Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-13

Mexico and Texas to the Gulf Of Mexico,
The road, now In process of construction
from Reno to The Dalles, Oregon. and from
Carson southwar6, will skirt the eastern base
OF the Sierra Nevada, connecting with the
southern route at some point in southern
California. Along the west flank Of the
Rocky Mountains q line Is low being built
that will join Montana and I'll Paso. At Ben
son, Arizona, connection IA made with the
Arizona and Northern Mexican line for Guay.
mas, on the Gulf of California, connecting
with the general railroad system Of northern
Mexico. at Deming the Atcbison, Topeka
and Santa Fe road comes In from Kansas.
the Black Hills and the intermediate country.
At Ell Paso. junction is made with the Texas
Pacific, by which connection is established
with Fort Worth, Kansas City and st, Louis
on one hand, and with Dallas, Texarksna, St,
Louis. Cairo, Columbus and Memphis on she
Other; also with Shreveport and New Or
leans. Connection is also made at Ell Paso
for San Antonio, Houston, and by Vermil-
ionville for New Orleans.
ADVANTAGES OF THE ROUTE.
With the advantages possessed by the
Southern Pacific, it will to q great extent act
as trunk line, TO which the roads running
north and south will become feeders. These
advantages are many and substantial. The
road is under a single management from
ocean to ocean. It has no eastern connec-
tions to eomplicate adjustment of rates. 1t
is the least costly to operate of all the trans
continental routes. The climate is mild The
snow does not fall to lie more than day or
two at any point on the line. The maximum
grade is only SO feet to the mile, while on
the Central the grades are often more than
double aud quadruple that, Decessitating
either dividing the trains or putting on addi-
tlonai engines On the whole route there are
only seven places where one engine cannot
move full train Of 81 carr These reaches
are respectively 9, 10, Is, Is, 20, "a and 81
miles, aggregsting less distance than that
on hich additional engines are necessary on
the Sierra Nevada division alone of the CeE-
trail route. The route is of special value to
California, in that it has no Eastern connec-
lions to be interested in the switching of CAL
itornla bound immigrants, and that its Cal
ifornia management will insure the retention
on tbis coast of whatever advantages it may
have by it.
TIE DIFFICULTIES sUBMoUNTED.
In the construction of the road serious
difficulty was encountered between Caliente
and Yuma. The want of water was seri-
Gus obstacle. The route in many places lay
below the sea level, and the h5st and aridity
was intense. Water was obtained by boring
artesian wells, and now an ample supply is
insured. Similar conditions prevailed from
Yuma TO Tucson, which were similarly over
come. The want of fuel in that esless
country was also great trouble, but is now
obyiated by connection with New Orleans,
where coal is obtained at cheap rates via the
Mississippi river. From the New Mexico
line the country begins to improve, but the
first extensive body of good land is not met
until the Colorado river in Texas is reached.
Themes eastward to Dallas the line runs
through the best part of Texas, equal in fer
tility OF soil to any portion of the Mississippi
valley. From Dallas to Texarkana the road
passes through q valuable timber country for
distance of $50 miles, On the western por-
ton of the line the way tri ffc is likely to
be always light, owing to the desert charac-
ter Of the country. At Yuma some business
will be obtained by virtue of ocean connec-
ton via the Colorado river, while the fertile
country surrounding it, and the proximity of
rich mining regions will swell the volume of
business Eastward from the Arizona line
the improvement in the character Of the
country insures q future large popularity and
a heavy way traffic.
To show the vieor with which the route Of
construction was pushed, it is sufficient to
say that the road was opened to Caliente May
II, 1875 to Los Angeles. September 6. 1876
to Dos Pslmos, March s. 1877; to Yuma,
May %, 1877 to Maricops, April %, 1879;
to Tucson, March 20, 1880; to Deming, De-
cember 16, 1880; to Ell Paso, May 10, 1881 !;
to New Orleans-that il, to the connection in
the canyon of the Rio Grande-July IL,
1882. Colonel George E. Gray is Chief En-
eiueer, and William Wood, Engineer-in-the
Field.