, 1869-11-05
TIE PACIFIC RAILROADS.

TIE PACIFIC RAILROADS. '
Report OF sno Special Comnaisston.
The Special Commission OF the Pac,nc Railroads
hasspemTsad @ report to the Secretary Of tha In.
WAsHlharor, .. G.; Oct 20. 1860.
Len. y p Cox: SscTrtaTv ef tie lntRio1:
SIn. The urdere1gne1, members ol a commits.
s!on fof the examination Of the Union and Central
Facinc Railroads, appointed under "ioint reso-
9n tor ts n5osftoa q tMs 'nssss:s q ,oe
psnJ- the Central Pacific Railroad, and for oLher
p.rposea, approved April TO- 1859, have the honor
G1der instructiona from the Interior De-.
raitment,- dated August u, 1860, forr members
Ct the commission were IN Omaha on August
sloner hatmR failed 10 reach him, be was not
present, and 1t WAS Informally decided TO proceed
to Sacramento. The commission met at 3acfa-
present, oIganized by the election Of General
Hiram Habrlage President, and General G. B.
,1n Gams9Sn - sS sse1aTy and the tnspe:
ing from a:@ .. p: IN daEf. aod Occupying from
September 8 untlf September II IN the inspection
of that road. The inspection OF the Union Paciuc
September g, when tue commission adjourned 10
rect At WaseioRtoo, October IL, 1859, but the
meesanE 2, VA postponed until octoaes
Tor from the, two 1oads had been received.
The JOINT resolution, under which tho comuis-
9on Ha aorolntea, requires 1t =" to examine and
report Qpon the condition OF, and what sam or
tums 7 any, viii be required TO complete each OF
said roads fot the entire length thereof, to aaId
t ts1mmuR Asa GssLctasa railroad. tn compliance
imt1ustions OF the Interior Department require
nnn sIas 1Is ine saonn oe nnnte and spcc1lc
tnS sevss n paas Eeastng 70 the can
which shose inatruct1onB Set forth, and that II
snqua ssase 70 Mhas extent, If any. tae 1,ne Of
ma n,csh3s 1,, run las most central drect
c1nSresS"
Ias tss !. ao'i. lon WIN not, however,
+ &c ~ ,h - .nese iastl1cGoa5 cut Will! IN The
suEgrssona OF tacts relating 10 The roads cltctei
o5 yc1r e3aminsuon #h!en You shall consider
iTets Io D9 suomls1ed 10 Inc President Ut the
Ine nsst question tnas comes befoEc tho con-
~. MISSION Mnat ls neant bg CopxleSs IL It's vaIt.
oas % ss&s Ieasl1g 70 re Pacstfe hs'soass, By the
hsliroads now ranked as drat-c!as3 In this conn.,
~ Eefe iaf rom being perfect II tneir openia9
a1f' a1a nsen 70 1aef PRESENT heo stand.
me psS!nntnE could never have justi-
aed. 70 require the Pacidc Rallfoa1
70 oe DtaIens 81 nraf TO the standard other roads
nave reached utter years OF heavy and lucrative
hus!ncEs would be waste OF money. It ts eyl-
cent to the commission that ihls was not what
Gonsrefs desired OF intended In requiring arar-
u private corporations had bHit these roads
without governmental subsidy, Il would untn1.hr.
eoi{ nave teen ioE their interest to build them at
them IN operation, and when built, L paYIuv
business ahonld be developed, 10 have s1aduall3
made sue improvements Which increasing rra111c
saonia gu. cn ienas1 necessary.
!ens'ye lana grant, pert Of Which Vii be "a Taua- Us
me, asu 10 return II required better road than
Be- eapsSs q snss oaa ssa ,n
freight With rapidtty, safety and ceftanty@a road
~ suou w Tue majority ol those IN the thlckly-
senten - ~ esa,eS-
neDts OF the Law Will be satisfied and the deaITna
fn o. Ionsfeas carried out, the roads be properly
rn.a fa" "na ~ Juac4oIs 9rsaes. have substantial
nn%i,e enf1 sax Dc ape to t1ack tn aood
tas ~ me year: permanent struc.
AMI toInf i fIossg sseams Eooa iloa
Moekntne ;o more important machine shops and cu.
ea ~ oeDs IN 81 ne
,h mai!e son1e expenditures et!ll need to be made
tnese n sWo soaos arc substantially auch roaIs to-
ha eten ae n et. s nssde for completion Will
AEfol:I On csM7RA1 PAcn1c RAILROAD, WITH EST.
tn HATE ~ ~ suxs RsQu1hEp TO COMPLETE IT.
location Is GOOD, although theJ saw several n!aces
t1 tMaeie, appeared to them, It might be improved
IN LONE OF ~ details, perhaps. By somewhat IN
nnsd nosIPt4s r., h1s ms cgnsd only be deter.
vsJ !o5 Mnich the commission did nor have the tine
a. 1ss alaposs4 While, as WAS to be expected toa
The imnediate cosrrc,inn nf Enf @ zsc n9 eoss
auuea oy the government Il Ia not thought that
ssney e4Geea reasonable lfmfte, considering the
Tas h1,ist rSs H4sa " M!teS Part Or the foad
1h1uld be withheld for tho small distance bY
Which they increase the 1ensth OF the road.
win esfet1 and I ranidtty " o''nR 81 Us ouaness
The road bed IL generally OF good width. both in
ns,e aa she isw points vera no,eed
tirnate haa Saan LIVE WEE natIow ana an es.
ihsn. eN :. 'N' s''* '1N'ADs
II, T9eLe gre afteen tunnels on the rnad through
so4a a1t r fock and cooglomerate or soft R.auise.
Mnsen 9,. W lass for many years. Those not through
~ toGA arg not afcoeas. haTe STOOD without R1v-
w isna W 9a 1uI th[ee years. and show no
. !oT T,sr asIcaing any Of them.
,,aH se ua,uHEs a1et usuahy, na#es truss, OF
ehem ~ a'fss, hns aao MGtk knansMp. SeVe1a! OF
'asne nson rods, than i advisable, and, ii some
- se H. ~ nent Laat Inc neasiest load which can
~ nht on tnsa'' tfaan Of locomotives coupled
.OHC1ue1. aaoud not ba Tuu over them At high
psed An ehAmate has been made Tor strength
.ni1g 6ncn o. are deeEled tco weak to carry
yer the norm FORK Of The uumboit, over Donnes
AmeHcsu River. Tne piers 81 the American @ Rlser M
placing them with stone.
The nigh tEest1e7 west OF ana in the Sierra No.
eata are generally Of good character. Al ieust
,lactd by permsnent s,rurtnIps "a n,o ~ ~ " ~ r.
.es and TEN mpornry wo;er.ways east ni ira s;sr,a
Nevada. An eattInate IN maha snr this 1rta
repIncement ot tnnoa 11asMas ta ane
:Icr, should not Be reoptred. "a fhey vii r. .ars
or four or ave Year,, aud in the mea1t1tne Inc he
,osi,ion and rlmens;nra nf fne Wntar " " tns
lnlred " 49, ""'s1>"sJo ~
The 1uaeQury, e9necta]]r m tne nnonr,,,, \,
7lston. Ia well cor rstFncfrI ann ~ 1,s t ~
Al he summit at The si.Tr, o asSs - SuTo nateEAs: M
cmetiC1es fas In the denth ~ ffr1sa. ~, luz SEQ"
re- II q nrohjem ri graat d,I1;cn,tS lesss nAk-
unninr Of Trims i1n4nv the r1,1tny ~ secute !ae
,elieyeH. which haS hasn T hof'ti NV one, L IS