Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-04-13
LETTER FROM COL. FREMONT.

LETTER FROM COL. FREMONT.
To Messrs B. GERHARD and others, Committee, &c.
GENTLEMEN 1t would have given me great pleasure to
have been able accept your kind invitation and to have
the interesting Mississippi and Pacific Railroad Conveu-
ton Monday but the remains Of Chagres fever conne
my room, and leave other mode OF showing my
of your attention. and maneng the interest take in
the great object which assemblies this Convention than
tribute SO far as can the OF the information which
will be laid before In doing this regret that the state OF
my health does permit even the lao necessary 10 give
the distances and elevations along the route which
shall offer for your consideration, but have caused skee-
ton map rudey keched be prepared to accompany this
communication and which, in exhibiting the prominent fea
the country and general direction OF the line, will be
found sufficiently full and accurate to illustrate what have
to say. ..-
Many lines of exploration through the wilderness country
from inhabited frontier to the Pacific ocean, have conclu
ssey satisfied that the region belt of country lying be-
the SSH and seth parallels of latitude offer singular
facilities and extraordinary comparative advantages for the
construction of the proposed road @,
propose, therefore, occupy your attention solely with
this line for the clearer understanding Of which, will aid
keep under the the accompanying map upon which
the unbroken red lines intended to show that the regions
which they have been already explored while the
broken red lines indicate what is known only from reliable
information. ~.
The country be traveed by the proposed road exhibits
but two great features-the pae reaching to about the
l05th degree of longitude and the mountains with which
bsling from that point the shores of the Pacific
Some years of travel among these mountains during which
occupied principally in searching for convenient passes
and good lines of communication, gradually led me to
phend their structure and to understand that among this
extended of mountains there nowhere to be found
great continuous having unboen crest where
only be found in the comparatively small depessions of
the summit line <. q. ...4.
each about degrees all these apparently
nuous ranges composed Of heightened blocks OF mountains,
separate and detached, of greater less LENGTH according
to the magnitude Of the chain which they
ing parallel to each other though not usually to the gene
raj direction Of the range, but in many lying dsgonay
across it. Sprngng suddenly up from the general level Of
the country, sometimes rising into bare and rocky summi,s
Of great height they leave openings through the range but
little above this general level, and by which they be
passed without climbing mountain Generally these open
ings wooded valleys, where the mountain springs from
either side collect togethe forming often the main branches
of some mighty stream.
Aggregated together in this way, they go to form the great
chains Of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada, vel
the smaller and secondary ranges which occupy the inter
venng space. With the gradual discovery of this system,
became satisfied only Of the entire pacticabty but
the easy construction Of railroad this rugged region
As this peculiarly in the country forms the basis Of nfo
nation desire clearly at the outset in order tina
be readily understood in proceeding TO show thai
this continent be crossed from the Mississippi to the Pa
cifc, without climbing mountain, and on the very line
which every national consideration would require to
the great valley of the west with the Pacific Ocean.
In describing the belt of country through which the road
should pass it will be found convenient TO divide the entire
ParS-lne reaching
Of the Kansas the head of the Del Nore; The Middle,
from the head of the Del Noe the rim of The Great Ba-
and the Western, from the rim of the Great Basin
the Beginning the 18th parallel of latitude,
at the mouth Of the Kansas, the road would extend
along the valley of that river three four hundred
miles, raveng beautiful and wooded country of grea; fer
tty well adapted to settlement and cultivation. From the
upper OF the Kansas falling easily into the valley
OF the Arkansas the road strikes that river about hundred
miles below the foot of the mounans continuing only
the mouth Of the Hueriano river. From this point the
prairie plains sweep directly up to the mountains which do
inmate them highlands TO the
The Huerano Of the upper branches of the Arkan
sas and following the line of this stream the road would here
country magni6centy beauiful-timbered, having
mary bays or valleys Of great fertility having mid and
beautiful climate having throughout the valley country short
winters which spend their force in the elevated regions OF the
Tue range Of mountains in which this stream
finds its head springs is distinguished BY having its submits
almost cnstanty enveloped in clouds of rain from
which it obtains its Of Sierra Mojada, Wet Noun
tain. This chain is remarkable among the Rocky Moutan
ranges for TIE singular grandeur its winter scenery which
has been characterized by travellers who have both
unsurpassed either in the Alps the Himelayas Their
naked rocky submits grouped into peaks which
from the midst of black pney forests whence issue many
small streams to the valley below -. ..s
Following by open wagon the valley Of the Huer
fano the road reaches the immediate foot Of the mountain at
The Of remarkable pss almost every where
rounded by bold rocky mountain From foot Of
The mountains TO the other the pass about FIVE miles long
level valley from two 10 four hundred yards wide, the
teins rising abruptly either side. With scarcely distn-
guishabe rise from the river plains the road here passes d.
Iecy through or ,e.ween the mountains emerging in tie
open valley Of Del Nofe here forty fifty miles broad
properly continuation northwaId OF the valley IN
which the Del Nore Crossing this fat county,
opening between the mountains and encounterng water
in its way the road would reach the pass
in the Coload, mountains famiary known to the New
Mexcans and Indian traders who omed traverse
all Of the year, and who represent conduct
ing the OF the Colorado through handsome
rolling grass covered country aording practicable wagon
routes.
OF this section Of the route, far the entrance to this
pass covering twelve degrees OF longitude able speak
from actual exploration aud say that the line described
not only practicable but s nds many and singular facilities
for the construction of railway, aud offers many advantages
in the fertile and wooded country through which lies in ih
greater part of its course.
In tie whole distance there not elevation worthy
Se name to be surnounted and level Of about 900
is gained almost without percePble ascent Up the Kama
and Huerano valleys the country wooded and water
ed the valley of the Del Nore open, but wood is abun
DAFT the neighboring mountains and land h for cuisa
ton is fund almost continuously along the water courses
from the mouth Of the kansas the head Of the valley OF IN
Del Nore. p.
journey undertaken in tue winter Of lS4s49, (and in
eruped here by entering the southwark the rugge
mountain Of ST. Johns ofhe most impracicable on h
con,inen,) intended to make correct examination
this pass and the country beyond the rim Of the Gre
Bs1. TIE failure VI this expedition av only for thu
middle pution Of line such knowledge have beer
able TO obtn from sppers and Indian traders The mfr
nation thus obtained had led me to attempt its exploration
all accounts cancurrcd in representing il practicable for
road and these counts considered sufficiently reliable
According 10 Lis information the structure OF th