Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-06-23

THE PACIFIC RAIL ROAD THE ARKANSAS ROUTE |
CONCEDED
Below we give an extract from the St. Louis |
Republican of June Sth, asserting in round terms
that it is wholly impracticabe TO carry the Pacific
Rail Road through the Rocky Mountains and the
mounsains of California. And also admitting that
hest route is through Arkansas and down the
Gila river. This article points out Van Buren, as
fhd r&fne dnfhe Arkansas river where this road
should pass. In making this admission they "give
aH-ther whole pretension to the beginning point
oang at ST. Louis. If Van Buren, is point
-he roite, why should the road begin at St. Louis,
ver geo miles further than Memphis? Why not
make Hhe beginning at the nearest point on the
llssiss}ppi river 2 The only reason can
l OF euci an outlay Of money and going such an
EInfecessary distance is that the interest of ST.
.oais, odemands t-not the interest Of the public
4Xhn Buren, is in l7o 2O w. and 80 Q 90 n.
~ enpess is in l3 Q W. and 80 10 n. ST. Louis
lid rs 90 w. and 80 - 40 N. Thus it is
seninhat Memphis and Van Buren, are on the
same parallel and about 4 degrees apart. Where.
as St.sLous is degrees West and over 3 degrees
north Of Van Buren,. Another consideration is
The Fact that the country between Memphis and
Van Barren is almost a level the entire distance.
Weih0Pe the friends of the Memphis Road will
ana ne good of these admissions made in the
very best quarter:
j- For the Republican.
MEssRs. EDIToRs The great contemplated
railroad from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific
Ocean. is measure of internal improvement pc.
culiarly adapted TO the spirit and genius of The
American people and government. That it will
be speedily made, no one seems disposed to deny,
and the only matter about which there can be
disagreement with regard TO this great road is, the
route from St. Louis. 1t is 20 be hoped that all
will be agreed that St. Louis shall be the terminus
on the Mississippi river, and San T Francisco on the
Pacific; because, ST. Louis is the territorial centre
OF the United States, and is point at which there
seems to be concentration Of all the trade of the
West. and San Francisco on the Pacific, bv reason
of the superiority of lis harbor.
The route from St. Louis must be south or
southwest, by way Of Van Buren,. Arkansas or
below, crossing Red river at Fort Towson, thence
up Red river, on the beautiful table lands of Texas
which lie between Red river and the Rio Brazos
running west, crossing the Rio Puerco and Rio
Bravo at or FL Paso del Norte, from thence
TO tire source of the Rio GiIa, thence down the
GIla, crossing the Rio Colorado below the con1u.
ence OF the CHA, thence TO San Diego, thence TO
San Francisco. This route would avoid all noun
tnlns except those between the Rio Bravo and the
Gila, and would leave the Ozark mountains 10 the
right, running near the iron MOUNTAINS from which
iron can be had enough 10 run a railroad over half
the world. Whereas the route bv wov of The
South Pass of the Rocky mountains, seems to be
altogether ImprhctIcabe, for the reason that the
ROAD would have 10 cross, not only the Rocky
mountains. but after crossing those mountains the
road would have TO cross the eastern rim of the
or Mi rni, %
IS the Great Salt Lake, and in running from thence
TO tho great Siorro Nevada IIiCiI 10 tho Western
rlm, you would have 10 cross mountain upon
mountain; and the tops Of the Sierra Nevada re
covered with perpetual snow, where no growth is
found but the melancholy pine, whose branches
ore torn by the storms and winds of eternal winter
and where nothing but the lonely Condor. takes
his solitary fight. If the route through Western
Texas, be too far South. then start from ST. Louis
and Iun South TO the 3Sth degree of North latitude
thence with that line TO the Rio Colorado, thence
down the Colorado to San Diego on the Pacific.
thence up the coas; TO San Francisco.
The route first proposed seems to be the most
practicable and less expensive, and would run
through country, beautiful and highly produc-
tive, with a delightful climate; a country which
would be thckly populated from Missouri to the
Pacific, and on American ground, without anv
trouble from Indians. any other impeachment
either from Snoac, ice.
The writer of this has conversed with Cant
Goodyear, who has been fifteen years in the Rocky
mountains. and has travelled back and forth. from
the Salt Lake TO the Bay of San Francisco and
also from the Salt Lake, to Saint Joseph, who is
of the opinion that Railroad can never be made
from the South pass to San Francisco through
California via the Salt Lake. Mr.. Antonio Rou.
bldoux of Saint Joseph, Santa Fe trader, is also
OF the same opinion; they say it must 90 south,
that 1t is impossible 10 construct Railroad over
The California mountains, from the eastern rim, to
The great Sierra Nevada, and over the interme.
date mountains. A glance at the map is enough
10 satisfy any unpreJudiced mind of the superior
advantages of the southern route. | wish 10 hear
the objections, if any there be, TO this route and
should be glad of the privilege of answering the
same through the columns of your paper. b.
POsfpOnement of the Memphis Convention. 4