14 NEW TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA. 



twin cities almost on tlie same ground ; but as both cannot 

 grow to equal greatness ; as one is destined to remain a country 

 town, tbe other to become a large and flourishing city, both 

 parties put their shoulders to the wheel, and turn their 

 energies to the perfecting of those connections which are to 

 unite them to the rest of the continent. But here, again, 

 fortune does not seem inclined to favour one city more than 

 the other. The Southern Trans-contiuental Eailway has given 

 to each an eastern terminus; that at Kansas City unites 

 with the railways from St. Louis, that at Leavenworth with 

 those from Chicago and the north-east ; the forks unite at 



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Lawrence, distant about 30 miles, and continue onward as a 

 single line. So much for the raih-oads, destined to give them 

 a western outlet at San Francisco, on the Pacific, just 2,000 

 miles distant. Due south of Leavenworth, on the 95th 

 meridian, lies the fine harbour of Galveston, the natiual 

 outlet on the Gulf of Mexico for all this region. A raihoad 

 to this port also, has been commenced, and, like the 

 Kansas Pacific, starts from Kansas City as well as Leaven- 

 worth. Both forks are to unite some 100 miles to the 

 south, and continue onwards as a single line, traversing 

 regions of um-ivalled richness, including the coal-fields of 

 Southern Kansas, the Indian territory, and Eastern Texas. 

 To connect with the civilised world cast of the Missom'i, tliis 

 river must bo bridged, and, in the matter of bridging, Kansas 

 City has beaten Leavenworth ; her bridge is finished, and the 

 trains of two railways daily pass over it. But the men of 

 Leavenworth have already set to work ; and although the 

 river is much more difiicult to bridge there than at Kansas 

 City, they will undoubtedly do it before long, thus uniting 

 the Kansas Pacific Eailroad a second time with those of the 

 east and north-east, so that they can compete on almost equal 



