The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-24

ETT Railway to the Pacincs
From ne Tribune.
The opening OF new railway routes means
more farms TO be worked, more tools to
be made, more labor to be hired, more food TO
be bought. Every merchant, mechanic, farmer,
and laborer has, therefore, direct interest in
the speedy completion of the great Pacific
Railway, which is to bring into market the
vast and fruitful tracts of the great Western
plains, with all their luxuriant products, and
is to afford speedy and safe transportation of
persons and property 10 the hitherto almost
Inaccessible mountain territories. 1t is mat
ter of public interest that another link in this
national chain has been put under contract for
speedy completion. Already the Pacific Rail
road of Missouri conveys the traveller ESQ
miles, from ST. Louis to Kansas City, whence
the Missouri River Railroad Qeased by the
Pacific Railroad Company tor term OF years)
will carry HIM TO Fort Leavenworth. From
Kansas City the Union Pacific Railway proper
will further convey him lao miles to Fort Riley
and Junction City, distance of 42O miles from
the startingpoint upon the Mississippi. Thus
from the eastern limits of New England
to the very heart OF Kansas, there Is a con-
tinuous line OF rall, with no intervening break
whatever an advantage which no other route
to the great West can now offer.
From junction City the line isS to be rapidly
extended. A contract has been entered into for
the completion Of distance OF $50 miles by
JhnuhIy 1000, tue iron IOr 6b miles Delng already
purchased, and in process of delivery. When
this contract is completed, there will remain
less than 200 miles between the locomotives
whistle and the shadow of the Rocky Mountains
at Denver City. 1t will thus be seen that, in a.
little more than one year from this time, there
will be railroad in operation fol- distance OF
$40 miles west from the great commercial city
of ST. Louis.
Junction City, the present terminus of the
Union Pacific Railway, Is now the starting-poin
for the overland stage and express lines to
Denver, Salt Lake City, and Santa Fe.
A meeting was held recently at Pittsburg, at
which tie contract above mentioned was entered
into. At that meeting, many of the leading
railroad minds OF the country were present, and
work forward with the utmost diligence. Such
men as Colonel Thomas A. Scott, of the Penn
sylvania Railroad, Thomas l.. Jewett, of the
Pittsburg and Steubenville, and Judge Hugh j.
Jewett, OF the Central Ohio, Ex-Governor Den
nison, R. M. Shoemaker, and w. II. Clement of
Ohio, and John ID. Perry, G. s. Greeley, and
Others OF st. Louis, are not the men to enter
into any un wise or impractlcable scheme nor,
1t to Iangrish in their hands. Mr.. Shoemaker
was at that time appointed Chief Engineer of
construction on the work, and Colonel Wright
General Sherman's Chief Engineer III the At
Iania canpa1gn) holds the position of General
Superintendent.
We have here no space to attempt any esti-
mate OF the great results which will follow the
completion of this railroad route from the at
lantic to the Pacific. By means of the overland
mail and the ra lway. SO far as completed, let
ters are, even now, being carried from Denver
to New York in five days-a speed never before
accomplished nor attempted. The celebrity of
movement Of which this is but sample has
caused the transfer to this route of the great
British letter mail for China via San Francisco.
The great advantage possessed by this route.
as we have stated above, is the fact that there
Is by 1t no wearisome staging between isolated
sections OF rail, but continuous line of rail-
road from the Eastern States to the furthest
point yet reached by the iron horse.