Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-04-23
PROGRESS OF THE GREAT RAIL
ROAD. ~ 3

" 'eu yeaSs Joo, oy Whhy even VINO unu
passed over the route, aud were fully
cenversant with the difficulties to be
encountered, yet now the beginning
Of the end" can almost be seen, and by
the close Of the present year 1t is calcu-
lated that there will be less than four
hundred miles OF the road to complete,
aud tho time of passenger transit by
railroad and stages between San Fran
cisco aud New York reduced to ten
days. By the seventh Of next month
the cars will be running to Argenta, the
new town spriuging up on Truekee
river, and from which point the branch
railroad will diverge, intended for the
freight and passenger business Of this
section. From Argenta the great road
will be completed to the Big Bend OF
the Truekes by the middle Of next July,
and thence to II point on the Humboldt
in n direct line with Austin, by the first
of the following October. Speaking OF
the progress Of the great Continental
Railroad, the San Francisco Bulletin of
the 18th inst. says:
According to telegraphie announcement
the Union Pacific Railroad-which is the
Eastern end Of the great trunk line across
the eo~ntinent-has reached q point desig-
mated a. ''the summit Of the Rocky Noun
tains." We presume the point 10 Evans
Pass, which is not the true summit, although
il 10 the highest station on the line Of the
Union Pacific. Evans Pass is 81 miles west
Of Cheyenne City, the new town at the foot
Of the Black Hills, until recently the ter
minus Of the Union Pacific. It Is S,242 feet
above the sea, being 1900 feet higher than
the most lerated point in the Sierra Nevada
crossed BY the Central Pacific. On the Cali
fornia end Of the road. Its distance from
Omaha, the initial point Of the road, is 548
Salt Lake, 522 miles. The Union Pacific has
overcome, in the distance between Omaha
and Evans Pass, an elevation Of 1874 feet,
showing an average grade Of only about l3f
feet per mile. The Central Pacific has over
come, in the distance between Sacramento
and the summit Of the Sierra Neyada-say
los miles-an elevation Of 1855 feet, show.
ing an av~eraeegrads Of 663 feet per mile.
This comparison exhibits tho difference in
the physical difficulties to be overcome on the
two ends Of the trunk line, with a margin
largely in favor Of the Eastern end. Hence
forth the difficulties will be greatest for the
Union Pacific. The managers Of that road
have contracted for its extension nearly 800
miles west Of Evans Pass during the present
year. and for this distance the road bed has
an elevation averaging fully 1000 feet above
the sea, alternating frcn S,Si2 to 5000 feet,
and crossing srugged cc:atry. The Central
Pacific Railroad iSnow graded to the Nevada
basin, and the country thence to Salt Lake
il mainly an elevated plateau, intersected by
low ranges which can be crossed by light
grades. There will be 4 lively competition
between the two companies as to which shall
first reach Salt Lake, or its vicinity, for the
company that first builds its road to that
point will probably control the carrying trade
Of the Utah basin, and the direction east or
west Of orders for goods. The prize to be
commended for is a big one, aud the farmers
and manufacturers and merchants OF Califor-
MIA are directly interested in the success Of
the Central Pacific.
The present status and prospects Of the
two roads may " thus summed up: The
distance to be made from New York to San
Francisco by railroad was originally $500
miles. or the distance the following portions
are now crossed BY the iron track: New
York to Omaha, Lass miles Omaha to Ev-
ans Pass, 54S;. total On the western side,
zoos miles; Sacramento to Nevada Basin,
40 miles; total on both sides, 2,l43, leaving
l,l57 miles in all to DO constructed. Only
SIS miles have been built OF the Pacific Rail-
road proper between Omaha and San Fran
cisco, in five years-can l,l57 miles be built
in two years? The companies say yes. The
Union Pacific, VIC have seen, have about 800
miles under contract for this year; the Gen.
trail Pacific have promised to have their track
laid to the Big Bend Of the Humboldt this
year-say $50 miles further than il Is now
laid-and also to make the connection be-
tween Sacramento and San Francisco, say
l24 miles, making 484 miles on this side. II
the above calculations are realized, there
will have been laid during the year 1868 not
less than 7S4 miles Of track, leaving to be
laid only 1853 miles to complete the CONT
mental road in 1869. It is rather too much
to believe that either company will do a.
much as il expects this year, but il the work
remaining 10 divided more evenly between
two years, it is not impossible that By the
opening OF 1870 there will be q continuous
iron road from New York to San Francisco.
Meanwhile the time required for a trip orer-
land Is being daily reduced, and by the end
Of the current year the journey from the At
lantic to the Pacific can be made BY rail and
stage in ten days.