Year: 1859

The following letter from the distinguished
Engineer F. w. Lander, appears in the Dem
ocratic Standard


EDrroR STANDARD You have requested
me to make some explanations regarding the
obstacle Of snow on the Central Pacific rail.
road route. Long explanations must neees
sarily he of that peculiar and technical char.
aeter which although perfectly clear to ergi
neers, would embnrrass unprofessional parties
| can only stake my engineering reputation
on the statement that the snow of the Cen
tral route is not a serious obstacle to the
passage of railroad trains The expression of
this conviction involves the same risk of pro.
fessional character-when the project is test.
ed-as ifthe opinion were paid for But in
the present instance the risk is nothing
Two thirds of the railroads of the United
States are now working regions presenting
greater obstacles regarding snow than will
ever be found in the central Rocky Noun
tains. In these mountains mules horses and
Cxen winter in the open air and without
torage. The country is very level and no
deep cuttings are required for railway
The line would pass over gravel substrata.
Fine timber abounds along the route and the
road can be elevated at low cost on an open
piling structure, through which snow would
fall if it were deemed an obstacle But it
will not be deemed an obstacle upon this line
of embankment road bed with gradations not
exceeding fifty feet per mile. In fact, while
public opinion is harassed and confused by
the contradictory opinions of unprofessional
parties on this snow question, northern capi.
tai has already taken it in hand upon this
dreaded Central route.


! The projectors of the lines of road stretch.
ing from Boston and New York, south of the
Lakes, to st. Joseph, have Just placed under
contract road from that point to Fort
Kearney, andtending directly up the valley
ofthe Platte toward the central mountains.
They are authorized to risk this outlay bv
the opinions of first class railroad engineers.
for the investments of shrewd Eastern capi-
talists are generally guided by practical
knowledge, munifcently paid for. 1t is the
misfortune of this great question of overland
communication by railroad, that the real ex.
perience of the civil engineers of the country
has never been called to it by legislation
Suppose, for instance, that in 1858. when the
Pacific Railroad exploring expeditions were
| organized, three of the oldest and most ex.
perienced railroad engineers of the mountain
roads OF the Canadas, New England, or New
York, had been retained by the General
Government, at salaries which would pro-
cure such service, is there any doubt that this
snow question would not have been practi-
cally settled q?


Here We have route of two thousand
miles, upon one hundred and fifty of which
snow falls at intervals, and rarely over foot
in depth. To the unprofessional man this
perhaps seems to oppose an insuperable OBJ
stacle to the successful working of railroud
but how could he maintain that opinion in
the face OF an authoritative declaration to the
contrary from one of that practical class of
civil engineers upon whose opinion Eastern
capitalists invest their money ?


Is 1t possible that after being assured of
this fact, any one would propose to make a
detour of 700 miles, whereby the advantages
arising from the way traffic of the great cen.
tral line of emigration would be lost, as well
as the profits arising from the military SER
vice that may be needed in disposing of the
Mormon question? Certainly not; the prac-
tical engineer would demonstrate, that for
the cost of construction, maintenance and
workage of this 700 miles of line, he could
cover the entire $50 miles of snow road in the
central mountains with an elaborate timber
structure. My own opinion in this matter is
on record. l am prepared to support it. 1t
is already privately supported by the best
builders of the country. But it will he time
enough for this support to he given when il
is called for by Government and Government
is prepared to pay for it.


Very respectfully, F. W. LANDER