Ian. we may say three-fourths was comnleted
and in operation.
1t is probable that the Texas portion of the
line will be completed shortly after the close
of the war, and the new spirit that is being
infused into the Mexican Republic will most
likely result in arousing some interest for in
ternal improvement in that country. an that
the whole way from the Atlantic 10 the pa.
cific may before many years be Joined nv an
rail. There 10 nothing impract;ca.
bic in its accomplishment, and in this latter
day energy of the American people nothing
too bold for their achevemen Mt. This road
would become the great highway Of Nations.
and an axis of the worlds commerce.
Nov. 2Sth, 1864.