The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1869-08-20
TIE PACIFIC RAILROAD.

An exchange justly says: In all OF
the glowing tributes to the Pacific Rail
road which now unites two oceans,
bringing men at the two extremes Of the
continent within weeks span of each
other, We have seen none more beauti-
ful than the following from the pen of a
California clergyman:
at is not forbidden US to rejoice at
the splendid triumph which we have
won over nature. When the thoHght of
the two great oceans that wash
the shores of our hemisphere was taken
up for practical discussion, it was said
that we might celebrate such nuptials
perhaps at the Isthmus or we might
come little further north and arrange
a union possibly between the waters of
the Pacific and that handmade of the At
lantic, the Southern Gulf; but to stretch
the bridal hand across the central
breadth of the continent, and to publish
the vow of ocean to ocean on such broad
spaces and above such mighty ridges
Nature herself seemed to inlerposc an
eternal intcrdict. The lofty SUBMITS of
the Sierras forbade the banns the piled
and fathomless SHOWS Of their crests
frowncd protest; the wintry storms
that .roared in those high, awful soli-
tudes, shrieked defiance; the wild
chasms, changing with every season'stor-
rents, laughed in scorn the intcrminable
plains, without fountains or streams or
wells of water, murmured dreary, de-
risivc negative; the unmeasured leag-
ues of distance Rugged themselves
through all their vast loneliness, and
felt secure against such adventurous in
trusion. When the first blow was
struck, it sounded like a child's attempt
to reach and pluck the stars of heav en-.
The solid, reposeful continent confessed
no thrill at that slight shock. But
when the last blow was struck, with a
mingling of gold and SILVER chimes, tho
world hushcd all its tumults to hear
The idea has become fact-the bold
prophesy, history. Man is conqueror
of nature. Human intelligence is
mighticr than the strong elements. Sec
that audacious column of laborers, arm
cd only with spade and pick, setting
forth with their faces toward the rising
sun. on thnir n,n""l' it~"-e"s The cent;
nent, and drawing after them the per-
feet highway of travel and trade
Over the levels of the broad valley they
move with case and rapid step. AMd
now they approach the everlasting
mountains. The snow-crowned mon
archs speak down out of the clouds TO
the rugged cohort: Hitherto shalt thou
come, but no farther 1t was the boast
of a trained mountaineer only to plant
his foot on these icy SUBMITS. But the
march advances. Willy, agile persever-
ing, full of devices, indomitable in cour-
age, the invaders begin to scale the
frowning ramparts. The lesser hills are
but rounds of their climbing ladders
They wind sinuously about the should
ers Of rocky promontories /; they leap
the chasms and ravines, leaving them
bridged from bank to bank behind them.
They hide in shadowy gorges and reap
pear high up beyond, still covering their
steps with the iron trail. And now a
perpendicular wall of granite rises, with
sheer ACTIVITY of thousands of feet an
impossible barrier in their way. Below,
in the dim, misty, valley, flows broad
stream only a tawny thread from these
overhanging heights. Here, then, the
work must pause. But what do see,
far up on the face of tho dizzy steep ?
What crawling atoms, what army of in
sects cling there to the face ofthe rock ?
| hear the sound of the drill, the patient,
unceasing click, click of the pick
| see the smoke of dull explosion and
the outward surging of granite blocks.
The insect army is creeping, creeping,
onward and upwards, leaving the fresh
scar of their busy, biting feet on the
breast of the hoary precipicc, and the
giant barrier is passed and the adven-
turous column, like the youthful pilgrim
of Alps, still mounts from height to
height, carrying that banner with the
strange device'-'ExCELsIoK" And
now they meet the supreme crests that
prop the heavens, their dazzling SHOWS
unprofaned since time began by touch
of human foot. What cannot be sur
mounted may be pierced, and chamber
ed galley wide and high, paved and
- I'D arched with enduring rocks,
LOT light Though the top
the logA crest is gain
Essy IS 49, the
sNSn. The wRHs
keir neck to the
=. The twin
slc0 strong crAAsssssss.,s;., hoasfed
impfegnable' fortress of natuTe And.
over this subject mountain roa the
fery-hreathed iron horse, with dim.