The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-05-17

Thomas II. Benton. 1t contemplated a
railway only "whcre practicable, . leaving
gaps in the impassable mountains to be
filled up by wagon road, As vet, even
The Alleganies were not crossed by any
unhroken railway, but by series Of in
clinod planes, upon which the cars were
drawn ny and let down By stationary en-.
giues. In 1894 By direction of Con.
press. nine,rou,es WE'RE surveyed to the
Pacific. ON various parallels. between the
British possessions and Mexico. In
1853. Conrress authorized the construc.
zion oftbrce rood,-o northern n ,ou,hcrn
and cen.ral-and then Indicated our
natural and inevitable trans.coutiuental
system. They were tie receive no money
endowment, but very liberal land grants
But before any active stems we're taken TO
huild them, all such ep,erpriscs were OK.
.ineuished for the time by the late civil
var. Tho Central Pacific Railroad Com.
pany was, however, chartered BY tie Cal.
ifornia Legislature in the mids, of the
war, and ms n continental railway began
to be considered n military necessity in
july, 1862, one was chartered by Con.
srcss from the Alissi.sippi to The Pacific
One Of tho crco,cst dif;cul,ics 10 he m.
preheuded ON ,l,e Pacific road is snow,
which mon the Storms somct;mes falls 10
tho depth of thirty feet and which caused
last wear n considerable detention oftrnius,
although q miles Of wb,, are called snow
sheds urc erected to protect the Track
/ An carly result however Of this line
!. cxnccted 10 he the securing n Southern
line which will be required bv Ike pcccs.
sites of trade. and secure from the viutry
Instructions TO the present route
II Inns been remarked that onnortuncly
with the notes Of nrc oor,t;on for The Grand
oncninp Of tho railway Yesterday comc
news Of the .nropress made bv the East
India Telepronh Comnonv in coupling
Canton with Cnlcp,t, I,ondon md New
York By the end Of the wear, when the
lime i, expected to be COMPLETED, San
Francisco will send her news for China
east and her Sims wcst will transmit or.
ders for tens and silks three. fourtbs Of the
woy around lhe globe in moment. and
will receive the shipments from an oppo.
site d;rec,on in n l;,,lc over n fortn;cb,
The distances across the contipep, are
given as follows: New York 10 Omaha.
4 point of commencement of tho Union
Pacific railroad.) 1479 miles: Omaba
to Ogden. (poin. Of commencement of the
Central Pacific road 1000 niles with
the addition Of a branch 10 Sal, Lake CITY.
40 miles; Ogden to Sacramento. 74s
miles; Sacramento to San francisco, 100
miles-mak;nr the whole distance flou
New York to San Francisco 3,S77 miles.
From the advanced sheets Of new
edition Of Richardson's beyond the Mis-
,sissippi" VIC learn that "of the eighteen
hundred miles between On ala and Sacra.
men TO mot one third is really mountainous
but more than two.thirds we're so counted,
and received the higher government Gu
dowment, 49,. 900 or S4S, 600 pcr mile.
Much Of the Central Pacific ,raycrscs II
flat country, yet not one nile received less
Than e32 OOO. TLc Union p,c;i;. ,l.
tanned the highest mileage, SIS 900, for
one hundred and fifty miles west Of CLey-
cnnc, heavy mountain work, though the
region is really one long, inclined plane
--.as fine country to build railway
through us lies on tie face Of the globe.
Building aud cquipping the entire line
probably cost, on un average, $50, 600
per mile. Tie government bonds issued
ayernced $50 900 ner ,nilc, and ,l,o .oo,.