The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-07-05
re TWo PACIFIC RATLRoAps.
The Kansas and the Nebraska Routes
Compared.
sALINA. Kan. Juue Il Ia67.

SALIEA. kan.s June s., 1867.
It is. not risking much to say that tn,
most novel spectacle of this generation l.
the rapid construction of the Pacific
Railroads in the United States. Two Of
the routes are so forward ia the work, and
80 wonderfully energetic in extending It.
that they have become rivals 10 the race
across the continent. and one or the 9th
er will, undoubtedly, become. the great
iron link in the line of eomnsuuicatien
between the two oceans--a national aorts
through which must course the rich cur
rents Of a worlds commerce. with 1ribu
tary veins draining both hemispheres.
These competing Pacific Railroads both
begin on the west bank Of the Missouri,
over three hundred miles apart in latitude.
The Union Pacific Railroad, the North
ern route, commences at Omaha, and
runs along the Platte Valley. through the
heart of Nebraska. The Udion Pacific
Railway. Eastern Division, begins at Wy
ando;te, and also LeavenworthL these
TWO places being about thirty miles apart,
RUGS west through the heart of Kansas. }
10 contrasting them it is best TO drop
their inexpensive technical names, and
to call ore the Kansas and the other the
Nebraska route. Having within the last
six months travelled over both routes twice
by daylight with no other object than to
examine them, with an unbiased aud inn
partial eye, l think our comparison of
the Two will have some value, or at least,
some interest. .-9....-
First, the Nebraska route is the most
advanced. II Is built and running three
hundred and City miles west of Omaha,
and is still going down at a rapid rate
The Kansas route is built to Fort Harker,
a distance of two HUNDRED and nineteen
miles from the initial point of the road
Ii Is progressing this summer nearly as
fast as its Nebraska rival, 90 or 80 miles
per mouth, including bridges, being the
average rate of construction. Ga some
days one aud even two miles of track are
laid, but bridge building frequently
causes delay for a week or TWO.
Both routes pass through valleys that
require next to no grading At all. The
Nebraska route is the M st remarkable in
this respect. but the Kansas route is so
nearly level throughout its entire length,
that the cost OF it's grading exceeds that
OF its rival by but the mereest tribe.
In the native resources OF each route
for building itself, the Kansas road has a
valuable advantage. 1t is timbered far
the fret forty miles with excellent hard
woods. From this strip is cut the lie.
GALL of the best quality and the fuel nee
essary 10 run the trains. The Nebraska
route Is entirely naked of eligible tim
Der, and so is the region circumjacent
10 it. The ties are of cottonwood, which
is pre- eminent for the worst qualities,
chief among which is its rendendcy to get
hopelessly rotten in year or two after
beng cut. Part of the cottonwood ties
on the Nebraska route have been subject
ed TO tarring process called Burnett
ziDg." This will preserve it for long
tine-how long is not known. The Kan
sas road is embarrassed for fuel, but les
Than The Nebraska. The former has some
good timber, the latter not stick. Both
must pay extraordinary prices for fuel, for
thus far, available coal fields have not
been f. und along either line. The day
will undoubtedly arrive when both roads
will be relieved by the discovery Of ex-
haustless beds of coal.
Now thar both roads have continuous
rail connection with the Eastern States,
there is little difference in the cost of
building and equipping them. Last year,
however. the Nebraska road bad no East
ern link, and it had 10 pay exorbitanlly
tor transportation. &C. ..E.
The difference in climate of the regions
through which the two roads run is con-
siderable, aud must exert important iphu-
ences on their relative commercial relia-
bility Nebraska, of course, has more
rigorous winters than Kansas--mores snow
and deeper snowdrifts, and more intense
ly bitter weather. Il the Nebraska road
continues due west through the Rocky
Mountains, it will have terrible ele
ments TO contend with every winter.
Some egineers Prophesy that either of its
proposed mountain routes must be i'm.
passible every year between the middle oil
Der and the last OF March. AS to
how much milder tie Kansas route would
be if continued straight on TO the wesi.
it is hardly worth while to speculate; for
it is not unlikely that it will turn south
from Denver, pass through Santa Fe, and
eventually reach the Pacific along a lati
tude where summer is perpetual. My
impression is that on reaching Denver,
the Kansas road will build branch north
west to join the Nebraska line, and that
il will throw this main line 70 the south
west secure the great Mexican trade and
ultimately reach the Poetic at soma point
on the Coast of Mexico or Lower Califor
MIA. The largest engineer party yet sent
out by the Kansas road was started few
days ago. under command of Gen. W.
w. Wright. This party will survey
route as far southwest as Santa Fe trust.
ing to Congress to continue its subsidies
if it is concluded 10 build IN that direc-
lion. Ii is thus indicated that the Kansas
route will cross the mountains at latitude
where the winters are too mild 10 obstruct
a railroad for a single day, much less,
whole months. @
Both the Nebraska and Kansas roads
own several million acres of land, the
same lying along the tracks in alternate
sections of ten miles width. Unques
tionably the Kansas Company has the
richest and most valuable gift in this re-
spect. If these lands could be sold to-
day those of the Kansas Company would
bring four times as much as those of the
other. Both companies have plenty of
almost barren te rritOry, and the further