Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-06-22
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
FROM OMAHA, NEBRASKA.
What has been Done, and when
ft will be Finished.

/
No great enterprise was ever begun about
| which SO little has been said and so much
| has been done. The public have a vague
idea that railroad is being built from some.
where in the East to somewhere in farther
West that railroad track has ever before
been laid but where it begins, or what
| route it follows, or where it is to end, we
| venture to assert not one in thousand can
tell. H'''
For dozen years we have heard that a
great Pacific Railroad WAS TO BE built, and
dozen names and 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 Rail-
road to retain and bind more closely together
tho eastern and western extremities of the
continent in one great UNITED 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 region that nothing but a
railroad could civilize, and nothing but civil
ization could pacify,-the great Importance
of opening road to the rich gold 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,-all these prudential reasons
finally pressed with such weight upon Con-
gress, that it determined that the road
should be made. There were indeed, many
others two thousand miles of additional
ha al
vast bodies of land now valueless would be
made productive the tide of business and
travel that now winds tedious and danger.
Gus way along the borders of two oceans,
would be increased ten.iold, 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 locomotive $3.50
The imperative need of the work was ad-
mitted, but it was too vast for individual
enterprise to attempt. No combination of
private capitalists was willing to risk hun
dred million dollars in the construction of
2000 miles of railroad through wilderness.
As the undertaking was strictly national, so
no power less than that of the nation was
sufficient to accomplish it; and large as the
cost necessarily would be, the expenditure
would save a much greater cost to the coun-
try.*. But the Government Gid not wish to
enter upon any new system of internal i'm
provcments on its own account; and its
only alternative was to grant its aid in the
most careful manner to such responsible in
dividuals of suitable character and energy
as might be willing to risk portion of their
private means in the construction of the
road. ....
THE CoMPANY's CHARTER AND ROUTE.
This charter was granted and perfected
by various acts of Congress, and the Com
pany comprises men of the highest reputa-
ton for integrity, wealth, and business ex-
perience. Among the officers are General
John A. Dix, President; Thomas G. Du-
rant, Vice President ; and John j. Cisco,
late Assistant Treasurer of the United States,
Treasurer.
The capital authorized by the charter is
One Hundred Million Dollars, OF which it
is estimated that not exceeding Twenty Five
Millions will be required, and of which Five
Millions have already been paid in.
Surveying parties were at once pushed
out in various directions across the continent
to find and locate the best available line be-
| tween the Missouri River and the Pacific
Ocean. This was established at Omaha, iE
Nebraska, on the east, and will finally be a.
distance of nearly 1900 miles. The Chica-
go and North Western Railroad is now com
| pleted from Chicago to Omaha, u distance
of 492 miles and several other roads are
rapidly building to unite with the Union
| Pacific at the same point so that its 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
| 517 miles, to the Black Hills, or easterly
spur of the Rocky Mountains. Col. Sey.
mour, the Consulting Engineer, reports that
the grade is much more favorable than was
| anticipated-the maximum to the Rocky
! Mountains not exceeding 30 feet to the mile,
| and from that point to the summit, or divide
of the continent, it will not exceed so feet
| to the mile From the Rocky Mountains
the best practicable route will be taken to
I Great Salt Lake City, and thence by the
! valley of the Humboldt River to the eastern
base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The
Central Pacific Railroad is now being ra
pidly built east from Sacramento, CAL, an6
is already completed about 100 miles, an6
| will connect with the Union Pacific.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE, AND ITS COST.
AS we remarked before, there has beer
! very lllllt lulh, unu u Sledt dSui VI Moihs-
Almost before the public were aware, 1t haC
been begun. On the first of January, 1867
the Union Pacific Railroad was FINISHED
for 3O5 miles west from Omaha, and full
equipped with locomotives, rolling stock
repair shops, depots, stations, &C., and tn
Company have on hand iron, ties, and othe
materials, sufficient to finish the road to tn
Rocky Mountains, or 5l7 miles from Omaha
by the first of September, 1867. 1t is ez
pected that the whole line, through to Cali
fornia, will be completed in 1870.
The first 305 miles were graded, bridge
and ironed, with heavy I rail, and SUI
piled with suitable depots, repair shops, sta
lions, locomotives, cars, and all the necel
sary appurtenances of irst-class road, fC
$50, 900 per mile, and it is believed that tn
remaining portion will not increase the ay'
rage cost to more than $4,000 per mil
exclusive of equipments. fl-,rT q
,AL-A MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTION. ,
When the Government determined tht
, the road must be built, it also determined
make the most ample provision to render i
speedy construction beyond doubt.
lst.-THE GRANT OF MoNEY.-The Go
ernment issues to the Company its Six Pc
< CENT. THIRTY YEAR BoEDs at the rate
b $4,000 per mile for the whole road, and,