Washington telegraph., 1849-10-03
Red River Route to the Pacific.


WHAT OTHERS THINK OF Tive take
pleasure in transferring to our columns
the following extract of letter from Maj.
H. G. Catlett, highly respectable citizen
of Texas to Col. McLemore of Memphis.
Tenn. Mai. Catlett was for long time
engaged in the frontier service OF the
Texan Government, in the character OF
Ranger, and is well acquainted with the
country of which he speaks. His knowl-
edge of the route from Fulton, on Ked
River, to the Rio Grande and the Pacific.
is the result of actual observation, and con-
sequentlv entitled to more weight and
consideration than if it had been gathered
from maps alone. 1t is the opinion OF
many that this route possesses advanta-
ges for the construction of Rail Road
over any other route proposed, as regards
distance, climate, the even surface OF the
country over which it would pass, the
fertility of the soil, and as affording an
abundance of timber for its construction.
This opinion is strengthened by the testl-
mony of Maj c., an actual observer, and
gives us additional assurance that to be
fully appreciated it needs only to be
known. To place these advantages in
their proper light before the public, it be-
FL, o,t of IF
kansas and Northern Texas, to unite their
energies to obtain a survey of the route;
that accomplished, we have no fears of
the result. Maj Catlett says
"Should railroad ever be constructed
from the Mississippi to California, if it
start at point above the mouth of Red
river, it should cross that stream at or
near Fulton, and thence, taking up the
defile between the waters of Red river
and those which flow Southwardly into
the Gulf of Mexico, follow out to the
head of Red river, without stream,
valley or a hill to overcome. I haze
passed over almost every foot Of the
grouaad,' 1t is almost a perfect PLAIN,
a large portion Of the country rs not
surpassed for richness OF soal. and pic
turesque beauty by any in america; there
is also the finest timber IN abundance.
From the head of Red river to the Peurco
is little over one hundred miles, over
almost a smooth plain; this is the first
stream to cross after passing Fulton. From
there to the Rio Grande, about seventy
miles, there is no difficulty. Due West,
and directly opposite to the head of Red
river, is the head of the Gila, and IT we
can believe Capt. Johnson, who went
ont as aid to Gen. Kearny in 1047, and
Major Cook, I'd Dragons, who followed
Kearny down the GiIa to California, there
is no difficulty in reaching the valley OF
the Gila from that of the Rio Grande.
Capt johnson says, in relation thereto:
The hills are not lofty, SO that we passed
the great back bone of America without
perceiving it, Again, he says: I'VE can
ride from the Del Norte to the Gila with
out crossing single mountain He also
bears evidence that there is an abundance
of fine timber for railroad, and coal, iron
and copper West Of the Rio Grande. He
speaks of pine and two kinds of live oak.
M th;
From the high valley of the river (Rio
Grande) assembled to the table lands by
an almost invisible slope over smooth
prairie
Thus you will perceive that there is
no difficulty on the route from Fulton,
until the head of the gulf of California is
reached, and from there to the Pacific at
San Diego is about one hundred and sixty
miles with no obstacle of magnitude" F"
We are indebted to our friends of La
Patria (says the N. o. Bulletin) for the
following telegraphic dispatch from Mo-
bile:
RETURN OF THE AMERICAN MINISTER
DEATH OF GEN. PAEEDEs. s.-MobiIe, Sept.
2O.-The English West India steamer
arrivedtn Mobile Bay to-day, with later
intelligence from Vera Cruz and Tampico
Among her passengers are MIR. Clifford,
Minister of the United States to Mexico,
D. Alexandra Atocha, and D. Victoriana
Aleman, (the latter one of the editors of
La. Patria.) General Paredes is dead
[The dispatch does not say when he died.
No cause has been assigned for the de-
parture of Mr. Clifford, although the last
nou,s from the citu of Mexico reached