The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-12
The Development of Our Resources
The Various Lines to the Pacific.

The Development of Our Resources
The Various Lines to the Pacific.
THE sponsors of the various railroads now in
process OF erection TO the Pacific coast have
been unfortunate in their choice Of names.
Instead of each route having an expressive
title, so that all could understand at once to
which reference is made, they are all called the
Union Pacific Railroad" and the addition of
eastern DIVISION" "Kansas Branch" and the
like, tends to confuse the general reader. In
order to appreciate the exact position of the
various roads, it is necessary to impress on the
reader the fact that there are two start
ing points this side of the plains and that the
two roads converge until they meet the Central
Pacific at or near Fort Halleck, which is about
one hundred miles this side of Salt Lake City.
One Of the roads-the Union Paci6e"-starts
from Omaha, and runs in nearly
direct line across the plains to the Great
Salt Lake. OF this road, 517 miles
have been completed. This road runs through
the level country in the south of Nebraska.
The other route, which starts from the east,
commences at Kansas City, and is known as the
kansas branch" 1t runs through an extremely
fertile country, and will undoubtedly have an
immense way freightage. 1t unites with the
northern route at Fort Halleck and they run on
one road until they join the Central Pacific,
which starts from California, and is steadily pro
crossing eastward. ,za
This is the immediate object of the Kansas
branch, but its ultimate aim is to continue Its
main route through Colorado and Arizona until
it reaches the Pacific at San Diego, where by
route along the coast it will be connected with
San Francisco. This road is completed about
three hundred miles. Having thus spoken of
the lines which run towards the West, we will
look at the Central Pacific, which starts towards
the East. OF this road less than one hundred
and fifty miles are completed, but it has the ad-
vantage of knowing that the hardest portion Of
its task is ended. 1t has succeeded in piercing
the mountains, and has now a straight and level
road from six hundred and fifty miles to Great
Salt lake. While the Eastern branches have
been doing their easiest work. the Western COM
pany have been overcoming their most difficult
So that each will probably by the year 1870 have
completed its share in the great undertaking of
the century.
The minds OF our people can hardly form a
conception Of the magnitude Of the great task
except by comparison. When the Reading
Road, with its 100 miles, was undertaken 1t
was considered tremendous affair; when the
Central Pennsylvania, with its 400 miles, was
projected, capitalists hesitated to go into a
movement which involved such expense. But
here we have a road, or rather two roads, each
of which is over 1000 miles in length. The
tunnels and grading of the road are in like
magnitude to its length. The Central Pacific
has succeeded in crossing the Sierra Madre, and
has tunnelled in 1t for months. This tunnel
is 1868 feet long, while all of its tunnellings
have amounted to the enormous distance of
6262 feet of underground travel, or over a
mile and quarter in which the traveller does
not see the light of day. OF course, the immense
labor expended in such an undertaking cannot