242 NEW TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA. 
gress ; but, before watching the result of this political conthy 
at Washington in 1862, we must glance for a moment at 
hands of the players. i 
California held some great cards. The production of g¥ 
had been enormous; agriculture had developed into ¥ 
interest rivalling that of mining; cereals were raised j 
quantities far exceeding the local demand; southern Cajl 
fornia had added grape culture to stock raising, and was 
striving to export wine as well as hides and tallow; trade 
from the mines of Almaden, and the strong desire felt by the 
Californians for a Pacific Railroad was brought to a climax by q 
the discovery that a practicable route across the snow-clad— 
sierra did exist through Donner Pass, midway between San = 
Francisco and Virginia City. Some of the richest merchants — 
pledged their entire fortunes to the scheme ; the State Legis- 4 
lature liberally gave its sanction and aid; and it only re- 1 
mained for Congress to grant a fitting salisidy. Nevada had — 
one high trump card to play in support of California. The 7 
Comstock lode had been discovered, and the wealth of silver — 
which poured from it had already raised that Territory into — 
the council of the States. 
Chicago and the north-west backed by New York, anih 
St. Louis and the middle States supported by Philadelphia, 
carried with them to Congress most powerful but antagonisti¢ 
influences. The railways of the eastern States and their 
prolongations westward may be said to form two separate 
railway systems, the one having Chicago in the north-west a8 
its western terminus, the other St. Louis, the most central 
= point in the Mississippi valley. The capitalists of both these 
es see fully alive to the — of directing the Pacific 
