Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-04-15
;fexas Pacific RaiIroad-Great

We copy the following editorial
from the Washington Chronicle
No act of the Forty-frst Congress
Will be longer remembered to its
GFedit than that authorizing the
cotstruction ofthe trans-contincnta!
highway from the eastern bounda-
ry IF Texas, near Marshall, via III
Paso, to the town of San Diego, on
the bay of that name, in the State
of California. The route is the
samb that was surveyed some cigh-
teen years ago, under tho admins
tratibn of Franklin Pierce, while
Jefferson Davis was Secretary of
War. 1t was, in fact; the favoritc
project of the late head of the South
ern Confederacy. 1t extends along
the thirty. second parallel Of latl-
tudc.
Tht bill which has passed both
houses of Congress, OVER every test,
bv more than two-thirds vote,
provides, in addition to tho mair
line. for two branches-onc from
the eastern terminus, near Mar
shall, to New Orleans. distance OF
about three hundred miles, and one
from Il point about one hundred
miles distant from its Pacific ter
minus, which is to form n connec-
ton with San Francisco. The
company, under whose auspices this
bill has been carried, are already
the ownofs of the franchise through
TEsas, known as "The Transconti.
hental Cthpany."
This franchise gives them the
Fight of way through Texas n dis
tance of eight hundred miles, and is
strengthened by their recent pur-
chase of the Soutern Pdaifc railroad
IN corporation eXtehding from
Shreveport, Louisiana, to Palo Pin
to. Texas, and connecting with the
main lines at the latter point. 1t
is now, and has been fof some years,
in profitable operation.
In addition to these advantages,
the franscontinental Company
have eiitered into negotiation for
the pHfchase of the Mcthphis and
Ell PasB railroad and its rolling
stock, Which includes the line from
Memphis, Tennessee, to Little Rock,
Arkansas, q distance of two hun
dred miles. The whole route, OK
elusive 6f the branches, is an aggre-
gate of some two thousand miles.
The region traversed is one OF
surprising fertility. With the ex.
ception of about seventy miles al
most the entire length is singular
ly level. The reports of the gov.
ernment engihcers and the .engin'
GERS of tho company concur in the
statement that a railroad can be
laid more rapidly and cheaply along
this line than over any other sec,
lion of our country.
San Diego, the Pacific terminus, il
| five hundred miles from San Fran
eiseU, and that. much nearer Phila
de1bhia and New York than any
othef competing organizations.
fhe value OF the Texas cottor
belt ean hardly be estimated, when
we cofisider that in the reservation
as faf vest do the twenty-thiId de
gree Of lofgitude west from Wash
ington, every acre is capable ofpro
ducing six, hHndred lbs. Of gihned
cotton. Much Of the cotton lands
of Georgia, Mississippi and Ala
bama has been worn out and turn
ed ont to cotiiion. The great cot
ton field Of this continent, and W.
NAV well sag Of the world lie;
west Of the Mississippi river n
belt Of cOuptry, the heart Of whiei
is pierced by the proposed line 0
railway.
Whai57er may be said by thepsO
ple Of tle North 70 the contrary
the faef sill remains that cotton
EVEN -,o,.. under cur dis0rganizst
srste n Of labor, holds the supreTaa