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

gresS of the Work. . .......
The annual report OF Lieutenant. Colonel j. II.
simpson, United States Corps of Engineers, ad.
ressed TO Secretary Harlan, gives Interesting
nformation concerning the condition and pros
Pects of the Pacific Railroad. Six companies
ave accepted the provisions OF the laws of
Congress relating to the Pacific Railroad, as
"bllows:- F.
THE COMPANIES. '.
4 The Union Pdcifc.-Authorized to build the
Dad from the one hundredth meridian to the
q Western boundary OF Nevada Territory. A sub
equent section allows 10 to build line from the
estern boundary of Iowa to the one hundredth
heridian. rG 10 ...
The Central Pacific Authorized to build the
Dad from San Francisco, or naVigable waters of
be Sacramento to the western boundary of Ne
ada, connecting at that point with the Union
acifc. In case either of these two rsads reaches
" aid boundary before the other, it may continue
IS line until they meet.
4 The Union Pacific Eastern Diuision.--Autho-
lied to build line from the mouth of the Kan
las river, on the south side thereof to the one
81 eundredth meridian, where il is TO meet the
&|nion Pacific Railroad; and In case the latter is
bt proceeding in good faith TO build its road
hrough the Territories, when the Union Pacific
aroad Eastern Division, shall have reached
le one hundredth meridian, then the last-named
ompany may make its road westward until 1t
beets and connects with the Central Pacific
airoad: provided that no bonds shall be
( sued or lands certified by the United States to
by person or company for the construction OF
part OI bue main ll0e OF Sulu TallfOdu,
lest of the one hundredth meridian of longitude
bd east OF the Rocky Mountains, until said road
lall be completed from or near Omaha, ON the
/ issourl river, to the SAID one hundredth merl-
Il an OF longitude
#E The point on the one.hundredth meridian
ferred to is to be fixed by the President of the
United States, between the north margin Of the
& Rlley OF the Platte river and the south margin
+. the valley of the Republican Fork; these
\ pnits being about thirty miles apart The one
lIndredth meridian is about two hundred and
1ty miles west from Omaha, and three hundred
bd eighty-one miles from the mouth of Kansas
lver. The point where the roads must unite
Pill probably be decided on next spring or
XNlmmeT.
& The Hannibal and 81. Joseph Railroad Com.
+ |pny of Observation-Disclosures to extend it's
q bad, by way of Atchison, to connect with the
Union Pacific Railroad Eastern Division, or
om st. Joseph, to connectwlth the Union Pa
1tic Railroad; said connection must be made
est Of the one hundredth meridian, and no
bids or bonds are TO be paid this company for
sore than one hundred miles OF road.
n The Sioug CITY and Pacific Rdirodd-Autho
zed to build a road IRON Sioux City to connect
4 nth the Union Pacific Railroad. If necessary,
may make this connection west OF the one
HNndredth meridian, but IN that case bonds or
' nds are not to be given them to greater eX.
4 ent than If It had connected at the one hun
redth meridian.
The B,criington and Missouri Rjoer Railroad
bnpGny. to extend its road from
lie point where it strikes the Missouri river to
be hundredth meridian, or some point east of
a. Lands, but no bonds, are to be given to aid
us company.
GOVERNMENT AID.
II With the exception raised in the last para
faph, the roads and branches named are to be
sisted by Government bonds payable thirty
bars after date, bearing six per cent. interest,
Ryable in legal currency TO the United States
mi-annually. In default OF payment of interest
bonds by any road the Secretary of the Trea-
Try is to take possession OF it tor the benefit of
e United States. These bonds are to be issued
the extent OF $4,000 per mile constructed,
fcept one hundred aud fifty miles to the Rocky
ountalns, and one hundred aud fifty miles in
: be Sierra Nevada, for which $4S,000 per mile is
be granted. Between these mountains, sec.
= ons OF one hundred and fifty miles each, bonds
the extent OF $32, 600 per mile are to be granted,
provided that no more than fifty thousand Of
lid bonds" of $1,000 each "shall be issued under
lis act to aid in constructing the main line of
I aid road and telegraph"
In addition to the bonds thus loaned the COM
~ tinies to receive public lands the extent
# ten alternate sections on each side OF the road
J.. nd within the limits OF twenty miles from its
ne, provided said lands have not already been
isposed OF.
These bonds and lands are to be issued by
overnment at the completion OF each twenty or
VI lore miles oil frst-class road, FULLY equipped as
~ hch for the service contemplated by the act,
~. continuous line from the Missouri river to
Is be Pacific Ocean.
PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR.
< The report recites the progress OF the work on
e different roads, the results being briefly as
llows:-
4 Union Pacific. Grading on first one hundred
lies nearly completed; ON second one hundred
lies commenced; expected sixty miles of track
d by end OF January, 1866; one hundred miles
July; and two hundred miles by July, 1867
pssibly will have reached one hundredth mer.
+ Jan by that time; expenditures already amonnt
$3500,0 900. Since Colonel Simpsons report
as written, this company notified the depart
ent that forty miles of road were completed
hd ready for acceptance by the Government.
Union Pacific Eastern D1U1SiOn,-Slxty miles
bmpleted up to November IL. In their report
n the construction OF the road the three com
issiOners agreed as TO the facts but differed as
the requirements OF the law: Colonel Simpson
|aintalnlng that the law required a road suited
the great through business contemDlated-the
ther commissioners claiming that it was good
la@ 4lough for present purposes. The report, with
pledge from the PRESIDENT of the road 10 supply
uenciences was submitted to the President
~ N the Secretary of the Interior with a recon-
endatiOn that the road be accepted on cOndi
ION that the Company, within a reasonable
eTiod, make the improvements required. TINS
recommendation was approved by the President
december 20 1865
\ Central PacJfo.-The work of grading com
lenced in February, 1863 The first shipment
iron reached Sacramento October 8, 1862 anu
be track laying was Immediately commenced,
. nd steadily continued with few delays caused
the non-recelpt OF iron and lies within the
Dntracted time, up to June 6, 1864 when the
pad was completed to Newcastle, distance o
-. irty one miles. The grading between New
,lste and ColtaX was very difficult and eXpen
h We, increasing as the line was pushed up the
ountaln slope The cuttings have been deeper
e embankments higher, and more rock WORK
lcountered as the line has gone eastward. One
lt is siXty-three feet deep and eight hundred
ct long and several others are IRON forty Il
~ deep and from eight hundred TO twelve hun
n. Iii LII