Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-02-01

Union PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Letter from its President.
To ne EGi,oTs u ne EueaIsg Post Your leas-
ing editorial OF ihe 10th instant contains state
ments IN relation 10 he Union Pacific railroad
which demand reply. Whether you are cor
rect IN your opinion that 'sthis great enterprise
mas been carried on oy men who are them
selves practically unknown 20 the pu bile and
are responsible 10 noione, rs a point ~ is NO, a.
together becoming IN me 20 discuss. had sup-
posed, however, that General D. ohm A Ian the
nrst president Of the road, and Hon. John a
Cisco, its treasurer,to say nothing of many other
distinguished names. were not. prac lcally nm
known" TO the public,
, But leaving questions of simple opinios
aside as those upon which men may honestly
dlner permit me 20 consider one or two posl-
uons taken IN your editorial: YOU say: I'm.
fact appears 20 be that the fret mortgage bonds
alone more than pa the W hole Expense OF con-
structing the present poor and temporary road
way, and the government bonds aud the lands
as well as the stock, are a more gift 20 The cor
porators without any compensation" I tare
exception, fret, 10 calling the Union Pacio.
railroad "a poor and temporary roadway"
The tact that the Union Pacific railroad has
been built with great rapIdIiy, has led many
persons 10 suppose that the work could not
have been well done, although the three worn
government commissioners, including General
Buiord and General Blair, who thoroughly
examined each tWenty-mlle section as COM
pleted, have certified that in directness OF line
IN It's grades, track, equipment, and an ali re-
spects, II Is a first class road The road has
I n
dome under the direction OF practical railroad
builders OF great experience. Second-B-cause
from twenty 10 twenty Live thousand men
nave beer constantly employed upon a., work
ing with the regularity and discipline OF A
great army, ana a. the most difficult points
night and day. ThIrd-Because there nav.
been ample means IN the treas ury TO promptly
purposes.
TOmore folly satisfy the govern ment that the
road was being thoroughly built and equipped
a special commission, consisting Of Brsy-t
MAJOR General q. X. Warren, United Sta,es
army; Jacob Blickensderfer Jr. civil eng paer
OF One, and James Barnes, ciyIl enginaer Of
Massacnnsetts, was appointed on IN. 2StD Of
September, l>6s, TO make thorough re-exam na-
tion OF so much OF the Union Pacific Railroad
as nad been then constructed. The special
commlsslpnee submitted report November
I'D. upon eight hundred and ninety miles OF ths
road, which closes win the following emphatic
endorsement:
Taken as a whole, the Union Pacific Rail-
road has been well constructed. The general
route for the line Is exceed ineiy well seIe IA
crossing the Rocky Mountain range Al some OF
the most favorable passes on the continent and
possessing capabilities for easy grades and
favorable alignment unsurpassed by any other
railway line on similar eIevated ground The
energy and perseverance with which the WORK
has been urged forward, and The rapidIty
with which II has been executed are without
parallel In History. In the grandeur ana
magnitude OF the undertaking IL has never been
equalled. and no oIher line compares
fClaraeter
OF much OF the country o. trayerses giving r.S.
10 unusual Incon veniences and dIfflculties aod
imposing the necessity OF Obtaining aIroS,
every requisite Of material and labor, aud OF
supplles Tor ITS construction from the ex trem.
initial point of its commen cement Defie,en
cies exist, but they are, almost without excep-
non, those incident 20 all new roads, or o. n
character growing out of the peculiar duties
encountered or inseparabiy connected with N.
unexampled progress of the work A mater
OF the greatest importance and highly credt,a-
or ore 20 tne able managers OF the company, -
NAT they can all be supplied AT an on :lay pnL
llttie exceeding that which wonld have oby.-
ated them In the first instance. but NJ me .sos-
OF materially retardIng the progress of the
great work. Under the circumstances. n Il
much more a matter OF surprise ,hat so few
mistakes were made, and so few defects exist
than ~ would be had serious deficiencies been
OF most frequent occurrence; and the country
mas reason 10 congratulate itself that this great
wofk OF natiodal importance is so rapidly ap-
proachlng completion under such fayoraoi-
I've are, very respectfully, your ob.d n.
servants.
&c. X. WARREN, Brey. MAJ. Gen. ". :. A.
y. bLicKEssDERFER, JR-, Civn Eng'r.
Special Comrs on Union Pac1c Railroad
You state that ''the fact appears to be thai he
hIst mortgage bonds alone more than pay the
whole expense OF CONSTRUCTING" &c Now the
average amount Of first mortgage bonds N.
company can issue on l,lO0 miles of road is
about S26,5o per mile. OF this sum not less
thah s.,Jn per mile must De spent for equip
ment, and 81 500 per mile for engineering ana
other expenses, and this will leave SIC 500 per
mile 10 grade and bridge, and lay with a heavy
rail a hrst-class railroad through an unbro-
taint! Is argument necessary 70 refute your
positionf
Let ms illustrate The original cost OF the
ssO,O0O per mile, the New YORK Central sso.ooo
per mile. the Pennsylvania Central Srs,OoO Der
m,le, and the BALTIMORE and Ohie s6s.op per
mile. THIS average the cost OF these roads at
e700oO per mile; but they were built when labor
and materials throughout were at but lit,ie
more than half the prices that have ruled dpr-
ing the entire building ofthe Union Pacific.
cost Of the Union Pacinc Railroad al present.
but will say that i know that its actual cash
disbursements 70 its employees, 70 the men
who WELD the shovel and the pick, and eaild
TO Credit Mobflier or other contracting COM
pantee, Will Be much more than double the sum
yoo have named. How much more, will not
Ssea paid, never Sefore incurred n % s. . pr,rss. s
II nay b well 70 remember that The charter
Of TIE Union Pacific Railroad 10 . contract with
By the terms Of this contract the company
agree TO bald and thoroughly eQ aipa nnt eiass
railroad for . loan OF 8 specinsd amoant q
Security, and for tis ~ grant % q . csrssi. ssSSx
outfit
The company has not enly built roaA shat
the government oomDissio0eu have uro
nounced sfirst Glass;" bnt daring De isst yesr
il has expended million and half Of dollars
in improving those portions that had - pre-
IN three million dollars that an fartner 49,.
sary improvements viii be made g The rosd-
bed oecomes settaed By uoe. Oompetsnf row
eminent omcsee are exercismg the utmost care
contract on IL part Of IT, conpaav. Renes:.S
eovernmect connissions Of practical = etnerrs
ne line, and &c b for n tasseoss Of an
pau. teat u should - broaght up % the
ite great tyanlc.
Respectfully yours, OLIvRR Ansa,
Prestoent % Un1oa Rncinc Railrcaa o.
~ The Second universal,ss parish or Port
laho, Ne has exfenoed q unanimooe can to a