“‘It will, of course, be to the highest interest of this company to build this road and get it in operation in time for the World’s Fair, so as to secure the immense traffic incident thereto. It is entirely practicable, says the prospectus, to build such a road within the time allotted. Steam roads of a much more difficult character have been built much more rapidly; for instance, the Texas & Pacific extension was built a distance of 615 miles in twenty-two months, four hundred miles of which was through a region entirely destitute of railroads and even of population, the cattle men at that time having failed even to penetrate the greater portion with their herds. The country was of a rough and hilly character, many summits being as high as three and four thousand feet, with such modifications of climate as to make a trip across the country a series of continual surprises. For a great portion of the road a rate of two miles for every working day was maintained for several months. Ties, fuel, and bridge timber had to be transported from East Texas, a distance of from four to six hundred miles; rails from Pennsylvania, seventeen hundred miles; and water from wherever it could be gotten along the line. The present proposed road will have none of these difficulties to contend with. It will have a practically level country over which to build its road, which will be crossed at intervals by steam roads, which can be utilized for the transportation of its materials. An interesting fact may be stated in this connection, that contracts can be made for the delivery of rails for the entire road within six weeks from the day of giving the order.