"[2 Maps in Report] Whitney's Railroad to the Pacific", Whitney, Asa

This 117-page House of Representatives committee report provides ardent support for Asa Whitney's vision for a transcontinental railway connecting Lake Michigan with the Pacific Ocean. Whitney had tried for several years to get his plan approved. Accordingly to Mr. Robinson, from the Committee on Roads and Canals, "at four sessions of Congress his project has been favorably reported on, and, at the last Congress, by the unanimous voice of select committees of both branches, which would doubtless have been passed into a law, but for the hurried pressure at the close of a short session." The document features two maps, including one of the United States (17.9 x 15.0") showing the possible routes to the Pacific Ocean including a northern route, central route, southern route. Text surrounding the map describe each route along with various mileages to the Pacific Ocean and abroad. A second world map (20.4 x 12.6") shows the distances between North America and both Europe and Asia, surmising that a "Rail Road across our Continent will make us the centre and thoroughfare for both."

Asa Whitney was one of the earliest backers of an American Transcontinental Railway. It was as early as 1830 that Whitney first became enthralled with railroads and foresaw their future role in business and transport. While Whitney's proposal was ultimately not accepted due to the growing sectionalism before the Civil War, these maps are an important part of the railroad history of the United States.

Disbound and housed in archival paper covers with handwritten label.

References: Wheat (TMW) #659.

Condition: B+

The folding maps are very bright with some faint scattered foxing. Disbound report text is clean and bright.