Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1881 — The Continental Railway. [ARTICLE]

The Continental Railway.

A SHORT ROUTE TO CHICAGO AND THE WEST NEARING CONSUMMATION More Particulars of the Gigantic Enterprise—The Engineers’ Report—Getting Over the Alleghenies A Powerful Competitor to Existing Roads. From N. Y. “Truth,” July 18th. A grand trunk railway from New York city to the Great West direct has engaged the attention of capitalists and business men for many years.— The business, which legitimately belongs to New York, has been diverted into other channels for the want of direct communication. The Pennsylvania Railway has developed that State and the New York Central the interior of New York State, and particularly Albany, from which point the grain business has been diverted to Boston and Portland.

The object of building this newline is mainly to keep the commerce of the Great West in New York city.— This city has no trunk -line to th e West. When the New York Central was projected it was only to Albahy, as Chicago had no existence at that time. It was then extended to Buffalo. When Chicago loomed up as a business centre the line was again extended to that point, via the Lake Shore road. The entire length of thi p road now is 980 miles. This line heg been of special benefit to Albany, and the interior cities, as it was the principal point for shipments East. EXISTING JUKES. The Pennsylvania Railway was originally organized from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh over the mountains, but

was gradually extended by acqusition of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago to the latter place. Subsequently this company leased the united railroad j of New Jersey and bro’t t e r line to New York. Philadelphia being nearer than New York, monoj - olized a laige share of the ; rain busi ness over that line, as the freights were lower. The total length of this line is 914 miles. The Baltimore and Ohio Railway being a short line between Chicago and the seaboard, is able % deliver freights in Baltimore at far lower rates than in New York, which has really built up that city in a commercial point of view. The Erie Railway was originally built from Piedmont, N. Y„ to Dunkirk, but sub- I sequently was brought to Jersey City, and afterwards by an arrangement with the Atlantic anti Great Western i ran their line to Cincinnati. They I are now proposing to run their line to Chicago. If this extension is completed as indicated, the distance to New York will be about 1,000 miles.

THE nrOEFTION. In view of these facts, some prora inent men, including Governor William Bigler, Governor Geary, William F. Schell. Judge Curtis and many others, both of New York and Pennsylvania, came to the conclusion that for the benefit of New York and the far West the time was approaching fcr building a direct trunk line from New York city to connect with Sc. Louis and Chicago, with Omaha as the terminus where it connects with/he Pacific Railway. Application was made first to the Pennsylvania Legislature for permission to build through that State, which was granted in several acts with usual privileges and the right of perpetual succession and exemption from taxation. Afterward the Legislature of New Jersey passed a number of acts of a similar character, with the exception of exemption from taxation. The State of Illinois also charters to the Continental Company. Through the States of Ohio, Indiana andjlowa the existing corporate rights of other compa nies were purchased, which gives a continuous line from New York City to the bridge over the Missouri at Omaha, which will unite it with the Union Pacific Railway. THE SURVSY. The company, upon the dequisition of all these franchises, immediately equipped a number of engineer corps, who were sent along the proposed line. The expense of all this has been nearly as much as it would cost to build an ordinary line. The original survey to Chicago made the proposed Ene 786 miles long, but further surveys were ordered which reduced it to 770 miles from New York to Chicago, and from New York to St. Louis 950 miles; which is 100 miles shorter than by the Pennsylvania; 250 than by the Erie; 220 less than the New York Centrhl anc 169 less than by the Baltimore and Ohio. The entire distance to Omaha by the Continental is 1,200 miles, which is 200 miles shorter than the Pennsylvania; 2 5 than by the Erie, and 265 nearer than by the New York Central, CONGRESSIONAL REPORT. In the year 1874 Congress took the matter into consideration, and a re port was made by the Committee on Railroads and Canals recommdnding the Government to aid the building of the Continental Railway, between New Y’ork and Omaha, by guarantee ing their bonds to the extent of $85,000,000. The Committee in their re*port state that w the decided and incieasing movement of the centre of population westward is such that the existing system of railways is now unequal to the requirements of the times.” The report goes on to say: “The existing trunk linesleadingfrom the Atlantic to the West were not constructed for economy in operation as freight roads. They were built in the Hist instance as local roads, with reference to local interests and not at all as their managers would now locate and build them. Ifhe remedy, it appears to your Committee, for existing evils, most easy and expeditious in its results of any other remedy proposed, and rendering with it direct benefits to the whole region betweep the Ohio River and the Lakes, as well as the entire West and Norti> west, now extending to St. Louis and Chicago, is the building of a doqble track railway, whose main line shall have its Eastern terminus in the waters of New York Harbor, its Western on the Missouri Riyer with two branches, one to Chicago and the other to St. Louis.** No one doubted at that time the entire feasibility of building a line from the Allegheny River to the Mis scuri, but it was thought that the difficulties through the mountains of Pennsylvania were almost insurmountable.