The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-01-28
THE FIRST BRANCH OF THE NEW
PACIFIC ROAD.
Chicago, Leavenworth and EmpOria.
Washington, Iowa, Press.

From the Washington, Iowa, Press.
LEAvENwoRTH, Jan. 10, 1870.
The building of the Chicago and
Southwestern Railroad is considered
here the most important of all our en-
terprises. 1t is believed that the COM
pletion of the road will have great in
fiuence in necessitating the building of
another Pacific Railroad, which is des-
tined to be O greater success than the
one already constructed. The CONNER
cial convention held in Louisville, in
October last, considered the construc-
ton of this new Pacific Railroad the
most important enterprise upon which
they took action. The majority report
of the committee on railroads was sign
ed by twenty members, and was as fol-
lows:
Resolced, That this Convention me-
moraiiZe Congress to grant the right of
way and such subsidies as may seem
just to a Southern Pacific Railroad from
San Diego, California, via the junction
of the rivers Colorado and Gala, along
the valley of the ella, and south of the
same to ElPaso, on the Rio Grande, and
thence to convenient point near the
32d parallel of north latitude east of
the Brazos or near that river in Texas;
to which main trunk, feeder roads may
be built from Leavenworth, st. Louis,
Kansas City, Cairo, and Galveston, on
the east, and GLaymas, MaZatlan and
San Francisco, on the west and such 9TH
er roads on the east or west, as may be
desired, with equal right of connection
to all.
ResoEced, That the President OF this
Convention be requested to forward a
copy of this resolution to the President
of the United States, the Vice President
90 Ia Of
atives, and request them to present the
same to their respective member of Con
gress. That the chairman of each State
delegation be requested to appoint two
gentlemen from their respective States
to visit Washington ut the next sitting
of Congress in the interest of the South
ern Pacific Railroad, as recommended
by this convention.
The minority report was signed by
four members, and was as follows:
ReSOIved, That the United States
ought to grant the aid required TO Sc
cure the construction of n railroad to
the pacific Ocean, along the route known
as the Both parallel route, branching
east of the 106th meridian, through
Louisiana, Arkansas and Kansas.
Both reports aim at the same general
object, and the committee, which COM
prised some of the best engineers and
railroad men in the country, was unan-
| imous in the opinion that a road must
be built somewhere in that vicinity.
They only differed little in location,
and in that not materially.
The Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad is
nearly completed to EmpOria, 60 miles
southwest of Topeka, and 10 miles in
| the same direction from Leavenworth.
This road has a liberal grant of land
through to the southern boundary of the
State, and when the road is completed
to that point it will not be allowed to
stop for want of aid. 1t will strike the
| North Fork of the Canadian at the Goth
Meridian and the 36th Parallel This is
| believed to be the point where the grand
junction will be. st. Louis has road
completed nearly half way across Mis-
souri,, in a southwesterly direction,
which the people of that city intend as
their branch of the new Pacific Rail-
road. Memphis is already moving in
the matter, and road aross Arkansas
is certainty, while the rapid settle
ment of the Indian country makes an
outlet for the products of that fine ter
ritory necessity. If this road across
the continent is built, Memphis will be
the gate city of Tennessee, Kentucky,
Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia
and the Carolinas, Virginia and West
Virginia for many years to come.
| Going west, the line follows the Ca
madam nearly to Fit. Sumner, on the
Pecos river, New Mexico, thence to FIT.
McRay, on the Rio Grande, Fit. Good
win, Arizona, and along the ella to Ar
iona City, OF Fit. Yuma, and on the
Colorado river, and thence northwest
to San Francisco. The best engineers
in the United States agree that this is
the best route on the continent for q
Pacific railroad. Following river cours-
! es it is easily built, and there is no part
of the line which will ever be INSTRUCTED
by snow, or want for water. There is
no finer country in the world. than that
traversed by this proposed route.
This road ought to be built in five
years. There is no doubt but it will be
within few years at farthest. There
will be a strong influence brought to
bear in Congress, this winter, in the in
terest of this road and the portions OF
! the country to be benefited by it, and
men of good judgment believe the mat
ter will be considerably advanced if not
entirely disposed of before Congress
adjourns.
The completion of the Chicago &
| Southwestern Railroad marks the pro-
gress of one branch of this great enter
prise to a distance of about 400 miles,
namely, from Washington, Iowa, TO
Emporia, Kansas, This road is already
finished nearly to Cameron, Mo-, fifty
miles from Leavenworth, and the con-
tract from Cameron to the Iowa termi-
nus is already let to Mr.. Cartwright,
one of the most reliable and enterprising
engineers in the West. Ofcourse, with
the bonds endorsed by c. r. l. & p. r.
r. Co., the early completion of the work
is a certainty.
,. The Leavenworth bridge is progress
ing finely and will be finished as soon
as money and energy can do the work
4 go q ~