The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-30
the souaiaern Pacific Railroad.

The Southern Pacific Railroad.
The bill granting charter and aid to the
Southern Pacific Railroad has passed the
United States Senate and Is awaiting the ap-
prevail Of the House, This fact has drawn
attention to this route for transcontinental
| road. From recent letter containing In
teresting and valuable information, we con-
| dense some Of the striking points. We also
append letter Of Com. Maury, approving
the views Of the letter and favoring this
| route, with new and strong arguments OF
bis own. We give the outlines of the first
letter The line through Texas by FL Paso
80 San Diego Is shorter, from sea to sea,
than the one now in operation by thou
sand miles. From the Bay Of San Diego to
Galveston is 1,600 miles. From San Fran
cisco to Omaha Is nearly 1000 miles. From
Omaha to an Atlantic port 100 more.
Quotations are made from the Govern
mcnt report Of the surveys Of this and the
other routes, showing mature has made
the road-bcd for thousand miles," and the
"cost for construction half or third less
per mile than any route" No fr0StS In
jurc. no SHOWS blockade this line, while the
latter interposes all cFectual barrier" to
trains on the Omaha route in the severe
days of winter.
The southern route strikes the Pacific
ocean "at one of the most magnificent har-
bors in the world THE Bay Of San Diego
arlthoW curr'ng Its course. "For miles
trigate may sail up its placid waters with
natural bulwarkS protecting from the
gales" This port, "bclns several hundred
miles more directly in the track Of the
China and Sandwich Island steamers than
San Francisco, it might become u formida-
Die ,ipdl to that city in the important trade
with those countries were 1t connected with
a railroad across the continent" It Is now
the natural commercial centre of vast
scope Of country. San Francisco. $50 miles
to the north. and MaZatlan, $50 miles to the
south, are the nearest harbors that can re-
ccve vessels of any considerable draught.
This great national Improvement will de-
velop New Mexico and Arizona, (empires,
in extent, twenty times the size of MaSsa-
chusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont COM
bined.) with their untold wealth of fertile
soil and minerals-the richest Of the silver
regions. A large section of Texas--a State
four times the area of Virginia--will be
opened by this line. The South will receive
q new impetus. a strong current Of traffic
will flow through this State from this
| source.
HOLLY SPRINGS, Dec. "a. 1870.
Dear Sir,-Your letter of the 18th has
| been received. and | have read with atten.
ton your interesting communication to Mr..
| McLeary, of Texas, on the subject Of the
| Southern Pacific railroad.
| II presents clearly and in small compass
the most striking features and prominent
advantages Of that route. AS a commercial
enterprise, it is the most inviting of them
all; for the richest and best portions Of
| Northern Mexico will depend upon it not
only for supplies of merchandise from
abroad. but for the transmission Of vast
| quantities of produce, both Of the field and
the mine.
/ one of the difficulties of constructing
railways in Mexico from the sea to the in
| terror is in overcoming the heights which
separate Sierra Caliente from Sierra TEN
plada.
On both coasts the height Of the latter
above the former is between 5000 and 4 ,00(
feet. The elevation is abrupt, and has to be
overcome within short distance, which
involves heavy grades and short curves.
Not so with the South Pacific. 1t reache:
the seaboard Mt both ends by gentle grades
| Roads on the table-landS may tap it here
and there, and serve even the city of Mexico
| itself Oh better terms than it is now posi-
| bic to do over the heavy grades of the Yer;
| Cruz railroad as it climbs the heights o.
| Ccrduya and passes the ugly ridges of the
| CumbreS.
| This road will serve the richest mnera
region in all Mexico.
| The distance from sea to sea will, you
| say, be more than thousand miles less by
it rhan it now is by the present Pacific
railway. 1t has been already demonstrated
that the present railway is too long fol
| through commerce. True, it has diverted
| the California travel, which formerly went
| hy the IsthmllS of Panama, aud pretty
nearly broken up the lines Of steamships
that were employed in connection with that
| route. 1t does also Il certain amount Of
| way traffic, but its through business is con-
| fined chiefly to the conveyance Of passen.
gurs, the mails, express parcels, fancy ar.
ticles, &c.
One mile of transportation by rail is as
expensive as seven miles by sea or river
/ This road. therefore, will offer much cheaper
transportation between the shores OF The
Pacific and Atlantic seaboard. because il
viii be partly by land and partly by water,
while the present route is wholly by land.
Before you can have between the two
oceans, and within the limits Of the United
States, IL COMMERCIAL thoroughtare acros:
the country, you must have a shorter roaC
than the present one, and the parallel o.
80 affords, as you have shown, an excel
lent route for the shortest line that has vel
been projected.
/ hope your valuable and interesting let
ter will be published.
Respectfully. &C., NJ. F. MAuRY.
Major j. j. LGfe'7y, Virginia Gazette
Lexington, Va.