Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-06-07
tFrOH the n. Y Indepenient.l
The Union Pacific Rsilrnad from Omaha,
Nebraska,
Uhai has teen done, and rsen Il ,riH BE-
finished.

U'hat has teen done, and 'rbCR Il ,riH BE-
finished
No great enterprise was ever begun about
which so little has been saii and so much has
been done The public have a vague idea that
a railroad If being built from somewhere in the
East to somewhere in further West than a
rail-trsck has ever before been laid but where
il begins, what route It follows, or where it is
TO end, We venture 10 assert, not one in a thous-
and can tell.
For dozen years We hsye heard that a great
Pacific Railroad irqs 10 be built, and 4 oxen
names and II dozen companies, and a dozen
routes-from the southern boundary Of Texas to
the northern boundary Of Lake Superior-have
been urged upon Congress as the greatest and
best means for uniting the Atlantic and Pacific
shores. Bubble after bubble was blown, and
each burst in turn when touched by the sharp
point Of practical experience.
The absolute necessity for Pacific Railroad
to retain and bind more closely together the
eastern and western extremities Of the continent
in one great Uaiiei and Pacific country, the
immense cost Of government transportation TO
its frontier and Rocky Mountain posts, and the
even greater cost Of Indian wars, in a region
that nothing but a railroad could clyilize, and
nothing but civilization could pacify,-the great
U opening u AllA ~ AuE A4tu EOAA
and silver mines Of the Rocky and sierra Nevada
Mountains, so that the way to the resumption
Of specie payments might be made shorter and
easier,-an those prudential reasons finally
pressed with so much weight upon Congress, that
il determined that the road should be made
There were, indeed, many others two thousand
miles Of additional territory would be opened
Tor settlement vast bodies OF land now valueless
would be made productive the tide Of business
and travel that now winds a tedious and dan
gerous way along the borders Of the two oceans,
would be increased ten-fold and how would
the fathers in the East strike hands with their
sons and daughters at the Golden Gate, if they
could only be borne On the wings Of the loco
motive
The imperative need of the work Was admit
ted but il was too vast Tor individual enterprise
| to attempt. No combination Of private capital
lists was willing to risk hundred million doll
ars in the construction Of , 900 miles Of railroad
through a wilderness. As the undertaking was
strictly national, so no power less than that Of
| the nation was sufficient 10 accomplish it and
| large IS the cost necessarily would be, the ex-
/ penditure would save a much greater cost TO the
/ country But the Government did not wish 20
/ enter upon any new system Of internal improve
ment on its own account and its only alterna-
/ tive was TO grant lis aid in the most careful
manner to such responsible individuals Of suit
able character and energy as might be willing to
risk portion Of their private means in the con-
structiOn Of the road.
TIE co,-PAyY's CHARTER ASu ROUTE.
This charter was granted and perfected by
various acts Of Congress, and the Company COM
/ prises men Of the highest reputation for integ-
/ rity, wealth, and business experience. Among
the officers are General John 4. Dix, President,
| Thomas c. Dursnt, Vice President, and Hon.
John J. Cisco, late Assistant Treasurer Of the
| L. 5, Treasurer.
The Capital authorized by The Charter Is One
Hundred Million Dollars, Of which it is estimat-
| ell that not exceeding Twenty Live Millions viii
be required, and Of which Five Millions have
already been psil in.
Surveying parties were al once pushed cut
in various directions across the continent O. ind
and locate the best ayailably line between the
| Missouri River and the Pacific Ocean. This was
| established al Omaha, il Nebraska, on tie east,
/ and will finally be az san Francisco, In Cailf0r-
MIA, On the west-a distance Of nearly 1900
/ miles. The Chicago and North Western Rail-
road Is now completed from Chicago 90 Omaha,
a distance Of 400 miles and several other roads
are rapidly building TO unite with the Union
! Pacific at the same point SO that IT'S eastern
/ connections will be numerous and complete.
