Southern Routes

In the meantime it had become a certainty that a southern transcontinental line would be built also. In 1853 the government had sent out a party to explore and survey routes in California to connect with the routes near the thirty-fifth and thirty-second parallels, which had already been explored Lieutenant Williamson, in charge of the party, reported as follows: "Under the supposition that a road has been constructed from the Mississippi to the mouth of the Gila, if the question is simply how to continue the road to the Pacific, the answer is apparent. It would follow a nearly direct line to the entrance of the San Gorgonio pass, the best in the coast range ; then through that pass into the San Bernardino valley : and from thence to San Pedro or some other point in the vicinity of the coast. To go from the mouth of the Gila to San Francisco we must still go through the San Gorgonio In 1865 the Central Pacific Company had organized the Southern Pacific Company, with the intention of building a southern route. In 1866 the Atlantic & Pacific Company was organized and authorized to build a road from Springfield, Mo., by way of Albuquerque to the Little Colorado, and thence along the thirty-fifth parallel as nearly as possible to the Pacific coast. It was given large grants of lands, but no bonds. In 1871 the Texas Pacific road was incorporated to build through Texas, El Paso and New Mexico to the Colorado, and thence to San Diego. Still earlier the Memphis, El Paso & Pacific Railway Company had begun operations. All of these lines began construction from their eastern termini.

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Southern Routes

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The First Railroads

L.A. & Independence

The Southern Pacific

Southern Routes

Southern Pacific

The Santa Fe System

Turning Point

The Proposal