The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-15

Yron the Tribme. Z. ....
Lieutenant-Colone J. H. Simpson, of the En-
rneer Corps has made report to the Interior
Department in reference to the Pacific Railroads
low in process OF construction. In compliance
with the act of Congress of July l, 1862, and the
several amendatory acts thereof, six companies
have accepted the provisions of the law, and
have organized to build the roads and branches.
The Union Pacific Company is authorized to
build a road from the Tooth meridian to the west
ern boundary of Nevada Territory, and also from
the western boundary OF Iowa to the Tooth meri-
dian. w. b. Ogden, of the Illinois Central, is
President of the Board OF Commissioners, and
General John A. Dix of the road.
The construction began at Omaha, and the
grading OF one hundred miles has been com
pleted 1t is expected that sixty miles of the
January, and one hundred miles by July. The
Eastern division of this road has also built sixty
miles OF road, but it does not seem TO have salts
fed the demands of the Interior Department.
Some difficulty seems to have arisen between its
management and the road under General Dix.
The Board of Commissioners reported that the
portion of the road completed was not per-
feet, and It's President has promised to reform
it. In case it should reach The Tooth meridian
before the Union Pacific, it may continue its
track until il meets the Central Pacific. No bonds
will be issued until this meridian IS reached. The
Central Pacific road runs east from Sacramento,
and viii meet the Union branch at or near Salt
Lake City.
The engineering on this work will be stupen.
dous On leaving Sacramento it will cross the
Sierra Nevadas. The first fifty miles after leav-
ing Sacramento carry it up to the western slope
of the Sierra Nevada, attaining an elevation of
1900 feet and including some OF the heaviest and
most expensive grading of the whole line In
some places between Colax and Newcastle, the
outings are about &c feet deep, and from 800 to
200 feet long, through hard rock or cement
he number OF aborers now at work i5 10000.
uring the present year the Company hopes to
each polut called the TurChee River, l20
niles from Sacramento, 1850 feet above tide
water. Two tunnels are being built near the
ummit Of the Sierras, one 1000 feet long, the
other 900 feet long. The laborers are working
night and day.
The Atchison branch is about to complete the
first section of twenty miles, and promises to
build the road in the most substantial manner
The Sioux City and Pacific Railroad is authorized
to build road from Sioux City to connect with
the main line OF the Union Pacific. The Bur
ling ton and Missouri Company Is authorized to
run from the Missouri river TO some branch on
the Union Pacific, ,thiS side of the Tooth meridian
Lands, but no bonds VIII be given by Congress.
The Northern Pacific road las been organized.
1t proposes to run from Lake Superior, near the
45th parallel, to Pugets Sound with branch by
way OF Columbia river to Portland Oregon, the
latter to JON the main line not more than 300
miles from the western terminus. Tne whole
road must be built by July, 1876, ami 80 miles
within the first TWO years.
building a railway from che Atlantic TO the
Pacific is rapidly progressing. We presume the
first connection will be made at Salt Lake City,
The Union Line which seems to be making the
most headway, will connect the Eastern cities
with the Western, at ST. Louis which will thus
be in railroad importance the main city in
America. It's friends indulge the hope that it
will be finished in four or five wears. The
Northern line VIII probably be finished in ten
years. This will be important in the fact that
it VIII absorb the Brltish-Amercan trade. The
project OF a Southern branch seems to have been
abandoned, DHt we presume only temporarily.
Alter the South has become paciied, and order
has been restored in Mexico, we may hope to
have a line from New Orleans through Texas,
New Mexico, and Arizona, controlling the vasS
silver countries. In time we shall have them
all, and when that time comes, New York-l0
days from London by sea and 10 days from San
Francisco by steam-wlll command the CON-
merCe of the East and the West-of Europe,
America, and Asia. Our destiny as a city is TO
become the metropolis OF the world, and men
not very young will live to see the day when
Calcutta, and Pekin, and Melbourne, and Lon
don will make their exchanges on Broadway.