The general line Of the road from Omaha is
west up the Valley Of the Great Platte, and
| thence across the plains distance Of jl1 miles,
to the Black Hills, or easterly spur Of the Rocky
! Mountains. Col Seymour, the Consulting En-
| gineer, reports that the grade is much more e..
| yorable than was iuticipatel-the maximum to
| the Rocky Mountains not exceeding 80 feet 70
| the mile, and from that point % the summit, or
| divide Of the continent, II viii not exceed so
| feet to the mile. From the Rocky Mountains,
| the best practicable route Will be taken 90 the
| Great Salt Lake City, and thence by the Valley
Of the Humboldt River 70 the eastern base Of
the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Central Pa
cifc Railroad is now being rapidly built east
| from Sacramento, Cal, and is already completed
about 100 miles, and will connect with the
Union Pacific.
WHAT HAS 8EES DOyE AND Iis COST.
As we remarked before. there hiss been very
little talk, and great deal Of work. Almost
before the people were aware, it had been begun.
On the First Of January, 1867, the Union Paci-
&c Railroad was fuistcl for 305 miles west from
Omaha, and fully equipped with Locomotives
Rolling Stock, Repair Shops, DepOts, Stations,
&c-aud the Company have on hand Iron,
Ties, and other materials, sufficient to finish the
road TO the Rocky Mountains, or 81 miles from
Omaha, by the first Of September, 1867. Il is
expected that the whole line through 70 Calif5E-
MIA will be completed in 1870.
The first sos miles were graded, bril-el and
ironei, with a heavy Trail, and supplied with
suitable Depots, Repair Shops, Stations, Loco
motives, Cars, and all the necessary appurten-
ances Of first-class road, for $4,000 per mile,
and it is believed that the remaining portion
will not increase the average cost TO more than
sec, 900 per mile, exclusive Of equipments.
MEANS Tor CONSTRUCTION.
When the Government determined that the
road must be built it also determined 20 make
the most ample provision TO render IT. speedy
construction beyond a doubt
LIST. The GRANT OF MONEY The Govern
ment issues to the Company is SIX FER CENT
THIRTY-YEAR BoNDs At the rate Of $4,000
Per mile for the whole road, and, in addition,
for J. 80 miles across the Rocky Mountains this
grant ls trsjlci, making il Sis,O00 per mile
and from the termination OF this section TO the
California line (about SIS miles) the grant is
doubled, making So, 600 per mile,-thc whole
amount being s a, 20s,O00 These bonds are
issued by the Government only on he compile
ton Of each section Of twenty miles, and after
the Commissioners appointed By the President
Of the United States have certified that it il thor
oughly built and supplied with all the machin
cry. &C, OF a first class railroad. The interest
on these bonds is paid BY the L. S Treasury,
and tie Government retains, as a sinking fund
to be applied to repayment Of principal and in
terest, one half the regular charges made for
transportation by the Company against it.
These bonds, which are second mortgage, are /
not due for thirty years and it is not improbable
that the ya.ue Of the services to be rendered to
the Government during that period will consti- !
tute sinking fund sufficient for their relemp- |
tion at maturity
u THE FIRST MORTGAGE BoNDs The 1
Government permits the Company 10 Issue its |
own Mortgage Bonds at the same time. and on |
the same terms, and for the same amount. and |
By spccial -4ei Of C04gress these bonds critic |
Company are made FIRST MORTGAGE On the /
entire line and property Of the road. the Gov !
eminent bonds being subordinate The amount |
Of these Bonds to be Issued by the Company is |
limited to an amount equal 10 those issued by |
the Government to aid in the construction ofthe
road.
Sd. The LAND GRANT While this Is GER
tsinly munifcent, az the same time it is most
advantageous to the Government, for without
it, ali its own lands would remain almost worth
less. 1t is donation Of every alternate section
for 20 miles on each side of the road, or Il. 500