The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-04

I - NAN+aNA A~hNhA - W. . ANH'AAA - ~ AAAN
great road Of the West. 1t is thought
by railroad men, that his elevation to
this office will secure beyond pcrad.
venture the carly completion Of the
Northern & Southern West Virginia
Railroad and its Eastern and Western
connections:
The negotiations pending for some
time past for 4 change in the manage.
ment Of the new Southern Pacific Rail
road have been finally perfected, aud
the antieipations Of the Bditlin have
been fully realized by the resignation
Of Marshal o Roberts, E,q as Prcsi-
dent of tho Teqas Pacific Crransconti-
ncntaD Railroad Company. Colonel
Thomas Scott, of the Pennsylvania
Railrord Company, has been elected to
take Mr. Roberts place, and succeeds
to all that gentlsmin's interests in tue
various railroads with which he is con-
nsc,ed in Texas and other Southern
States. The retirement Of Mr.. Rob.
erts has been OccasionCd by the condi.
ton Of his health for some time past,
which disabled him from dcvOtiug to
this great work the energy and atten.
ton that it requires. 1t has alss been
long apparent, that Colonel Scott was
the coming man." aud the various
operations which he has recently as
samcd directly and indirectly in tic
Southern States, all pointed to the ac-
QUESTION Of the Southern Pacific Rail.
road as a cardinal point in his policy.
The acceptance by Colonel Scott Of
the presidency Of tho Southern Pacific,
or more properly, tue Texas Pacific
Railroad, secures the prosecution Of the
work with all possible energy and dis.
patch. For some time past little or
nothing has been done on this line
The Texas Pacific Company succeeded
to Fremont legacy Of blunders, which
it was necessary 10 rCctify. A large
amour. Of bonds had been placed in
the Paris money market, and there
were also somo outstanding obligations
in this country that required amicable
settlement. Thr operations were also
seriously embarrassed by the i'll health
Of Mr.. Roberts. The interest Of that
gentlemen in various Southern railroad
lines was abOu, 81, 800, 600, and it is
understood Colonel Scot: has taken on
himself the payment Of that sum.
Whether Colonel Scott takes the con-
troll Of the Texas Pacific Railroad on
his own responsibility or on behalf Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, or the new
Southern Railroad Security Company
does not yet appear. The probability
is that he represents oil these combined
interests, aud that the new tranIconti.
mental route will be constructed aud
ruu in connection with the great Penn
sylvania Railway rather than under
its direct control. 1t is rumooed, and
with strong appearance Of probability,
that Colonel Scott will now retire from
any active management in the other
concerns in whicd he is intsrsrtcd and
devote his whole time aud energy in
the construction Of the new line near
The Texas Pacific (Transcontinental)
Railroad, commencing at MARSHALL
the Texas line, is to run via II Paso,
Mexico, to tue town Of San Diego, CAL
ifornia. about 400 miles south Of San
francisco, The distances between the
extreme points is 1900 miles. AtSan
Diego, the Texas Pacific will connect
with the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The Southern Pacific, of Texas, pro.
jscts from Shreveport, La, to the Rio
GrandG del Norie, a distance of 500
miles. The Texas Pacific Railroad is
entitled to congressional land grant
Of 10 ,440 900 acres, and is also emit.
tied to other grants which it is expect.
cd will suffice for the completion Of the
road.
1t is said that Colonel Scott is in "a.
vOr Of the construction Of the through
line on tue narrow guage. But this
statement, to say the least, requires
confirmation. The economical ndvan.
tugcs claimed for the narrow guage
would probably be more than counter.
balanced by the immense Inconvenience
Of break Of bulk, which would prac.
tically Isolate the new liue frsm then
work Of roads in the Southern and Pa.
ciad States.
By the acquisition Of the Texas Pa.
cifc and the Southern Pacific Railroads,
Colonel Scott now controls the lsngest
lines and the most important railway
interests in the world. lie represents
a gigantic system Of railroad centrali.
zatiOn From New York to Philadel.
phia, thence to Charleston, Memphis,
Little Rock aud Texas, he reaches the
Trauscontinental route to the Pacific,
and grasps the trade Of a continent.
lie represents a power that is greater
than has ever heen exercised by any
'Ouc party from military or dSspotic
sway. There is no power 10 the United
States equal to this. 1t overaWes and
controls the Supreme Court, Congress,
the State Legislatures, and il due
caution is not used it may even prove
superior to the American people. But
IN mere business point Of view, we
caunOt bet think that this vast central. |
itation will prove beneficial to COM
merce. We anticipate that it will
prove beneficial to this city, which is