JOURNAL OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT.

PACIFIC RAILROAD: CENTRAL ROUTE.

We are pleased to learn that the citizens of California are beginning to look in the right direction for a railroad route to connect them with the States east of the Rocky Mountains. Hitherto the weight of the California influence seems to have inclined in favor of the southern route; but the following proceedings of a convention held at Red Bluffs afford evidence that broader and more statesman-like views are beginning to prevail in that region.

[From the Placer Times and Transcript.] PACIFIC RAILROAD CONVENTION AT RED BLUFFS.

Red Bluffs, June 3d, 1854.

Pursuant to public notice, published through the press, a Convention composed of delegates appointed by the people in the several counties, to give a proper expression to their opinions and wishes in relation to the route by which the Pacific Railroad should enter the State, met at 10 o'clock, A. M., on the above date. On motion of E. Garter, Hon. J. W. McCorkle was elected President, and Jas. McClatchey and G. E. Winter Secretaries.

The Convention closed its labors by the adoption of the following resolutions :

Whereas, The grand question of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, by means of a railroad across the continent, is now considered as a determined fact-sure to be accomplished-by the mighty energies of the American people; and Whereas, The selection of a route for this great scheme, which is national in its character, is still undetermined; and Whereas, Appropriation has already been made by Congress, and expended for the survey of routes whose practicability and adaptation to the commerce and wants of our growing country, are entirely problematical, and whose claims to favor at the hands of the whole nation, rest upon the sole basis of the moneyed and poli ical influence of the few, and

Whereas, We deem it a matter of supreme importance to the State of California, that a great highway, connecting us with our sister States, should embrace, among its main objects-first, the most practicable, second, the most direct, third, the most central route, in order to subserve, to the greatest possible extent, the purposes of the great mass of the American people, as well as of the government; and Whereas, A central route will actually traverse the greatest extent of inhabitable and fertile territory, both east and west of the Rocky Mountains, and would thereby afford the greatest facility to the settlement and protection of our now vast but wilderness domain:

Therefore, be it Resolved, That we endorse and recommend the selection of a central route, through the great South Pass, and in order to accomplish this great object, we ask the co-operation of Oregon. whose wants are identical with our own, as well as the co-operation of the great masses of the people of our own State, settled upon the

waters of the Pacific, in setting forth the advantages, the practicability, and the claims, of the route known as Nobles' Pass, in a proper and authentic manner, before Congress and the American people.

Resolved, That we hold the accomplishment of this great undertaking to be of pre-eminent importance, in preserving a good understanding, and thereby cementing the bonds which unite the sisterhood of States which compose our happy country; and that we will not oppose any particular route, after a fair and thorough survey shall have settled the question of selection.

Resolved, That we consider the project of constructing a Railroad from the Eastern to the Western boundaries of the Republic, a great National work, demanded as a means of defence in time of war, and in peace as a bond to unite the States, and practically important in all respects, to their common defence and general welfare.

Resolved, That the State of California and the Territories on the Pacific, to the north, as regards their present and prospective resources and population, will be incalculably more benefitted by a railroad through Noble's Pass, which would strike at the same time the head waters of the Sacramento river, flowing to the south, the Umpqua, Willamette, and Columbia, to the north, and following these great natural highways, sweep down the entire length of the three largest and richest valleys in America, to the Pacific ocean, terminating at the mouth of the Columbia at the north, and the Bay of San Francisco at the south.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Convention, it is necessary at this time that the people of the United States and the General Government at Washington be fully aroused to the importance of the route by "Nobles' Pass," for the line of the great Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, and that an immediate organization of Committees in the several northern counties of this State be had, for the purpose of collecting information in regard to said route, and urging upon the government its immediate survey-and that they be requested to forward the same to Gen. Allen, the Chairman of the General Committee, for publication.

Resolved, That we hail with much satisfaction the information recently received, that Congress has appropriated money for the survey of the route through "Noble's Pass," and that although it be but tardy justice to the northern portion of the State, we are yet none the less thankful that Congress has made a beginning in this important work, and can but express our earnest hope that the proper Department will order the work to be immediately commenced; and we most solemnly protest against the location of the railroad before the engineers shall have had time to report on its merits.

Resolved, That we respectfully but firmly protest against the policy of granting any portion of the public domain within this State (except so much thereof as may be necessary for tracks, turnouts, and stations for the use of the road,) to any party or parties to aid them in the construction of such road, as such a policy would prevent a large portion of our agriculturists from receiving those benefits intended to be conferred upon them by our liberal pre-emption laws-would place the most of the soil of our State in the hands of non-resident capitalists, and permanently retard the growth and settlement of the country.

Resolved, That the delegation from each county represented in this convention, appoint one person in their several counties, to act in concert with the persons selected as committeemen of other counties whose duty shall be to raise by contribution money, and to cause to be surveyed, the route through "Noble's Pass," in case the survey of the same is not commenced by the General Government within three months from this date, and that the Chairman of said committee be instructed to correspond with the proper Government officers in relation to said survey.

Resolved, That by centrality of a route for a railroad, we mean central, not with regard to our own State, but central as regards the whole territory of the United States on the Pacific coast.

On motion, the resolutions were taken up seriatim, and each adopted unanimously, without debate-save the third, which was amended to read as it now appears, and the seventh, which Mr. Geiger moved to strike out, giving his reasons therefor. This motion was opposed by Messrs. Bryan, McClatchey, and Harrison, and the vote was taken and the motion declared not carried. The question then recurred upon the adoption of the seventh resolution, upon which the ayes and nays were called, and resulted in the affirmative, only two dissenting.

