Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-11-13

pleed, and that the whistle Of the locomotive can
be heard on the Rocky Mountains Their very
base at Cheyenne, is but seventeen miles further
and in another week, the track will be at this em-
bryo city on the western boundary Of the great
plains. IL is but thirty-one miles more to the
highest summit OF the line between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, and to this point the road-bed
is nearly ready for the rails. 1t may be quite pos
sble for you, reader to travel by first class car
all the way, and eat your Christmas dinner among
the peaks of the Black Hills, eight thousand feet
above Underwater. A thousand laborers are on
their western slopes, and other thousands are join
ing them. All winter long, the gorges and defles
of these grand old mountains will resound with
the miners blast, and the crash OF the tumbling
rocks as they are thrown out of their beds, where
they have laid since the world began. Ten thous-
and Cinnamon, under American engineers, have
already dug and pounded their way over and
through the great Sierra Nevadas of California,
and are rapidly pushing forward to meet the great
army of builders from the east, and we are told
that in 1870, the traveller may see the sun rise
out of the Atlantic on Monday morning and set
in the golden glories of the Pacific on Saturday
night.
The locomotive is coming Clear the track,
Messrs. Hole-in-the-day,' Crying WOLF Dan
cling Grizzly 'Jump-of-a-log 'Spotted-tail,'
White-man-killer, and all your ragged race. 1t
isyour manifest destiny to stop scalping white
folks, and you must either be absorbed by the new
tide Of civilization or be drowned in It, Messrs
Antelope Buffalo and Beaver, YOU have been very
useful animals in your way, and have done the
world service in your day; but really now-we
quite regret it--but we must have a few more
farms out there in your direction and will trouble
you to move on, or off, as you find it most conven-
lent. The logic of events is not to be resisted
the race Of barbarism is drawing to an end the
world moves, and the people thereof-and gener-
ally westward
But really the public have known very little Of
the gigantic proportions Of this Pacific Railroad.
TO build it eighteen hundred miles through will
derness, and over the highest mountains on the
North American Continent, was something, the
like of which had never been attempted. The
Appian Way of Rome nothing to it, and mod
ern engineering furnished no presidents for it.
The certain profits of the immense business be-
tween the two grand divisions of the continent
were a great prize to capitalists; but Company
could be formed that would dare venture more
than a hundred millions of money to secure it.
But necessary as the road was to individuals and
to commerce generally, the people as a govern
ment--as a naton-needed it more The United
States Treasury was annually taxed to an immense
amount to pay for transporting troops and sup
plies to its mountain forts, to keep the peace
among Indian tribes, that nothing but advancing
civilization could keep permanently quiet The
Pacific States and Territories were so isolated
that uneasy spirits already discussed new plan of
dsunion in future Pacific Empire. The govern
ment lands Of vast region were worthless, be-
cause they could not be reached and only the
richest pockets Of the great gold field were open
ed, because of the impossbty Of profitable tran
sit. And here, Congress acted wisely in lending
the Pacific Railroad Companies fifty millions in its
six per cent bonds, apportioned out as the work
progresses, to secure the speedy construction of
the line for they more than pay the interestin the
services they render. No other internal improve
ment by the general government has ever prom
sed to add so much to the wealth of the country
1t will be the means OF opening a vast region to
population that we shall be only too happy to
welcome to the national tax list; and besides, in
the event of future wars, it would be very well to
have our neghbors so convenient, that they could
do their share of the fighting.
Just now when our California relatives are anx-
ious to come home to thanksgiving, it is pleasant
to know, that more than one-third of the work on
this Pacific Railroad is done; that more than one
third Of the whole line is in running order; but
accustomed as we are to large figures, it seems
little surprising to know, that over forty million
dollars in money have already been expended up
on it. The Union Pacific Company's contracts
for the first Ola miles running west from Omaha,
amounts to sixty-two million dollars but this is
only sixty-eight thousand dollars per mile inclu-
ding equipments Of all kinds We can see no
reason why this Union Pacific Railroad should not
be finished within two or three years The gov
ernmert aid, in bonds and lands, is munifcent
The Company own first mortgage bonds have a
ready market, and the stockholders freely invest
their millions that ample means not lack
ing. The business OF the completed road will be
enormous. Probably nothing like it will have been
known in the history Of railway traffic. All the
passengers, mails, and treasure of the Pacific
States and Territories, and most of the freights of
the great mining regions of the Rocky Mountains
can have no rival. The twenty-seven thousand
"prarie schooners" as the white-topped OK wag-
ons we're called that once trayersed the great plains
are already laid up, or have gone to more remote
points, and their burdens are transferred to the
railway trains. Indeed the local traffic of this
Union Pacific Railroad is remarkable, and its bu-
siness increases as the mining districts are ap-
preached. Its earnings for the quarter ending
July 3lst were officially reported at over mil
lion and after all expenses were paid, net sum
remained which proves that the road would be
profitable if not another mile should be built
The way they do things out West" has always
been synonym of energy but this last iustra-
ton of it is certainly the most impressive Of all.
We would add that the Union Pacific Railroad
is built under the supervision of FIVE Directors
appointed by the United States Government,
whose duty it is to that all the Company's
affairs are prudently conducted and three Govern
ment Commissioners who inspect the road in sec
tons of twenty miles, as it is built Government
Bonds and the Company's own first Mortgage
Bonds are issued only as these sections are accep
ted, and pronounced to be thoroughly built and