The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-26
CHI A r l. ES TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 2e, 1869.
& HS&a 90 enc Eao;sss

ersed by the Memphis, Ell Paso and Pacific
Railroad, and Of the resources and chsrao-
ter- of the country through which it will
pass. This is the road in favor Of which
resolutions have been adopted by the
Legislature of the State.
We do not know what may be the personal
interests of the e5members Of Congress- from
South Carolina, and whether the Northern
or the Southern route, or either, will have
their support; but we are sure that no
measure can be found whose adoption by
Congress will be more advantageous to the
whole South and to this State than the rail-
road Of which we speak Apart from the
intrinsic merits of the project, which alone
should secure its success, it must be re-
membered that the South has right to de-
mand some consideration at the hands Of
Congress This consideration we may
claim, not as O matter Of love or favor, but
because Southern cotton is the main prop
of the whole financial system of the United.
States; because the cotton bale alone stands
between the United States and something
very like bankruptcy. We may not be in
position to obtain at this moment all that
we require, and content ourselves now with
urging Congress to pass the bill for the
construction Of Che Memphis Ell Paso and
Pacific Railroad-which strikes the Pacific
coast at about the same latitude as Charles
ton or Savannah on the Atlantic.
The Tribune says: -.r Wa4
IA Pacific railway that asks no money from
Congress, that encounters no great mountains
in it's route, and is liable to no Interruptions
from SHOWS, is thing so different from our
previous experiences in that line as to de-
serve the most respectful consideration. That
any practical Pacific railway deserves what.
ever encouragement we can afford is generally
believed. That the success Of this one would
| be Of special value in opening up vast tracts of
| fertile land, not less than in knitting together
remote regions Of the republic, seems to us
plain. And when it comes before Congress,
asking little beyond the continuation Of it's old
privileges and the right Of way, the advantages
to be gained so far outweigh what is asked in
| return, as to prompt at least very careful at
| tention.
'The proposed road is no new thing. 1t was
! Incorporated by the State of T Axss prior IN
1861, and endowed with eight and e-third
| million acres of land. A hundred and fifty
miles Of it were under contract before the war:
! sixty-fve miles were ready for the rails; for
fifty miles the iron had been purchased; a mil
lion and half in all had been expended, when
the war stopped everything at the South but
raising food and fighting. Now it ia proposed
to save that million and a half resume opera
rations as soon as Congress win assure the
Tiryhf Cfv WAY nd = ~
comparatively short route lies along the south.
ern border Of the western half Of our terrific
ry-stret etching from the northeast corner Of
Texas, through the whole breadth Of that en-
pire in itself, resting midway between it's OPP
posite termini at Ell Paso, nearsthe northwest
ern corner OF Texas, on the Rio Grande del
Norte, and thence finding it's easy passage ,
through Southern Arizona and California to
the bay Of San Diego. It thus strikes the
Pacific coast at about the same latitude "a
Charleston or Savannah on tha Atlantic. and
| connects it with the Red River and the Miasis-
sippi by route that opens the richest OF our
| cotton growing regions. and that never leaves
| q climate where flowers can be- found GROWING
in every month in the year. = i.saa ya4e,.
sAlittle over one-half Of the entire length Of
the road lies wi Nin the state Of Texas. At
Jefferson, the head Of navigation on the Red
River, it connects through Shreveport and
vicksburg, and through Little Rock and Mem
phis. with our whole railroad system. From
Jefferson to El Paso, on thewest side or Texas.
the length ofits route is eight hundred miies;
from El Paso through Arizona to the Pacific IL
only six hundred and fifty more. The first half
Of this route is through country OF surprising
fertility. Those rich plains Of Northern Texas
are capable OF putting 60, ,000. 900 bushels of
wheat into market month ahead OF the
supply from any other State 10 the Union. or
OF producing four times the amount Of cotton
hitherto furnished by the whole cotton grow
ling region OF the United States. Immense
beds Of coal, iron and copper are found along
this part Of the line, and lead and silver of
great richness are coming to light in the west
ern counties. El Paso, whfchis to be the mid
way station on the line, is the objective point for
the Mexican railroads already chartered, and
is destined to be an important interior citv.
From Ell Paso, through strip OF New Mexico
and Arizona to Fort Yuma, at the mouth OF the
Glia, the road keeps for the whole distance
within the ordinary working grade Of eighty
feet, and within only a hundred feet when it
passes the summit elevations, for short dis
tance, between Fort Yuma and San Diego. Of
this part Of the line the Commissioners Of the
General Land Office, in his report for 1868.
says that throughout this whole extent of
country the remains Of former cultivation
''and evidences OF civilization are to be found.
oruins of encient cides.andi catkedrals existine
Gin many places, while traces OF former irri0a.
sting canals c;ur in every direction, extend
tiEs even into the aenssst part VI tic forest. /.