Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-10-08

Kerosene lisht-Its Dance Halls and
Gambling Heuscs-Novei Suicide Pre-
yenter-Particuiarly thin Partitions.
Editorial Correspondence OF the Star1
CHETKsNE, WYOMING TERRITORY
September %, 1868. {
We have now travelled 5l7 miles over the
Union Pacific Railroad and reached the base
OF the Rocky Mountains. But first what Is
the "Union Pacific Railroad % for amid the
number Of names corresponding 10 this the
reader may not quite see his way clear.
Which is the ~. p. R..
Names are contracted to the lowest terms in
the West, and the Union Pacific Railroad is
termed the 'U. p. Road" every where here Just
as the Chicago. Burlington and q uincy Rail-
road is contracted to the "C. B. and O Read y
So the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Divi-
sion, is the ~. p. X. L. d. bu, Is more sea-
orally styled the "Kansas Road" There are
some halt dozen railroads having the word
"Paclfic" in some way connected with their r
titles and 10 make il a little clearer which is
the real "U. p. R." on which we are travelling,
and which is TO connect the Atlantic Coast
with the Pacific by July next at the outside. a
fe" words of explanation may not be amiss.
In the summer of 1861 the project of a grand
trans continental railroad first took definite
shape, though it had been discussed and warm.
Asa Whitney twho now L believe has a
dairy farm on 7th.street road, near Wash.
ington,) was very jealous advocate
Of the project in behalf Of some New York CAP
italists who were willing to risk something
Government doing the same) in behalf OF the
enterprise. Years before Thomas Hart Benton
had pointed it out as the true path to the In
dies, but even he was hardly sanguins ensug
TO dream that the IRON horse could be run over
the higher ranges the Rocky Mountains, but
supposed that there would necessarily be
gap or break in the line, over which it would
De necessary to make wagon connection. In
1861 The growing importance Of our Pacific
possessions, and the necessity for making them
more Accessible, gave new impulse to the rail-
road project. Congress was now beset by
three different interests in behalf of the pro.
ject OF railroad to the Pacific. There was a
party from the Pacific coast asking aid to build
the road from that side of the continent Chi
cago, and the interests through to the seaboard
parallel with that city, wanted q road TO the
Pacific that should be in line with her rail-
road system. 81. Louis, and the interests back
OF her, demanded road that should be a con-
unuation OF her railroad system. st. Louis had
already initiated her line of Pacific railroad by
constructing an airline road, the Missouri
Pacific Railway" TO Kansas City. Chicago
had indicated her line i'll the direction of Coun-
cil Bluffs. In 1862, Congress compromised the
wrangling interests Of ST. Louis and
Chicago. or rather gave them both
the go-by, by ignoring any particular
Eastern terminus, and by the location of the
initial point of a new trunk road upon the
-hundredth meridian at some equI.distant
point to be designated by the President. A
subsidy was granted 10 an equal amount to the
road from the Pacific side, and to both the
Eastern lines, the last two being required to
complete hundred miles, each, within two
years after they had respectively filed their as
sent 10 the terms of the act, while the road
from the Pacific slope was to be built al the
rate Of twenty five miles a year up the sides of
the Sierra Nevada. The latter road took the
name Of the Central Pacific Railroad;' the
Kansas Isl. LouIs) road that of the .UnIon
Pacific Railiroy, Eastern Division" and the
Nebraska (Chicago) line, the "Union Pacific
Railrodd." In 1864 all these companies pre-
cured yet more favorable legislation from Con-
eress in the way of grants and subsidies, and
the Kansas Company obtained the privilege OF
making their own road the grand trunk route,
connecting with the Central Pacific, in case
they should reach the Tooth meridian in ad-
vance Of the Nebraska line Now commenced
the race for the 100th meridian. The Kansas
Company, in consequence of its legal entan.
clements, through the well-remembered Free
mont -Hallet quarrel, was soon distanced by
its more energetic competitor, the Northern
line, which had made it's eastern termi-
nus at Omaha. Abandoning the attempt to
compete with the Northern line for the 10th
meridian, and the possession Of the Grand
Trunk connection with the Central Pacific, the
Kansas company procured from Congress, in
1s66, the priynege OF an extension of their line
Denver w m AZ hat
point with the Union Pacific But the Kansas
company now propose not merely connection
with the Northern road at Denver but have a
grand project Of an independent road to the
Pacific by the way Of New Mexico, Arizona,
and Southern California. to San Francisco.
The company have not yet succeeded in getting
Government aid for this Southern line 10 the
Pacific, though bill TO that effect passed one
house OF Congress at the last session.
This Union Pacific railroad ON which we are
now travelling, is, therefore, in connection with
the Central Pacific road, now being built east
ward lrom Sacramento, the only through line
now in progress of construction to connect the
Atlantic and Pacific States.
Omaha to Cheyenne.
We left Omaha at i:20 p. m. OF the 18th, ar
irving at Cheyenne at Ais p. m. yesterday.
The first twenty miles from Omaha was over a
rolling prairie, and through the rich Pappilon
butterfly Valley. Then we struck the broad
shallow Platte and followed up its wide valley,
passing through extensive fields Of corn, the
appearance Of the crop and the color of the soil
bearing testimony to the admirable quality Of
the soil. We took supper at Fremont, 46 miles
west Of Omaha, growing place OF 1900 inhab-
tants. The meal consisted of such substantials
as cold pork, bee.eUrax, river mullet, red
jacks, mince pie, aP'.e pie, pumkin pie, hot
biscuit, &c an astonishing quantity Of which
the hungry crowd managed TO dispose Of in the
Twenty minutes for refreshments" Price 81.
Thence, through fertile country Of rich
black loan, to North Platte, 1913 miles west Of
Omaha and situated in the angle at the junction
of the North and South Platte Rivers. Here
we breakfasted. North Platte has population
OF about 1850, with a hotel, stores, round
houses for engines and machine shops, and
seems likely to haYe permanent growth.
The Great American Desert.
For $50 miles from Omaha the soil has been
fertile, but we now enter upon the ..Gr reat
American Desert" The title, however, seems
to be a misnomer, for the plain is everywhere
covered with grass, which. whsre the soil is
poorest, is said 10 be sufficient for the support
OF cattle. This year, in consequence OF nm
usual rains, the vegetation is probably more
ample than ordinary, but we can sea no reason
why The name desert should be applied TO the
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