Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-12-28
Pacific RniIrond.

A correspondent of tho Sacramento
Union well Says Tvr-T Sd
The building of the Pacific Railroad
ought directly or indirectly to be a Gov
eminent undertaking, so that when COM
plete it would be Government property.
Not that the Government should run
trains, but that it should own the road
bed or track, upon which any responsible
companies or individuals might be per-
mitted to put cars upon, giving proper
bonds to make use of nothing but good
rolling stock and to comply with the regu-
lations aud timetables established for the
management Of the road. The advantages
of this scheme will be seen at q glance. II
will save US from the clutches OF a mo-
nopoly, for il the road across the CONT
nent is private property, it will inevitably
become the greatest monopoly that ever
cursed America. There have been COM
plants in times past of steamship monopo-
lies between San Francisco and New York,
but in that case there was a remedy. The
sea was open for any one to navigate. But
what opposition or competition can there
be to check the rapacity Of q private COM
pany owning the Pacific Railroad: Dwell
lers in California might escape the exorbi-
,ant charges on the overland route by TAX
ing water passage Eastward, but those
who reside on the line Of the route would
be bound hand and foot and left at the
mercy Of the monopoliSts. The minr' Of
Nerada are looking for the advent OF the
Pacific Railroad as a means for the cheap
transportation Of supplies, and for the
conveyance Of their ores to California.
But what assurances have they that such
charges will not be imposed as will con-
sumo all the profits of their mines! None
nhaterer. But the scheme l have suggest
ed would insure ample protection to all
parties. Iflegitimate competition between
the different companies running trains
should not afford a reasonably low rate OF
freight and passage, the owners Of half a
dozen mines might combine and put on a
train for their own use.
We have before US an instance OF the
successful adoption Of q policy similar 10
that which I have indicated. The State OF
New York, forty years, ago, constructed
a canal the entire length Of the State, con-
Meeting Lah6 EsElo Win IHo WahSAo Va INV
Hudson. That canal remains to this day
State property; the State, however, not
working the canal, but simply collecting
tolls for its use, and leaving to any one
who may choose the liberty Of putting on
boats. On a similar principle, the General
Government should build this road across
the continent and throw it open as a great
national highway, collecting for the pres
ens only such tolls as shall be necessary to
keep it in repair, and looking to the future
for returns for the outlay involved in its
construction.
The true, short, simple mode Of effect
ing the construction Of the Pacific Rail-
road is for Congress to appropriate the
round sum of fifty millions of dollars, to
be expended under the supervision of the
War Department, or Of a Board Of Com
missioners acting in conjunction with the
Secretary Of War, for the purpose Of build
ing the greatest possible length Of road in
the shortest practicable space of time.
Such appropriation to be followed by
others as the exiSencies Of tho case may
demand. y. .