The New York herald., 1869-05-12
Prominent Departures.
The Pacific RaiIrOad-The Beginning OF
New Rra-Tbe General Prospect.

New Rra-The General Prospect.
The completion of the Pacific Railroad marks
the beginning of new era in the march of
modern civilization. 1t is an event which
may be classed with the first printing press,
the first steam engine, the first steamboat, the
first locomotive, the first steamship and the
first magnetic telegraph. 1t is the application
of all these forces to commerce. 1t is the
solution of the great original idea of Columbus
of western route to the East Indies. With
the Suez ship canal it shows how in the COM
mercial exchanges between the nations of the
great northern belt of the globe we may dis
pense with Cape Horn and the Cape of Good
Hope. The outgoing trade of Eastern Asia
(some thirty-two hundred miles by rail between
San Francisco and New York; will not pass
over this costly railroad line but it is the be-
ginning of the diversion of that trade from the
Capes Of the two hemispheres directly across
the Pacific and this Continent
The immediate results and advantages of
this Pacific road will be a new impulse to our
great western current of emigration and to the
currents of emigration from Europe to the
United States. With the construction Of the
road it has been taxed to its available capa-
cities in the transportation Of miners and other
settlers, goods and machinery to the mining
States and Territories along and within five
hundred miles of the line. II is in this i'm
portant business Of the settlement and develop
ment Of those new States and Territories,
Kansas, Nebraska, Dacotah, Wyoming, Mon
tana, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, that this
road win find abundant employment, to say
nothing Of the through passenger traffic
between New York and California, which will
be immense. Branch lines or another through
line will be needed to tap Idaho,. Oregon and
Washington in the North, and so with regard
to the regions south of Kansas to Western
and Arizona, and the neighboring Mexican
States (soon to come in) of Coahuila, Chihua-
hua. Sonora, Sinaloa and Lower California,
with its great gulf, in the South. This Central
Pacific road is but the pioneer in these grand
achievements. II follows the line of Fremont's
first exploring expedition in IS45 across the
Continent-an expedition which was turned to
practical account by the Mexican war of 1916,
the peace with Mexico which gave us all those
Territories to the Pacific in 1Sis, and the
California gold discoveries of lS49.
The Mormons, driven first from Missouri in
1874, and next from Illinois in 1867, seized
upon Fremonts report of the great Salt Lake
and its valleys, O thousand miles, over timber
less plains and desolate mountains, from the
white mans frontier of that day, as safe
anchorage from the Gentiles for q hundred
years to come. Those industrious people thus
built up a halfway house in the desert
which has materially contributed to the location
and construction of this pioneer Pacific
Railway. What will become Of those people
now, with their peculiar institution of poly
gamy, is a problem which will be settled,
peaceably, we hope, by this road. It is a prob
lem, however, which in the interests OF peace,
common justice and humanity ought not Ia
escape the earnest attention of General Grant,
in view OF some saving recommendations to
Congress in December. For the present pro-
lection of himself and people Brigham Young
has succeeded In diverting this road from tn,
south end of the Great Salt Lake (where hi,
| City of Zion lies, in the midst Of garder
created in the DESERT around the north end o.
the lake, making the nearest point from the
road to the city some twenty odd miles, over q
cluster of mountains. But this diversion vii
be to the Prophet and his Saints only TEN
porary measure Of relief They must prepare
for settlement of the main question; for thu
border ruflians are close upon them.
But we have said that this road will no
serve TO draw the teas and silks Of China and
Japan across this Continent TO New York Tht
, difference In the costs Of transportation be.