New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-04-05
NETWORK TRIBUNE.
The PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Letter from Col. FreBonf-Adtournmen OIL
the Philadelphia Convention

the phiinde hin C0n"eHb"n
At the session Of tire Philadelphia Convention on
"wednesday, a lett.r was read from Coi. Fremont
containing hi, views upon the route Of the pro
oo.sa Pacific Railroad He prefers the region be-
,peeo the ss.h and goth parallels Of latitude, and
soes not discuss any other route His letter is as
follows;
r. u,.,y. r. Gebhay1 and other, Conmifise, &C.
9gsrLExES II would have given me great
Measure 10 have been able ~ accept your kind IN
sitatiOn. and b. have met the interesting Missis-
sippi aud Pacific Railroad Convention, on Monday,
bat the remains Of Chagres fever conhne me 20
nv room. and leave me 10 other mode Of showing
nv sense Of your attention, and maniiesting the
interest take in the great object which assemblies
this Convention than b. contribute, 20 FAR as can,
70 the mass Of the Information which vii be lad
before IL In doing this regret that the state o.
NV health does GOT permit even the labor necessa-
" 70 give the distances and barOmetrcsl elevations
along the route which shall offer for your consider
alton bat have caused skeleton map rudeiy
sketched to be prepared b accompany this com
InuncsnOn sld which 10 exhibiting the prominent fainrss
q tho eouny and general direction u ne gs VI ~
fund sufficiently full and accurate % illustrate what have
10 say. ,,.-
nv from Inhabited ropuer 70 me Psehe Ocean nave
ernrusyey tsshed that he region or De Of country
ying Det~een the S3h and S9n parallels Of aande oser
Angular facilities and extraordinary compesuVe sdYhnsges
for iae continuation u The proposed road ,-,..,
propose, therefore, 10 occupy your hilsntD soisy "lh
..fps e,5 Inc clearer understanding Of which II viii aid
:, Keep 1uder eye the accompanying map upon which
lbs unbroken red lines intended TO show that eon
which they traverse hsve been already expofro WINE ae
broken ssd gys lndczts whA 10 known only from reliable
TIE oo1Diry To be rsver.ed by proposed road exo
Is bot great f-Giureshs Prsries retehing 10 eDCl
he Ie5;h degree Of lODnide and ihe mountains yin
which lie bd.lDg from that ponI TO me shores OF ne ra
chc Oeean Some years ri travel suiong these nouHD1ts
during which was Occgpet pnncpaiy N tesrchng Tor
convenient passes and good lines OF communication graz
usy d roe 70 comprehend their structure and 10 under
,And that among this extended asss OF mountains there
nowhere DO found great continuous range having az
1noroxsn crest where are only 10 BE- found 10 ne
compErsuvey small depres-ons Of the summit line
Throughout ts great extent Of cOuutTy-sirechng o.
earl wsv about II dssreese these apparently continuous
rangos composed Of lengihensd blocks o, moonaos
ats aud 5escbedof greater or rss length according
he magnitude Of The chain whleh ihey e0mpOs1-esc'
ono pOssessag IS separate noted and prominent peaks
and lying parallel 70 sach Other, bat no usually 90 10 ne
general direction Of tho range but IN many cases y
dibSopaiy across It, spngug suddenly up from the g''
eru love the country sometimes rising bare
rocky submits OF great hight they leave openings rouh
the range uls above s general level ana by when
they can be passed without climbing mountain. Gen
orally these openings are wooded valleys where IN" noun
tain springs from rher side collect together forming often
the main branches Of mighty stream Aggregated To-
gelhsT "a this way they Ia form the great ccsius ~
he Rocky Hounisns and ssrrs Nevada well "A the
smaller and secondary ranges which occupy The nervel
log space. With tho gradual discovery OF his t.ste'n,
became ssis6ei, 10, only OF the entire pfacueaoy but
Of the easy Construction Of railroad this rugged
region As ths peculiarly IN the country forms The basis
II my information desire 20 s;sts clearly NJ the outset
ceedng show that t5s coaineo be crossed from
ne missssppi to the Pacific, without climbing mountain
aud the line which every national confederation
would require to connect the great valley Of The West viii
the Pacific Ocean.
should pass tw be 0und convenient, 70 divide the entire
line into three paisths Eastern reaching from tie mouh
Of The ka1sas 10 the lead of tho Del Node The Middle
from the head Of 'he De- Nor,e 10 the rim oi tue Ore0i Bs
SIN aud lhe Western from ube rim OF he Great Basin 70
zoe moab Of ss Kassss he poad void extend sn lie
valley Of hat river three four hundred mes rbv
ersag beautiful and wooded country Of great fertility Of
soil well adapted to settlement and cultivation From ne
upper Of the Kansas fa1g easily over Into The va
ICY o. mo AfkRsas tls ROAD sfhes maj i'eI soVu nun
dfed miles below Inc loot 81 NE mountains connungup
II snly TO he mouth Of ihe Hueriano river From tbs
point the prairie plains sweep directly up 70 me mountains
which dominate thein m highlands 10 me ocean tbf
Huerfano ID OF the upper branches OF The ArssIsas
and following the line Of ms stream The road would here
enter country maguihcenlY besntiul-imbeTed, evDg
many hays valleys Of great fertility; having mild end
beautiful climate having throughout the vsiiey country
short winters which spend their force elevated
gioos Of the moun,aias.
