Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-05
Pacific Railroad Progress.

The Great Pacific Railroad about which so
much has been said, already assumes the phase
of a great fact certain to be accomplished. By
entrusting the wonderful enterprise to two
great companies instead of one, it seems the
undertaking will be the sooner carried through.
The Union Pacific X. r. Co., building the East
ern half, have already pushed, with great ener-
gy, their track to the foot slopes Of the Rocky
Mountain ranges, having built 500 miles of
road in about two years. The Central Pacific
K. r. Co., beginning at the Pacific side and
working eastward, have accomplished more
prodigious work even, in carrying their track
across California and over the Sierra Nevada
range into the Salt Lake Basin. Although this
work is all included within 15o miles, in point
of difficulty and resistance overcome, 1t is
more than equivalent to all that has been done
on the eastern end. The crossing is made by
practicable grades at an elevation OF 1000 feet
above sealevel, and few days hence, it is
thought, will witness the passage OF the trains
from the wharves of Sacramento to the mines
of Nevada. Already q locomotive is on the
esstern slope OF the range.
1t appears, moreover, that the Pacific Rail
road will net have to wait for the complete
overland connection to be made paying in
vestment; but 1t Is in its beginnings flnan-
cial success. This is especially true of the
Western half, where there is already large
settlement along its route-for it appears that
with the track halted at the summit of the
mountains, whence the passengers and freight
had to be transferred to stages and wagons, the
business has been 30 large during the past Sum
mer as to bear comparison with the best roads
in the country, and go profitable as almost to
challenge belief. The inevitable traffic of such
line, when completed, will obviously require
double track at an early day, and even two
sets of tracks within the next twenty years.
When laborer, or an emigrant, can be trans
ported from New York to San Francisco for
one hundred dollars we may expect wholesale
hittiDg to the FL Dorado of the West, and the
Great Port on the North Pacific Ocean will be-
come second only to New York.
1t is well understood that the Government
furnishes, out of it's credit large proportion Of
the means necessary to carry out this enter
prise; ami the Californians have generously
added greatly to the means for the construction
OF their end of it. All this will be repaid four
fold in the development, prosperity, and good
order assured to our Western domain, to say
nothing of the enlargement of eur trade with
Eastern Asia. The Central Pacific Company
have On army of nearly 10000 men employed on
the work, and expect to bnild about 26O miles
across the Salt Lake Basin during next year
This will bring their road contiguous to the
great Gold and Silver Mining Regions Of the
sat Lake Basin; and in 1870 we may hope TO
see the through line finished.
The Central Pacific Railroad Company are
Offering the First Mortgage Bonds of their Road
for sale to persons seeking safe, desirable in
yestments. BY reference TO their advertise
ment in another column, the foundation and
assurances of these securities will be found
fully set forth.