HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI, General. U. S. GRANT, Commanding Army of the United States, Washington, D. C. GENERAL: The Kansas Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad will, in a short time, be completed to a point about thirty (30) miles distant from Fort Wallace, Kansas. At this point the Government subsidy ceases, and the work ends. I would respectfully urge on you the importance of the Government continuing its aid at once as far as Fort Wallace, and afterward to Fort Lyon, C. T. The Road could be finished to Fort Wallace about July 1st, and to Fort Lyon in time for the spring freight to New Mexico in 1869. I know that pecuniarily it would be to the advantage of the Government to help this Road; certainly as far as Fort Wallace, and also to Fort Lyon. But. in addition, it almost substantially ends our Indian troubles by the moral effect which it exercises over the Indians, and the facility which it gives to the military in controlling them. I have not had a single depredation in my Department since I assumed command, and I have the greatest desire to maintain this peaceful condition of affairs. I have made a great deal of personal exertion by visiting nearly every post in the section of country in which the Indians were hostile last year, and in all interviews with the Indians was led to believe that we may be able to preserve the peace the coming summer. No one, unless he has personally visited this country, can well appreciate the great assistance which this Railroad gives to economy, security, and effectiveness in the adminisration of military affairs in this Department. Yours truly, P. H. SHERIDAN, HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE ATLANTIC, To Major General J. M. SCHOFIELD, The Honorable Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. SIR: Having observed the favorable report of the Committee on Military Affairs in reference to the extension of the Union Pacific Railroad, E. D., I have the honor to state that from my knowledge of the facts concerning that Road, which is probably as intimate and extensive-and as regards actual experience, in some respects, more minute as to details than that of those who have spoken favorably of that enterprise, I feel at liberty to offer the weight of my testimony in a few words, believing that the interests of the Government may be benefitted thereby. I commanded the Department of the Missouri, extending as far west as the western line of Colorado, last year, during an Indian war, and from my personal experience, obtained while I was on the plains, with respect to the transportation of troops and supplies by the Railroad in question, as well as its great importance in connection with the settlement of that country, I feel that I can speak in strong language as to the necessity of this Road being extended as rapidly as practicable to Fort Wallace, where I have lately been. It should then be completed to Fort Lyon on the Arkansas as soon as possible by the most favorable route-then to Fort Union and the Rio Grande. I consider any assistance given by the Government to this enterprise as most wisely and advantageously applied. I am sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, W. S. HANCOCK, General WM. J. PALMER, ST. LOUIS, Mo., June 8, 1868. Treasurer Union Pacific Railway, E. D., In reply to your inquiries as to amount of Government freights over the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division, during 1867: The military force now stationed in Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico, is about the same as then, and I consider the extension of your Road as of great military necessity, and productive of sufficient economy in army expenditures to fully discharge the Government loan in a reason able time. L. C. EASTON, Deputy Quartermaster General United States Army, Acting Chief Quartermaster Military Division of the Missouri. which now, from the Arkansas to the Coast Range, are lying entirely idle and unproductive, it is desirable that proper aid be extended by the Government to ensure the completion of this Road to the Pacific coast at the earliest possible day. Any postponement of this assistance, besides retarding the development of a large amount of mineral and agricultural wealth, is an immediate and unnecessary tax upon the military budget of the nation. We also find that the army is constantly obliged to build local wagon roads in the country under consideration, to produce, on a limited scale, an economy which the construction. of this highway would ensure on a large and comprehensive scale. Besides these considerations, if a large Indian war were to break out, an event liable to happen at any moment, the saving in transportation shown in the above calculations, which are based merely on the present peace establishment, would inure to the Government much more rapidly. The effect of this Road in protecting the Mexican border is also worthy of earnest consideration, since it acts as a measure of prevention, in an economical way, of results, which might in certain contingencies, entail heavy expenditures upon the nation. The same is true of the entire southern border of our Pacific coast. We have purposely refrained herein from dwelling on those broader national aspects of the case which originally induced the country to adopt the policy of aiding these Pacific Railroads, but have almost entirely confined ourselves to the narrowest consideration of immediate economy to the Government, in the transportation of men and material, which, since they must be carried, necessarily raise the question of "how they can be carried most cheaply?" and in the still greater saving of the very necessity for such transportation. |