Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-10-26
RUTLAND HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER %, 1866,
The Pacific Railroad.

the project of connecting the Atlantic
and Pacific shores by railroad began to
be asitated. Various plans have been
proposed, and several different routes
have been contemplated. Exploring ex-
peditions have been fitted out by gov.
eminent at great expense, whose volum-
inous Reports contain a considerable
amount OF good reading matter on the
subjects of Natural History, Botany and
Hineralosy, many drawings of plants,
animals and birds, views Of mountain
passes, lakes and rivers, together with
such an array Of maps, routes and pro-
files as to discourage one even at the
thought of exploring them.
AT least four different routes together
with numerous branches, have been ex-
smined. The most Southern Of these is
the one leading due west from Vicks-
burg, Miss, entering the State of Cali
fornia at its southeasternmcst corner,
and thence passing in northwesterly
direction to San Francisco. Previous
TO the war, or perhaps ten years ago,
the people OF the South were making
strenuous eXertions in behalf of this
road, and it appeared at one time as Ii
they would get the government pledged
TO it. Without spending time to notice
all the rival routes, which will be found
to be traced out on any good map Of the
country, we believe that the one of
which st. Louis may be regarded the
eastern terminus, and Sacramento the
western, is considered as having some
advantages over the Others as it respects
the state of forwardness, and the desir-
sbleness of the location.
The people on the Pacific side are in
earnest on this subject. Their cry is,
give US q railroad somewhere and soon.
While they ask for help, they show them
selves worthy of it, by the efforts they
make to help themselves. More than
two years ago, they commenced their.
end of the route, and, Notwithstanding
the war and the high price of gold,
have assembled over half the way from
Sacramento city to the summit of the
Sierra Nevada mountain, and expect TO
have the road built to the summit-I04
miles from the city Of Sacramento-by
the first of November, 1866. When tits
considered that Sacramento is 200 feet
above tidewater, the magnitude of the
work may be imagined. Four thousand
men, mostly Chinese, are at work on
that end of the Pacific road at this time
The State of California has donated, for
the prosecution of the work, two mil
lions one hundred thousand dollars, in
gold paying interest bonds. The city of
San Francisco gives four hundred thou
sand Collars, Sacramento six hundred
Thousand, Placer County two hundred
and fifty thousand, the interest on all of
which is payable in gold. This shows
the spirit of the people of the compare
lively young State of California in re-
gard to this grand project. The same
enthusiasm in regard to it preysils all
through the mountainous silver regions.
The people Of Colorado and the other
new states and territories are deeply in
terested in this enterprise, and while
they are comparatively indifferent as to
the particular route, they are like the
Californians, very anxious to have the
road built somewhere. On the eastern
side we believe there is now or soon will
be, a continuous road from St'Louis to
Topeka, in Kansas.
With numerous plans and many sub
sides from Congress the parties who for
so many years have been urging the
project Of Pacific railroad have failed
to carry them out. Their schemes are
all broken to pieces, or they are used for
speculative purposes, in bolstering up
some sinking or perhaps bogus stock.
There is plenty Of capital in this Coun-
try and Europe to carry through this
important undertaking without delay
and without begging Congress for grants
of land or other donations. The party
Of European capitalists who have just
been making tour, examining our sys-
tenn OF railroads and investigating the
extent of our resources, has had this
subject brought before them. In speech
recently delivered before a public au-
dience by Sir Morton Peto, one Of the
most influential members Of the party,
he said he would like to see "the Union
of the States made solid and enduring
by the linking Of the Pacific territory
with that Of the Atlantic by means of
the iron bands of the railroad. There
should be no more rounding or crossing
by Panama, or attempts to convey by
steam on that route the vast trade and
and travel which would ensue between
the two sections of the country now that
the war was ended. Then, as now, Eng
land and the United States would he
was confident, go hand and hand in
pushing on the civilization OF the Old
and New Worlds" Observations like