Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-03-03
WASHINGTON, February 2. lS49.

DEAR SIR In answer 10 your inquiries concern
ing the emigraing party from Arkansas to Cali
fornia, which will set off about the lst of April
next, herewith enclose you communication
from the AdIutanI General, covering copy of Il
letter of instructions 10 General Arbuckle, with
which he has been kind enough to furnish me.
From this, you will that escort of troops
has been ordered 10 accompany this party. at least
far Santa Fe. in connexion with this ex-
petition. also. you will see, officer of topo-
graphical engineers has been ordered to make a
reconnaissance of the route travelled, and 10 re-
port. &c. ! need not remark upon the advan-
lages this action of the government will confer
upon the expediton--in atlor ding security to ali
who may desire to avail themselves of this oppor-
tunity 10 visit fnrthest western possessions.
But the great benefit TO the country anticipate
from the movement is the settlement, IN great
part. at least. of the mooted question. Which is
the shortest and best route 10 California;
Herewith send you, also, slips from The Fort
Smith Herald, consisting of an editorial of that
paper, and The circular of the leaders of the emf
grating party. These, | doubt not. will be read
with interest," by all who desire TO 60 TO California;
and | assure you the statements, alike of the edi-
torial and the circular, may be confidently relied
upon. -.... ..t . . .,-.
| will add that al this time, and from this until
late in the spring or summer, Fort Smith is en-
reIy accessible on steamboats, of good size and
excellent accommodations, by way Of the Arkan-
sas river. To this add the estimate Of only one
hundred days for the overland travel from Fort
Smith to San Francisco, which consider very
reasonable, and it will be found that this route
already compares favorably, as to time. with any
other proposed route. And when the certainty
and safety Of this expedition, together with the
sa ubri,y of the country and climate through
which it will pass further considered, its ad-
vantnges and inducements TO emigrants strike the
mind in admire bile contrast with those of any and
every other. The "trip from almost any portion
of the eastern or middle States to Fort Smith can
be made with entire convenience and comfort on
steamboats, and railroads within three ,reekS at
farthest. Thus, only one hundred ano taoenty days
or four months will be sufficient 10 place the emf
grant, from the most distant point in the United
States. at San Francisco; and that, too. over a
route which, for safety, Certainty, and freedom
from disease. has rival. Who would expect
to reach San Francisco by way of the isthmus Of
Panama, now rega rded the most expeditous
and almost tho only route, within time much
shorter than | have estimated for the other es-
pecally when the almost inevitable delay at Pan
anna, waiting for transportation, Is considered; !;
and encountering, at the same time, the dscom-
forts and perils of sea.voyage for a distance Of
al least fifteen hundred miles, even from New
Orleans 10 Chagres. and a bout double that distance
from Panama to San Francisco-to say nothing
of the hazards of the general insaIubrity of the
tropics to unclmatzed persons, and the particular
pesental atmosphere of Chagres--and leaving
out of the account the troublesome and expensive
travel across the isthmus. The Fort Smith route
is free from all these very serious, and. to many
persons, insuperabIe objections; while over the
more northern overland route from Independence.
heretofore generally travelled to Santa Fe, it has
the very important and desirable advantages of a
shorter distance by about 100 mies--of an earlier
season (for grass upon the praries) of about three
weeks--of ppes of corn and other provisions
for about 200 miles on the way--and of an abun-
dance of wood and water the whole distance.
As have received many letters O. inquiry
similar TO your own from various portions of the
country. and as press of business puts it out of
my power TO answer them. you may, if you think
proper, make this, with its enclosures, public, for
the information Of all who may desire such in
formation as it conveys.
! am, very respectfully and truly. yours,
..op ,.s,-1 - - SOLON BORLAND.
Col. Jso. c. McCLEaohE, Washington City.