The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-06
which they could command GOOD view Of the rosd

bed. tft8Ft Mf41F VIVA
IuGeead Of being nrst class railroad ! unhesi-
tatins1y pronounce the Union Pacific road TO De
barely qualified to rank - third class road, and
assert too, well knowing Of what speak, that it
would not be accepted by competent engineers In
Europe as q slow freight line for the conveyance OF
cattle. o~rr rooro
And now let me make my assertions good. The
first thing which strikes practised eye on this road
Is the ties upon the quality Of which to very large
extent depends the estimate which is placed upOna
railroad. Upon good roads ties are either OF oak,
chestnut or the very best pine. Upon the Union Pa
cidc for over three hundred miles, the ties are Of
cottonwood, kind OF wood which is so spongy
iheess and generally worthless that 1t Is used for
no purpose whatever but that OF fuel, and
u makes but very Indifferent kind Of
Una, article even It takes no hold OF the rail spikes
LOT teie u no grip IN 1t. 1t warps up at each end
ana y the last wood on the cOntin that should
nave been used Tor ties. SO utterly worn out are
these cottonwood ties that there Is not one OF them
in the road now that does not need replacing al
though the most OF them are not down more tnan
besides the expense OF Burnetizing them-i e., IN
ecting snpbate OF zinc into the wood. This process
rendered the wood almost az heavy as lead but ID
did not Oh all hands 1t is admitted, make it any
more lasting. Five years was the longest time the
cotton God ties were expected to last, while eood
tie will last to ten; but the five years are not
up, and yet the whole line, as have said now re.
qnires new ties Only to the worst Judgment and
ehcapest ana, therefore the most ephemefai mate.
rial, Is due the selection OF cottonwood ties.
The next thing which strikes the eye on this road
is the bridges and culverts all OF which up to Chey
ennc, with about dozen exceptions are OF pine
Wooa thing c 81 ST use a on s fa
work was ever bestowed on railroad upon the vital
department Of bridges and culverts II has been 80
bestowed upon the Union Pacific road. Contractors
and bridgemen with whom talked agreed with me
in saying that the culverts and bridges are utterly
unit for the work, and but that the road is OF
yesterday would ere this have given the most costly
evidence OF their uniitness. There are two bridges
thousand Ave hundred feet long, across Loop
Fork river, ana another two thousand six hundred
and forty feet long, the North Platte each or
which is stone truss bridge; but in each the very
omitted. This addition Is omitted by careful
stone bridge builder where the bridge has to bear
heavy trains and precious human lives. d.. Jas
Upon the Union Pacific road economy has been
wOrshipped IN every department. To save expense
cuts and nils are avoided o. plaques, by means or
a thousand cases, u half pracfsed eye sees curves
and departures from levels, made for short.sghted
econOmy's sake, where straight lines should have
been run and perfect levels maintained.
In many, very many, points on the road proper
ballasring has been shamefully neglected. and the
ties between the rails are left bare and gaunt, in
stead Of being covered In with earth. This neglect
gives the road the appearance OF rough corduroy
one
Grades on the Union road are left undressed and
scanned deeply by rains, caves, &C., giving the road
the toughest and most careless appearance.
These the main faults In the Union Pacfnc
road and they than bear out my assertion that
has been built. as plainly as daylight, for day-for
any object rather than lasting one. The road up to
CbeJep"e requires new ties, new bridges, new cul.
verts, and general dressing and repairing OF
II tie Government Commissioners reported the
Union Pacific road to be q first class road they
shamefuly and outrageously abused the most sacred
duty Entrusted to them. In one Of its pamphlets the
company says:-"The Union Pacific Railroad Ia
government work, built under the supervision OF
government officers, and to large extent with gov
srnment money! All the more reason therefore, only
a
government is paying for it. 1t is to be our repre-
sentative and longest road In its entirety It Is to be
the great iron highroad across the continent, and
from its builders the nation has the right to demand
! first class road in every possible respect, upon
this, however, it is one which European engineers
will laugh at, and upon which, II not rebuilt within
three or four years 1t will be In the highest degree
dangerous To travel tf.
TO get the rails laid over the ground in such way
that it will be possible for the locomotive TO travel
upon them, TO get the government subsidy In the
shortest possible tinle and to be able almost
monthly to make naming newspaper announcements
travel seem now to be fhe sole objects OF the Union
Pacific Company. One OF Its officers IN praisng the
speed with which the road had been built said to me
that sit would have taken the old fogy railroad
builders OF the Atlantic States ten or twelve years to
accomplish what has been performed IN foar
or five by the Union Pacific Company And
so, indeed IL would; but the old foges alluded
10 would have built railroad In the true sense
simply temporary ribbon line, over which cars
can run; this and nothing more. The country has
itSelI upon n6Ste
with which the Union Pacific Railroad is being built,
but In place Of cOngrauatOn there should have been
universal regret the shameful mode of building
u, which It's builders have and are adopting. IL
is now urgently demanded that the govern
ment shall searchingly inquire into the slip
shod work which this company n f0isting
upon it. Let the proper authorities see to IL that we
get u railroad across the Continent that shall not be
the present H. for day. but IA far as possible for
all time. Let the unseemly race for government
bonds and land be put stop to- let this company be
made to 60 slow. We want the Pacific Railroad
completed ut the earliest possible day. but 1t Is better
that ten aye, twenty years. should he taken for it,
proper completion than that our great continental
highway should be built In cOwpath fashion.
Before this trip Is up SHALL II spared, reach the
Pacific. slope, from which point shall send the
HERALD as critical and truthful an account Of the
western half OF the Pacific Railroad rhc Central
Pacific o California; as have in the foregoing pages
given OF the road this side and In conclusion let
say feel entirely confident that all no come out
and this road will agree with me In every state
ment have made about It, provided, hrst.
that they have SUFFICIENT knowledge about
rallrOadng to know good road from Dad one;
second that they will walk ride on horseback
over some portions Of t nj least, and that they VIII
ride on the rear platform OF the rear car when on n
train, so that they can command good view Of the
road bed &c; third, that they do not believe as
believed Interested repOrtsthey must see ana judge
for themselves about everything: fourth they must
not let any one connected with the road know that
they are inspecting H. and above all they must Keep
OF any pass favor from those who will waylay
them TO obtain favorable reports. These are the
simple requisites that ask, and II they are COM
piled with feel certain AZ VI my existence that
all and more than all, that have here said OF the
Union Pacific Railroad will be fully borne OUT.
SOUTHERN CHURCHES DESTROYED on DAMAetD OynlNs THE