The preamble and resolutions were then adopted as a whole, with but one dissenting voice.

On motion of Maj. Bidwell it was then

Resolved, That the delegates from each of the counties represented select a member of the committee provided to be raised by the eighth resolution.

The Convention then took a recess of five minutes.

'On the reassembling of the Convention the following gentlemen were named as those chosen for such committee :

Yuba, Gen. James Allen; Sacramento, Col. F. Forman; Shasta, Maj. B. P. Reading; Butte, Judge J. W. McCorkle; Colusi, Capt. D. Finch; Trinity, J. Comstock; Siskiyou, John D. Crosby.

On motion of Mr. McMurtry, Gen. James Allen, of Yuba, was selected as chairman of the committee.

On motion of Mr. Fairfax it was then

Resolved, That Maj. P. B. Reading, John Dreibelbis, W. Harrison, G. W. McMurtry, aud Col. Toomes, are hereby appointed a committee, and requested to accompany the corps of engineers, when they make an exploring and surveying examination of "Noble's Pass." On motion of Mr. Bryan, it was next

Resolved, That the different newspapers of the State be requested to publish the proceedings of this Convention.

The thanks of the Convention were tendered to A. A. Stout, Esq., for his kindness in furnishing a room for its sittings, and

The Convention adjourned sine die.

James McClatchy, Secretaries.

G. E. Winters,

J. W. McCORKLE, President.

The influences which have been brought to bear upon the extreme northern and southern routes for a Pacific railroad have for a time diverted the public mind from the investigation of the true merits of a

-central location. But we are persuaded that the report of the engineer will put an end to the northern project, and force the northern influence upon the central line. In support of the opinion that the northern route will be abandoned we quote from the Nebraska Palladium what Col. Lander is reported to have said in his public address at Council Bluffs. Col. Lander went out with Gov. Stevens on the northern route, and re turned up the valley of the Columbia. He says:

"I cannot think there are ten men in Oregon, who believe that the line adopted for the great national thoroughfare will be that surveyed during the last season, under the direction of Gov. Stevens, generally termed the Northern Route, and passing from St. Paul, Minnesota, north of the Missouri river, and along the British frontier, to Puget's Sound. Having examined that line in my professional capacity, I am fully prepared to speak of its character. In the vicinity of the Mississippi river it possesses advantages over all other Pacific routes by traversing a rich timber country; regarding the scarcity of timber in the interior, this is a desideratum and gives a high character to the line. Beyond this advantage, the Northern line, (which to the first range of mountains is of so favorable a character, as to justify any encomium,) does not compare as a Railroad route with that I have recently examined. I believe the route up the Platte river valley to be peculiarly favorable for cheap construction. From a point thirty miles west of the Missouri river, a single plane of surface extends for 500 miles without a break or declivity. The soil is of such a character, that by skirting the Sand Bluffs on the north side of the river, all necessity for ballasting or dressing the road bed is avoided. Brooks of clear water, having their sources in these bluffs, and at such an elevation above the level proposed for the Rail, as to afford every facility for the use of locomotives.

I have no doubt that the perfect drainage, afforded by a soil of such a character would allow the use of the Rail for long distances, without grading. I believe that nowhere on the American Continent, occur such facilities for cheap and speedy construction for the immediate completion of a road, or at least the earliest possible opening of a line of transportation to the interior. This is a fact of the greatest importance. One of the chief obstacles to the construction of a Railroad within a reasonable period of time will be the difficulty of transporting supplies and the necessary appliances for grading, to the several mountain sections of the interior. The line up the Platte offers every advantage for overcoming this obstacle by affording such facilities for an immediate use of the Rail in a preliminary track. I have already stated that the citizens of Washington and Oregon Territories have manifested a lively interest in the Pacific Railway question-that they believe the adoption of the Platte Valley route will exert an important influence upon the future, and that they have no hopes of the con

struction of an extreme northern line. I left Olimpea, or Puget's Sound, in March carrying (by unanimous vote,) a full indorsement of both branches of the Legislature of Washington. I have been deeply interested in the success of this reconnoisance, and am abundantly repaid for some months of severe labor by this full and successful result. I have ascertained the fact, that an excellent Railroad line exists between the waters of Missouri river and Puget's Sound; also that a very practicable, cheap, and favorable line exists between Salt Lake City and Puget's Sound, and am able to fully demonstrate the latter proposition by reliable data.'

ARKANSAS MIDLAND RAILROAD.

The friends of this enterprise performed the ceremony of breaking ground as the commencement of the work at Helena, on the 4th instant.

The Helena Star of the 5th says, "our citizens, full of national and State pride, turned out, without distinction of age or sex, to participate in the festivities of the occasion.""A public address was delivered by James T. Crary, Esq., orator of the day, and speeches were made by several other gentlemen in response to the call of the Assembly. "After dinner was served up, Major Richard Davidson, surrounded by the enthusiastic assembly, took his spade and threw up the first sod on our railroad. This pleasing duty could not have been assigned to one more worthy. The great work was commenced with the utmost enthusiasm-long, loud and continued applause cheered and animated this interesting scene.

We sincerely hope that the enthusiasm manifested upon this interesting occasion will not abate until the road is completed. Let the "Midland Road" be built only to the city of Little Rock, and it will ensure the construction of other roads terminating at Helena, which will place it in connection with the great systems of public improvements east and west of the Mississippi.

Though we regard a direct connection with Memphis, by railroad, as necessary to complete the Missouri system of public improvement, we are still persuaded that the true route from St. Louis to New Orleans is that which crosses the Mississippi at Helena, and that, in obedience to the laws of commerce, this line must, sooner or later, be constructed.