The Portland daily press., 1869-05-06


THE PACIFIC RAILROAD has found defend
er in the New York Times. Before this road
began to be built quarter Of mile day was
regarded as good progress in railroad construc-
tion. At that rate it would have taken eleven
years to build the Pacific road. But it has
been built in little more than four. OF its
whole length-about 1900 miles-16S0 miles
have been constructed since the 1st day of
January, 1866 About 300 miles were complet-
ed in each of the years 1866 and 1867. From
the LIST day Of January, 1868, to the 1st day OF
May, 1869, period of 317 working days, l,l50
miles were opened, being at the rate OF three
and sixteenths miles per day. The Times says
that the completion of the road six or seven
wars before it could be anticipated, is to be
credited to the company as an offset for many
short comings the gain to the country arising
from this expedition being immense Besides,
the Times holds to the singular opinion that
the road is in better condition than most roads
are when they come from the hands of the
contractor. c. d. Bushnell, one of the direct
ors of the Union road has published card
giving his version of the late report of Mr.
Snow, one of the government directors, to
which we have referred. Mr.. Bushnell says:
Mr.. Snow was appointed Government Direct
ora few weeks before the end ofPresident john
sons term of Office, as we were informed, to
reward him for some service rendered 10 de-
ieat Mr.. Johnson's impeachment. Whlie ne
was on the line of our road, he telegrapued US
through friend that unless we wouid give
him a coal contract out OF which ne could
make a fortune he would give us hell in
his report We replied in effect that we would
expend millions of dollars to complete our
road perfectly and maintain our rights, but
not one dollar more for black mail. This
conclusion Mr. Snow, FISK, Judge Barnard,
and the public generally, may as well fully un-
derstand. Adhering to this conclusion has
cost us the expensive litigation of the last two
months, and the necessity of removing our
general Office to Boston; but we have main
tanned our self-respect shall join our rails with
the Central next Saturday at Promontory
Summit, and have means out of reach of the
New York Courts to perfect the entire road
and pay the July coupons in gold.
THE CUBAN INSURGENTS TRIUMPHANT.-Ths
New York Herald publishes the following in
teresting dispatch from Washington:
Mr. Domingo Ruiz, the Cuban Envoy to the
United States, returned to this city tonight,
after a few weeks absence, which was spent in
visiting different parts of the country in the
interest of his cause. Mr.. Ruiz declares that
so far from the Cubans being in a weakly con-
dition, they really stronger now than at
any time since the commencement OF their
revolution. Dispatches have been received by
Mr.. Ruiz from Cespedes which represent the
state of affairs as being in the highest degree
cheering. Thousands Of arms and two thou
sand men, among whom were two hundred
American artillerists, have recently reached
Cuba in safety, and fresh supplies are leaving
Mexico and the United States almost every
week. Mr.. Ruiz states that the Spaniards are
very much mistaken in supposing that the Gu
bans will permit them to remain idle during
the warm season. Cespedes intends to force
the Spanish troops to fight during the sickly
season, and will permit them to take no rest
until they consent to leave the country or are
taken prisoners In this kind of warfare the
Cubans will have an immense advantage, be-
ing proof against the heat and the fever while
the Spaniards must naturally fall victims to
both. In about a month Mr.. Ruiz expects to.
receive intelligence from the Cuban agent sent
to Peru announcing the successful negotiation
of the purchase of the two Peruvian IRON
cads. Mr.. Ambrosio Vallente, who has un-
dertaken this business, has been given full
powers, and no doubt is entertained about his
complete success The conditions will be that
90 money need be paid for the monitors until
after the achievement of Cuban independence.
The monitors are quietly awaiting at ST. Thom-
as the conclusion of the purchase, and it is
said they are ready to start on their mission of
destruction at twenty-four hours notice. Be
sides these two monitors the Cuban Envoy
here hopes soon to be able to despatch three of
the fastest vessels in our navy to Cuba. These
three vessels, which include the Hornet, now
lying at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, will be
purchased by Cuban gentlemen as private par
ties and then transferred to the Cuban govern
ment. In this way the international difficult
ties will be got over. This arrangement meets
with the appreciation OF our Government The
Secretary of the Navy has informed Cuban
gentlemen who consulted him on the subject
that our Government is ready to sell vessels to
anybody willing to purchase, nasmuch as
ing the sale of several vessels of war obliga-
tory At the same time it is given out that
our Government will endeavor to prevent the
transfer of any such vessels to the Spanish
Government.