St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-12-06
The Union Pacific Railroads.
What 1t Is, and UHdt 1t Viii BE.

OuT readers nave HedTu vi IL iatSil'
and they will hear more of it at very
brief intervals. Five hundred miles OF
rack have been laid from the East, and
an artery for the iron way has been cut
through the stony heart of the. Sierra
Nevadas ON the West. For two or three
years more along 4 line stretching across
the Rocky Mountains and through the
Humboldt Valleys. there will be the bus
tie aud rush of a great army, with lis
long trains and busy camps, and there
will be smell of burning powder, and
shocks and echoes like great battle.
But the army is not to destroy. but 10
create. Its trains are not loaded with
bristling weapons, but with picks and
shovels, and its artillery sweeps away
nothing but the defiant rocks that have
stood for long ages in the way OF advans-
ing civilization. In two of three years,
the builders of the West coming East,
and the builders of the East going West.
will meet somewhere about Salt Lake,
and then we shall have the grandest civ
ic celebration of modern times.
The two great divisions of a continent
will be united amidst national reioicings,
and all the great officers and 4 host of
the great people will be present to wit
ness the august ceremony. We can now
that We see the president OF the
United States driving the last spike TO
the rail which is 10 bind the Atlantic
and Pacific States together in 4 national
unity and prosperity such as we have
never known before. Thousands who
have been waiting some better means of
reaching California than crowded
steamer and near a months passa@e Of
tered, will seek homes among the gold
mines and gardens by this new and speedy
means of transit Nine-growers from
Germany will swarm upon her hills, than
which none are more productive OF wine:
and far up the vast regions through Or
egon, and Washington Territory, TO our
new Russian Possessions, the tide of an
increasing population will ebb and flow
over this Pacific Railroad
The idea of the work was grand one
1t had become Indispensable to the de-
velopment and safety OF the nation. and
nothing less than the nations power
could execute it. We are practically, to-
day, almost twice as far from San Fran
cisco as from ST Petersburg, and in case
OF war, one side OF our country would
be almost severed from the other. The
nation needs this Pacific Railroad to de-
velop It's vast territories. which are so
rich in lands, mines, and treasure. and
TO overcome barbarism with the insttu-
tons OF religion, science and art.
These, rs well as other reasons. induced
Congress TO grant the most substantial
all TO the two great companies that are
now constructing the Pacific Railroad
and telegraph line. and that have already
spent over forty million dollars upon it.
The land grant l., 500 acres to the mile
Is certainly magnificent. but it increases
the value OF every other acre in that Vi
cinitv tentoli. The grant OF fifty mil
lion dollars in Government bonds on
which the |. =. Treasury pays the in
trrcSt. and Tor which it takes 4 second
lien upon the road rs security. i large.
but the Union Plriiic Railroad carries
troops. trcight>. and mails tor the GOV
rrnmcnt 10 an amount which paws this
interest several times over. No other
public work ever gave such promise of
future usefulness or profit.
The luion Pacific. unlike other rail-
road companies. is Il thoroughly nation
al Company. 1t derives : charter di-
rectl " from Congress. and five Govern
mcnt Directors and three Government
Commissioners assist in the control aui
Inspection of lis affairs Il Will be the
great central railroad OF the country. anl
of course. will tie the artery of an I'M
mense commerce. And this answers the
natural inquiry. "Will the road paw ="
We don't ste how il can help it. The
traffic that is waiting for ii and that will
he developed bv il is beyond contingency.
ard rs there will he no rival line. it Is
very likely that the Company will not
FORGET II charge remunerativc prices
The wav. or local business on hut 80
miles. Welded over a million dollars in Il
single quarter OF the present year, AMI
shows that every section is 4 productive
property in itself as soon as completed.
Under such circumstances. the Union
Pacific Company ha> every reason to an
ticipate the most brilliant success. and
We do not wonder that it Is inspired 10
make the greatest efforts to secure the
completion of the line at the earliest pos
>ible moment lis stockholders have
paid in over five million dollars in mon
cv upon the work already done, and are
able TO supply ample means for cOnstruc
ton, But if 4 company which has al
ready shown 50 much energy could fail
in finishing their work (Which no one be-
lieves po>-ible). it would not Cease. The
Government that holds the second lien
upon the road would be compelled to
come i'll and complete it to protect lis
own interests, and the security of the
First Mortgage Bondholders would re-
main unimpaircd. Hon John J. Cisco,
for many years Assistant Treasurer of
the United States in New York. is one
of the Directors. and also the Treasurer
OF this Company. lie is we'll known to
be a gentleman of most conservative
opinions and careful judgement in all fl
nanclal matters. and we notice that he
recommends these bonds rs among the
safest securities.
Equdtising Freight on Railroads.