The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-05-12
COLUMBIA, s. C.
Wednesday Morning, Nay 12, 1859.
From the atlantic TO tho Pac,fic.

line Telegraph announces, yesterday, that
the Central and Union Pacific Railroads COM
pleted in one continuous iron highway the
union by railroad Of the Atlantic and Paci-
6c Oceans. The event was to have taken
place on Saturday. but was delayed, by
reason OF heavy rain storms having inter
fered with the work near Echo City and
Ogden. Yet the people of San Francisco
and Sacramento, having made their arrange
ments for a celebration, were determined
not to be disappointed, and therefore car
ried them out on Saturday with great jubi-
lation. Within period of three years and
fraction, the Union Pacific Railroad Com
pany have made their line, in such condi-
tion as it is, crossing prairies. scaling in
some way the Rocky Mountains, and doing
some tunneling of cliffs, &C., until they
have met the Central Pacific at their
coming, nearly 1,100 miles West OF their
initial point at Omaha It is stated that
some $500, 900 cross-ties and timber in un-
numbered millions OF feet have been con-
sumed in the construction of the road, its
culverts and bridges. Much of this material
was found at Chicago, and its transportation,
therefore, was comparatively inexpensive
after railroad communication with that city
was established. The union of the Allan
tic and Pacific by railway is grand and le-
gitimate enterprise, inevitable of consum-
nation in this day and generation of our
country, even though immense Government
gratuities had not been showered upon its
,srhk DoJ
Sun intimates, have been ''strung through"
at SO early period by unassisted private
enterprise, yet it would have inevitably
grown out Of the necessities of business in
accommodation, and probably, like all
things that grow naturally, and are not
forced by artificial means. have been, what
it ought to be, solid and lasting, and the
people would not feel aggrieved that debt
had been accumulated upon them for it.
However, it is matter, at all events, for tenn
porary exultation, that road, after GER
tain sort, is completed between New York
and San Francisco. The report, however,
of Government Director Snow on the
Union Pacific Railroad, seems to be calcu-
lated somewhat to dsmpen the exultation
which might otherwise be felt at the early
completion of the work An editorial COM
munication in the Denver Ne,ps, of the
29th, gives picture of that portion OF the
road most strongly assailed by Mr.. Snow,
which seems to confirm what he has said.
The writer says:
con the question now being so much dis
cussed, as to how the Union Pacific Railroad
has been constructed, and the condition of
the track, let me now give little testimony
have had considerable experience on and
about railroads. From Cheyenne to Green
River, and I do not know but may say to
Bryan, the road is q good one, and believe
equal to any me,o road ever constructed
From Bryan to Wasatch the road is not so
good, being very rough and uneven. From
Wasatch to Corinne worse piece of work
cannot be imagined. The grade having
been made in winter of frozen ground,
which is now beginning to thaw, is one pile
of mud, fit for anything but what it is being
used for. The ties rise and sink as o train
passes over them; the track is full of curves
and even at the rate the trains go-four or
i've miles an hour-is dangerous and unsafe
The numerous wrecks along the road give
abundant evidence that my assertion is true.
The temporary bridges now in use are no.
thing more nor less than man traps, and it
viii be miracle if some of them do not 20
down before the permanent ones are finish
ed. All the permanent bridges, let me add,
are most complete and substantial struc-
lures. To place the road West of the Wa
satch in condition fit to be operated with
safety will require most OF the summer.
The track will have to be ballasted, its sharp
curves Strengthened out, some of the iron
relaid-in fact, almost rebuilt in places"
There can he no doubt that, while the
road is nominally finished, great deal more
expense will have to be incurred before it is
really in a stable, safe and official working
condition, or is, according to the law grant
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