The range Of mountains IN which this stream fn5e So
hesd springs Distinguished ny having us SUBMITS almost
constantly developed in clouds of rain snow from which
obtsins iis zane q Sorr MoJada or Wei Mountain
Thts cha srerlefkebo among the Rocky Mountain ranges
fr the Singular grandeur ofis Winter scenery which ha
b-en CHARACTERIZED by avos who have eeen both un
surpassed either The Alps OF the Hmasyas Their pax
ed rocky submits grouped into numerous peaks whct
rise from lhe midst Oi black piney forests whence Issue
many email streams t. TIE valley below Following by a.
open wagon way the valley OF the ucris the reach
the mined ale foot of the mountain at the entrance q"
remarkable psss almost everywhere suT unded by hod
ths other he pGss about i've miles longs level valley
from 900 TO 40 yards wide the mountain sng abruptly or
sher side With scarcely disungushsbe rise rom me
river psins me road here passes directly through or be
inc mountains emerging IN the open valley Of the
Del None hege 40 o. 20 mes broad or more prop
ery continual uohwIrd Of the valley IN which the Del
Norts Crossing this lat country, opening between
the nOsDlsns and couueTng walter course Ia re way
ihe road would reach the entrance Of pass Ia hs Colorado
mountains fan.llsrY known 10 the New exicans aud In
dit traders who accustomed traverse it e. all
Of tho year. and who represent ~ conducting 10 The
the Color ado River hrou gh handsome rolling
grass covered country, and aHoFdng preetesble wagon
routes.
This section OF The route 80 far 80 The entrance THE
pas. covering twelve degrees Of longitude, em able ,o
speak OF from sexual exploration and 10 say thai the iue
descfhcd y no, only practicable but affords and sin
gusr facilities foT The construction o. railway, AM ofers
many advantages IN the fertile and wooded country through
which n lee N ,he greater psu ofits
In tho whole distance here not elevation, worthy Of
the 10 be surmOuneii and level Of about o0 feel
10 gained almost without percepbla accent Up the Kan.
sas and iine6ano River valleys the copHy wooded and
wa,ered Tho valley of The Del Norie open bat wood q
abundant IN tho shborrg mountains and land
uvauon 10 found almost continuously along the wafer
valley OF the Del Nnrle
journey undertaken IN tho winter Of 1859 (snd In
ged mountain Of 81 John one Of the mos. inpschcsbr
ON the Con,ihenL) intended make
nations Of this pass and The country beyond 10 the r of
TIE Vres, Basin The failure OF this expedition leaves ony
for thls middle portion Of line such knowledge we
have eeSn soe TO yosn o@ ,rappes ana Indian traders
explorsasn a. all accounts eoncmred In representing
was considered 70 be sufficiently reliable
According this information, the strucure the
country which have called your attention above
forming n system snopg the mountains holds good
1 accordingly found difficulty IN believing thai the road
would readily avoid any obstacles which might bs pre-
scented IN the shape o. mountain rsnges and easily reach
tho Basin.
In pronounelng upon The pTsencsh.ly OF road roagh
this section proceed upon general knowledge OF the
ace Of the country upon inorns,on received nom hunt
ere and residents in New Mexico, and upon the sss'
hshed TACT that has not only been travelled but al al
OF the wear aud u OF the travelling fror
New-Mexieo 20 Calitornls
The third section Of the map Is fom the Wsh sstch Noun
tAn 10 the Sierra Nevsds and thence The Bay Of Sal
francisco This The Great Basin present
Ing tafeo different hnes which YOU will End Indicated
he map Repeated JOURNEYS have gtvec me W ess
knoweoge ofhe country aong these liues and consider
al OF them practicable although e question OF preference
feHans To be seted The northern ns that OF The Hum
eoldt kver which although terrcting from the direct
course 20 the Bay, commands IL approach the
ns several prAcuesole passes the lowest u which only
AsSv sees above The
TITO southern line, which crossing tie Basin has mol
toe same hsedom om obstruction eRjoyed by thu opeu
nvet me of The North 10 s entirely practicable and poe
NE advantage OF crossing The Sierra Nevada
low aepressioI, ca ed Walkers Fass
ncaN too~n a. the Point OF The Mountain and hsipg In
that chain ~ - w.
TAls pass near Inc SSH degree OF latitude and nes,
me oeea y. ee oe.nuia ard felule valley san
yam, ween NE tos2 ueoce would follow To lane
lion with the Sacrsmenio 10 soma pont On ,h Rax
dccs TO Tho NORA bat seySrcs god wsv and 6no. no
oes,scie from The sierra tareif hs sonlan Mhe has
down the level q supsrv Ano,, ~.
prcceedlngs % the CanfoTuis tnxis azure Rfso.