New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-13
4 STEP TO THE PACIFIC.


comment. Having built their road from Kan
sas City to Sheridan, and found it profitable
and promising investment, the managers no"
propose to continue it to Denver, ana thus
omen nm the trade of the Rocky Mountains
That much, il is hoped, will be completed by
,June next; and its agents, Messrs. Dabney,
Morgan e. Co. and NJ. X. JeSup g. Co., bank
ers and merchants of high reputation, now ten
der, through our columns, a loan OF S6,5OO'OOO
for this purpose.
These gentlemen state with clearness
the reasons which have induced them to
give this loan their Endorsement. The Kan
sas Pacific Railway now runs through the
center of Kansas, and is in successful and
profitable operation for over four hundred
miles. We remember the country through
which it passes as wide, open
plain, apparently as boundless and rolling as
the sea, known only to few tribes OF wild,
rowing Indians, and occasionally to venture
some squad of Safeguards and herdsmen,
who ministered primitive hospitality every
fifteen or twenty miles Topeka, Salina, and
| Manhattan were little more than the geogra-
phical designations of towns that hoped to be.
! HAYS, Ellsworth, Sheridan, and the twenty
| stopping places now upon its timetable, did
not exist, even in the Imagination Of the plO-
neers. Denver was a mere cluster Of mining
cabins and Indian huts The Cheycnnes and
| Arrapahoes held solemn council or high rev
elry in its ways. There was no law but a
| great deal Of rude, summary justice, which
| grieved sober believers in hGbedS corpus and
trial by jury. Now, Denver is as neat, we'll
| built, and comfortable rs Hartford, with
| schools and churches, rows OF brick
stores, hotels, and tasteful dwellings,
which recall the luxury and comfort of the
East. Nature has trimmed and fringed it with
the noble Rocky Mountains whose hills glisten
! in snow, while their sides are clothed with
deep and rich midsummer Creenery.
| 1t is now proposed to unite this city with
| the East by an extension of the Kansas Pacific
Railway To do this, it will be necessary to
| build 22O miles of road. The managers are
wise not to defer IT, in the vain hope of being
| able to induce Congress TO vote them large
| subsidies The Government las built one road
| 10 the Pacific Mt n great expense. Private citi-
zcns are quite ready and willing to build an
| other. especially when those who ask their aid
can show as good balance-sheet rs the Kan
rontc from New-York to the Rocky Mountains
! and San Francisco 1t Is the metropolis OF the
mighty valley of the Mississippi; and the eX-
! tension OF this road is new and important
step in the great highway between 81. LOUIS
and san Francisco. The Union Pacific (Omaha)
! Road has rs much business as it can manage;
aud we have grave doubts whether it viii he
able to keep open through route amid the
midviutcr snow and ice of the Sierra Ncyadas.
A through road must finally traverse the warm
countries of Ncw-McXico and Arizona, along
the thrty-ffth parallel or below it. Gen.
| Palmer has surveyed a route where snow rarely
| falls-cvcry mile of which opens rich mining
deposits. 1t embraces the oldest towns OH
the continent. The country demands such n
road, and this extension is a step toward COM
plotting IL.
Il is interesting 10 note the progress OF
railway which draws its business from a coun-
try ten years ago conceded 60 the buffalo and
the aboligincs In April the Kansas road
earned in gross income $2l7,94 -, of which
S0329l 81 were balanced by expenses, leaving
a net profit OF $124,G29 So. In May the earnings
were S222, 1853 80; the expenses Sl07957 n.
| leaving \ profit of S114,l75 60. Two months
aggregate $22s,70S 81. There are few roads
in our older and ripper States that would not
he content with as good result But the
truth is these new countries have much
growth in them. We have but to touch our
Western prairies and hills with the iron wand
and cities spring up; towns cluster along the
streams and highways and broad plains bios
som with wheat, corn, and barley; school
houses and churches take the place of the
block-hOusc and the fort, and the great rivers
are disturbed by steam and water wheel. So
our civilization has marched over the
prairies, is advancing over the plains,
and IN q few months we shall have the vast
treasures of Colorado and the gold countries
under contribution. The President, in his
last inaugural pointed to those hills
IA the strong box" whose treasures
would pay the National Debt This
railroad is the key TO open it. We, therefore,
look with pleasure upon tins effort of private
citizens to carry another road to the Pacific
We must have at least three railways across
the continent. We must enable the Northern
and Southern and Middle States respectively
to reach the furthest West by the most CON
venient way. We look upon the State of
Kansas with an interest not far removed from
affection. This child of tears. and blood, and
agony, now marches to the dignity and gran
deul Of an empire, and well deserves the proud,
fond name Of "thc Massachusetts, of the West"
To this road she owes much of her prosperity
and, now that its owners propose to carry it to
Denver and wed the Rocky Mountains to the
Mississippi Valley, we hail them as men doing
great national service, and earnestly hope they
will receive from our people prompt and ear
nest support. The loan they offer is certainly
n good one 1t yields high interest in gold,
has many years 10 run, is secured by large
- ln,. Il