Year: 1867

so much has been DONE The public have
vague idea that railroad is being built
from somewhere in the East to somewhere
in farther West than rail-track has
ever before been laid but where it be-
gins, or what route it follows, or where it
is to end, we'venture to assert, not one in
a thousand can tell


For dozen years we have heard that
great Pacific Railroad ,cas to be built,
and dozen names aud dozen companies
and dozen routes-from the southern
boundary of Texas to the northern boun-
dary of Lake Superior-have been urged
upon Congress as the greatest and best
means for uniting the Atlantic and Pa
cic shores. Bubble after bubble was
blown, and each burst in turn when touch
ed by the sharp point of practical expert
ence.


The absolute necessity for a Pacific
Railroad to retain and bind more closely
together the eastern and western extremes
of the continent in one great United and
Pacific country, the immense cost of gov
ernment transportation to its frontier and
Rocky Mountain posts, and the even great
er cost of Indian wars, in a region that
nothing but a railroad could civilize, and
nothing but civilization could pacify,:
the great importance of opening road to
the rich gold and silver mines of the
Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains, so
that the way to the resumption Of specie
payments might be made shorter and cas-
ier,-all these prudential reasons finally
pressed with such weight upon Congress,
that it determined that the road should
be made. There were, indeed, many
others two thousand miles of additional
territory would be opened for settlement;
vast bodies of land now valueless would
be made productive the tide of business
and travel that now winds tedious and
dangerous way along the borders of two
oceans, would be increased ten-fold and
how would the fathers in the East strike
hands with their sons and daughters at
the Golden Gate, if they could only be
borne on the wings Of the locomotive


The imperative need of the work was
admitted, but it was too vast for individ-
ual enterprise to attempt. No combina-
tion of private capitalists was willing to
risk a hundred million dollars in the con-
struction of 2 900 miles OF railroad through
a wilderness. As the undertaking was
strictly national, so no power less than
that of the nation was sufficient to accom-
plish it !; and large as the cost necessarily
would be, the expenditure would save
much greater cost to the country But
the Government did not wish to enter up
on any new system of internal improve
ments on its own account; and its only
was to grant its aid in the most
careful manner to such responsible iudi-
vduals of suitable characterand energy
as might be willing to risk portion of
their private means in the construction
Of the road.


THE CoMPANY's CHARTER AND ROUTE.


This charter was granted and perfected
by various acts of Congress, and the Com
pany comprises men of the highest repu
tation for integrity, wealth, and business
Among the officers are Gen
eral John A. Dix, President, Thomas G.
Durant, Vice President, and Hon. John
j. Cisco, late Assistant Treasurer of the
U. S., Treasurer.


The Capital authorized by the Charter
is One Hundred Million Dollars, of which
it is estimated that not exceeding Twenty
Five millions will be required, and of
which Five Milliens have already been
paid in.


Surveying parties were at once push
ed out in various directions acrots the
continent to find and locate the best av-
alable line between the Missouri River
and the Pacific Ocean This was estab-
lished at Omaha, in Nebraska, on the east,
and will finally be at San Francisco, in Cal
ifornia, on the west-a distance Of nearly
900 miles. The Chicago and North
Western Railroad is now Completed from
Chicago TO Omaha, distance of 492
miles and several other roads are rapid
ly building to unite with the Union Pa
cifc at the same point so that its eastern
connections will be numerous and com
piete.


The general line of the road from Oma-
ha is west up the Valley of the Great
Platte, and thence acress the plains dis
tance Of 5l7 miles, to the Black Hills, or
easterly spur Of the Rocky Mountains
Col Seymour, the Consulting Engineer,
reports that the grade is much more IA
vorable than was anticipated-the maxi
mum to the Robky Mountains not ex-
ceeding 80 feet to the mile, aud from that
point to the summit, or divide of the con-
Linent, it will not exceed 80 feet to the
mile From the Rocky Mountains, the
best practicable route will be taken to
Great Salt Lake City, and thence by the
Valley of the Humbolt River to the east
ern base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Central Pacific Railroad is now being
rapidly built east from Sacramento, Cal,
and is already completed about 100 miles,
and will connect with the UnoIn Pacific


WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND ITS COST.