The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-21
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
a P-ses=sa. vtew-WIII it Paw :.

NOW that the first gush OF exultation at the
completion of the Pacific Railroad is over, thu
sagaciouS Western Journals with their practi
cal and versatile knowledge of railroads begin
to indicate what, in their opinion, the under
taking actually amounts to. Seme question
has from the first existed as to whether this
long line, through an unpopulated country
would pay in the outset, though in the end the
settlement of the intervening lands might rem
der 1t profitable, and these, as the company
has been endowed with such o large portion OF
them. 1t will beltH interest to get,settled up as
rapidly as possible. But whether the railroad
Id ut once O success or not, the sagacous cor
porators have eso4manlpulated SO the government
that their own success ls placed beyond the
reach OF CONTINGENCIES. The CiDcinnatl Gazette
the leading Republican paper of Ohio 8 .ys:
The Pac,fic Railroad was great enterprise.
worthy o. great nation. 1t hau becumo a no
htlcal necessity, and IL lad also become plank
tcr the platforms of both parties. The inf leuce
OF easy communications is neo. ssarv to- hnn-
pement the bud ng iLhleuce OF rOlit!cal
uulon. 1t was .nec.s.ary that tho road should
bo built and it is subject for great regret
that the Rovel nment diu hot take the cons rue
zion INTO lts own hands. Its employ meat OF
al in ermediate ageucy was very unfortunate g.
for 1t has Il suited In the expenditure OF euouvh
20 oulld and equip. q, road IN the b. st n,anncr.
WITHOUT giving III re.nru O reliable road.
After referring to the munifcence OF ihe
government 10 the road, the Gas,tte says:
Thus the very bountcousness of the subsidy
worked against the gCou construction or tie
road. The government gave land enough for n
:Hreat empne--teD sectl Jus per mile; u subsidy
In bonds OF SIG coo per mile, and treble this
amount Tor lou miles, WHICH alone would go D
great Way toward build ng the road. Bssides
this, 1t authorised the COMPANIES 10 mortgage
the rOaS to the amount of SIG 600 per ME
and treble this amount for ago miles OF the
meunfaln region, the government taking q
subsidy In bonds. All this richDess give the
companies chance to build the road and
POCKET an immense profit. and then abandon it.
This. chance they increased by corruotinU
the government officers who hei superv,s1un
OF the work, by which they lrucured its ac-
ceptance ny successive sections III a very in.
complete state, aud by VIII GA they perpetra ed
great frauds IN engineering both by increas..
ing grades 10 save cost. aud by Increasing tue
length OF tho load to procure subsidies all
this fraud ls bel eyed to lave been greatly fI-
ON cd oy making number of members OF
Congress Interested In tho prufts OF tne,e ,n,r-
nous SnbSluits.
What the manner Of construc' ion is our
readers have been adv.seI bv the information
published Ill this paper OF various times. |
Inese compane5 cln now aban lun tue road |
and carry off an enorm JUS profit. rhls wonld |
leave the United g ates 10 recourse for i,s |
9 m than 10 AXE l.. road aud assume the |
0Tsc mortgage bonds. lLls q II sllOn vet to |
be Determined whethrr the road eau be made |
10 pay the cost Of runuinp anu OF the rrent |
Iepalrs. Ine probability is that it will come |
upon Tho Unitoa-S. afAn Enu.4nD -
l.-. o-rr,eri.,'ont.
That the road will ever do any extensive
in through freight is notion which
.an only be enterU med by forgetting The con-
htlons OF cost on roads where the running is
much cheaper. 1t may carry the bullion Of
California, but tnis will not be very large
item in the business OF q railroad. Pdssen-
GERS will be the prlncpa through freight that
,an afford to pay the cost. some teas from
China may be imported that way from curios-
ty. Possibly the silks OF China might stand
his costly transportation; but If they all come
BY that route, the business would hardy be
3fA
The only through business Of the road, Of |
my great Importance. will bs the carrying OF
passengers, And while the country on 80
arge part of the line continues wilderness, |
and, therefore. furnishes little local business
10 the road. we expect that it will have to be |
run at the expense Of the national government. !
However, as our Cincinnati contemporary |
says, the work is grand in sill its features;
nothing has been done on q small scale; 1t Is |
grand in it's magnitude, and grand in its gi-
gantio frauds. Our feelings at the laying Of
it's last rail should be grand accordingly.