New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-01

To me President
WASHINGTON, March 5.-llaying, on the 9th
day OF January, 1862 been appointed Government
director OF the Union Pacific Railroad deemed it neoes
sary and was requested by the President at the earliest
practicable day. TO make myself acquainted with the
dton and management Of the line of that road. there
fore proceeded to Omaha and instituted careful per
sona examination, which prosecuted not only to the
end Of the line far are running but several
miles beyond now have the honor to submit partial
and preliminary report to the location construction
and condition Of the road I found It, Under
the act creating this Company, they are required
before they receive any Of the subsidies granted
to complete many consecutive miles OF ROAD sup
ped with all necessary drains culyerts vaduots cross
!ngs sidngs bridges turnouts, watering places depot
equipments furniture, and all other appurtenances OF
rseass railroad" This provision Of the statute not
being deemed sufficiently definite TO secure uniform
standard TO which the Union Pacific Railroad Company
and branches and the Central Pacific Railroad Company
should conform in the construction Of their respective
roads the Secretary of the Interior directed, the
OF February 1906 that board consisting Of three Gov
ernment directors, commissioners, and engineers,
should convene IN Washington and fix such standard
on the 2lth February 1866, this board through its
Chairman, Lieut-Col j. II. Simpson OF the
United States Engineers. submitted report which the
Secretary Of the Interior on the Same day approved
directing that said report be used by the directors and
commissioners guide for their action in directing or
accepting the work" The members OF this board were
evidently land perhaps properly animated by feehhg
Of berality toward the Union Pacific Railroad Company
and state that the Importance and public desires TOT
accelerated movement have been fully appreciated ana
the board earnestly desires favor and foster the on
ergy and fidelity which seems to animate those en-
gagged in the construction" This feeling so Tar ooroheu
their action that they provide that temporary ueses
may be adopted upon assurances TO the satisfaction
q, the commissioners that stone Abutments will
IA substituted Immediately after the line shall
be opeDed so that stone can be transported thereon
Considering the munfcent manner in which this road
had boon endowded by the Government It may be ques
tonae how far, IL at all, the company should be ex-
cused from the performance Of their agreement TO con-
struet such road as was contemplated by the act 1t
ia still more questionable whether any departure from
their contract should be excused on the assurances
% 1 n hcb nav he CHANGED in day But the drec
the Secretary OF the Interior ~ the are
binding ON me as a director and am not disposed 70
Criticse them. Two important reports have recently
been aIe 5 nv - tho Hon Jesse H. Williams Of
Indiana the Secretary Of the Interior dated August
5 1865 and one by Special Commissioners Barnes Bates,
and Blinkensderfer to the President, OF still later
date appears by both Of these reports not only that
the company have not CONSTRUCTED +" frsclass rail
road but that they have in many things utterly dsre
carded the specifications prescribed by the board here
the Complaints made by Mr.. Williams to the character
the work done and being done on the road HIS Cd
servatiOns made IN company with the ffeSaent %
the road and kindly spirit peryades his report
From this had been led TO nope that me- ValuaDIls
suggestions OF improvements IN construction w9 VSn
have been regarded and acted upon but FOUND mat
this hQQ been done only 70 a very lnlteu eNleuJ Ouo
Creek the western slopes OF the Black HIS running
grade line was crossed by pnetmber trestle-bridge
OF 4Oee spans, and complained that IL exposed to
been lay floor upon the bridge; and paint with fire
PROOF paint MT Mnlans sKi I .S WIFI eitbe b ali
ing gorge with earth and rock or by an IRON brdge
resting on Stone piers" strikes that waiting for the
bridge to decay would be rather hazardous Its decay
might and perhaps will be discovered by IT'S giving way
under train but 1t IL fixed now that the unsuspect
ing passengers will not their danger nor know that
the yawning chasm granite bottomed into wheh they
glst Of the report Of the three special commits,
siOners each and all OF whom were emnenty qaaHhea
Judge Of the work contained IN that part OF when
contains estimate Of what will cost to make the hst
contemplated by the act Of Congress The amount nee
esary do this they estimate OF gar million I0n hHnd
red aud eightynins thousand fire hundred and my dol
lars! And this it must DO remembered is for completing
portion OF the ROAD which has been accepted as com
LOCATIOH-GRADEs-CURvRs
Tho location Of a railroad lire is perhaps the most
sharp curyaures, as also any departure from Straight
line should be avoided as nneh as tne t1PograIHy VI
the case Of the Union Pacific Railroads. road intended
FOR national horoughfae, aud to which The nation has
The country through which TINS road passes FURNISHES
grades and curves; and while the line is gene
rally well located there yet many instances where
a straight line has been departed from without cause
and where the grades heavier and the curves sharper
than necessity requires Betweea Omaha and cheyenne
there number Of sharp curves where the diicul
ties to be in avoiding them would have been
overcome by any nrstelass railroad IN the country
They save labor however, and lengthen the line. Be
tween Hazard station and Granite Canon the location OF
the line for about ten mill was changea aef Is sala
avoid grade Of one hundred feet to the mile As the
line is located there IS maximum grade OF ~ IeeI
curYe-thus rendering the hauling Of trains as deult
aud the wear Of machinery greater i6a9 e S
nave avoided leaving tho line as ~ was at an IN
considerable increase in the cost OF wGn
would have shortened the line and reduced the cost 70
the Government. From Rawlings Springs TO Mahsatcn
the location of the road generally good But theTe are
q number OF curves-many OF them quite shaIp-ah1 TO-
verse curves which are clearly unnecessary, one ono
an eight degree curve reversed ON SIX uegee
curve with no straight line intervening, on an
embankment 20 feet high and near tho same place re-
yersed curve OF 60 on i6feet embankment. These
curves are necessary and should not be fOund on any
frstclass railroad Aud when VIC consider tat they arg
built Of straight rails upon OF IIoIe ahil
eods without any ballast the danger OF passing over
them seems absolutely startling. II the parties VINO
managed the construction OF tue ROAD had had te eaue
interest which the Government and the people have In
direct and short line the continent surely many
Of these curves would have been avoided FROM
Wahsatch 10 Echo the location OF tho ROAD IS
radically wrong For i5 miles IL runs along the bottom
q the Echo canon; aud tue grace is SO low tn s
according TO the statements Of Brigham Young and Oth
well acquainted with the country the track VII DO
under three four months m the year ms -
the cannon across the mouth OF Which, during the Nor
mon war; Brigham Young built dap, rendering u I'M
pasSable This location might DO made safe by mp
Iappng ana extra suices but this would neeesstate
large annual expenditure TO Keep II up ana Nouu 10
cheaper TO abandon this track than to undertake 70
adhere TO H. nc would have less TO construct the
road on good location than II has cost WheLe ~ is
location is as good and the alignment and grades 20 easy
as the character OF the country wall admit
ROAD BED--NO CULyEETs. -
considerable portion OF the country through which
e road passes furnishes natural road bed bur ID many
Instances the grade is TOO low and should be raised The
embnkmcHts and excavations generally 100 narrow
where the cuttings light the embankments are often
s IN EGth than she length Of tho ties ana "thout tn9
proper slopes. The narrow cuttings will be fruitful
source OF land slides where through rock the ttaoA
liable 70 be obstruced by atng rS o iI ta