The national Republican., 1867-04-19
CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD.

required six months to reach that Eldorado 8
by the way Of Cape Horn. Had any one {
at that time predicted that within quar- /
ter Of q century we should have q railway s
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, he I
would have been regarded dreamer, and ,
:. .,uld have been intimated that he was
n et subies:. for 'unatie asylum. But
strange and wonderful as II may appear,
in little more than three yGars we will '
have o continuous railway from ESstport,
Maine, to San Francisco, California.
Erom II, ,l,sputable facts and statistics now
living before us, we are enabled to gather
some important particulars respecting the
progress and final completion OF the Cen
trail Pacific railroad. The material from
which we collate these facts refers more
especially TO the work on the western
division of the road. One hundred miles
of this road is already completed and in
running order from Sacramento to within
twelve miles Of the summit Of the Sierra
Nevada range. Thus, there is continu-
Gus railway from San Francisco, two hun
dred and twenty miles east.
The Sacramento correspondent OF the |
New York World gives very interesting
letter, from which we present the following
extracts. Tho writer says:
"The road is now finished, and the loco
motive is running ninety-three miles east
ward from Sacramento 70 DISCO station:
This is within twelve miles OF the dreaded
summit of the Sierras. The elevation
above the sea Of each OF the principal sta
tions on the route thus far are NJ ioliows
Newcastle, thirty-one miles from Sacra-
mento, $50 feet elevation; Colfax, sixty-
two miles, 2,l4s feet; Dutch Flat, SIXTY
seven miles 3,47j feet; Cisco, ninety-three
miles, SOL feet. The road is now graded
close to the summit, which will be crossed
at an elevation of 1850 feet. By iar the
most difficult part Of the road has now
been built: that from the summit down the
mountains eastward will be comparatively
easy. and the grade light. In coming up,
the highest allowed grade, ll6 feet to the
mile. Is but once reached; the average as
cending grade to the summit is but 10 feet
to the mile.
"In descending the eastward side Of the
Sierras, ninety feet will be the greatest de-
scending grade and the average only forty
feet When the eastern base Of the Sier-
ras is passed, there is almost natural
grade to the westerly base Of the Rocky
Mountains. This part Of the road can be
built ten times more rapidly and about as
much more cheaply than that already
done. All the hard work came at first
when the company were struggling with
not q sea only, but seas OF opposition,
and while the funds in their treasury were
lad
into the hands of spectators II would
probably have been built, but it was taken
hold Of by number of the richest and
most enterprising meu in the State. They
have given it, and are still giving it, all
their time, their energies and their inau-
ence, and above all, tbeh money
The road will be complete to Virginia
CITY, Nevada, lJG miles from Sacramento,
in the latter part of 1867; to Austin, 800
miles, by the fall Of 1868; to Salt Lake City,
5s5 miles from Sacramento, in January,
1870; and if not there met by the Union
Pacific railroad, the company will keep on
pushing eastward until they are stopped
bv the Union in its western progress.
The road thus, with its equipment thus far,
has cost about $4,000, 900, and before il is
entirely finished to the State line, ] 50 miles
from Sacramento, it will cost about S2,-
900 900 more These figures tell the story
Of what difficulties had to be overcome.
Had not the utmost carefulness been OBJ
served, too, these figures would have been
greatly exceeded.
The earnings Of the road has been as
follows, in gold: In May and June, when
it was running only to Colfax sixty-two
miles, the receipts were S65 900 for the first
month and $4,000 for the last. In July
Alta station, sixty-nine miles, was reached
and the receipts were $4,000; in August
the receipts were $4,000 in September,
Sll4,OOO; and in October, $4,000.
an addition to the profits that will flow
to the Pacific Central Railroad Company
from therunning of their road, the immense
landed grants of Congress will have placed
in their possession millions Of acres OF as
fine agricultural and timber lands as can
be found within the limits OF the United
States, from which they will draw vast rev.
enue"
The first mortgage bonds Of this com
pany are now in market, but they are in
the hands of gentlemen Of the highest bu-
siness standing, whose representation can
be relied upon. Those desiring thor.
oughly safe and profitable investment now
have the opportunity to purchase.
We have been induced to look some,
what into the progress of this work, con
meeting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
and we regard it us an undertaking of vast
moment to the nation. 1t binds the west
crn and eastern divisions of our country
with bars of iron and hoops ofsteel Hence
forth or on the completion of this road
the American people are one and indis-
soluble.
Is the early part of the war an old Ten