Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-08

|
from Col. Benton in our hands for publica
ton:
WASHINGTON, July 80, 1851.
TO Messrs. Thomas dHen, James III. Lu
cas-, James Il. Yeatman, Hudson Z
| Bridge, and Edvard Harcn, q Com.
mittee ofMe Board Of Directors ofMt
Pac5fc Railroad Compaay:
GENTLEMEN: | did not receive your in.
vitatlon 10 be present at the commencement
of your great work in time to answer il
for the day. To attend l could not even
II the time had been longer, as reasons con.
ncctcd with the state of Mrs Benton's
health, and an occupation of my own, pu,
it out of my power to return to ST. Louis
before September.
| take great interest III the success of lle
road Of which you make "A beginning. Ii
is the central route, and every national con
sidcration requires it to he made, and with
the aid of the National Government. St
Louis, San Francisco, and Washington
city are on line, and that line is through
the heart and centre of the Union, and the
eyes of the Federal Government should be
fixed upon it. Unhappily, they seem to be
| fixed upon Southern sectional route
hardly within the limits of the United
States. ] send TO the address of the Pres
| ident and Directors of your Company u
dozen copies of a document just printed
being a report of seven different rcconnos-
sances for Southern Ell Paso route 10 San
Francisco--being the seven explored with
in the last year by as many different Of
iicers, and exclusive of those previously
made, and also exclusive of the survey
which the Mexican boundary commission
is to make on the Gila river, as continua.
| ton ofthe El Paso route; and of which the
amputation of Ell Paso from New Mexico
and giving it to Texas was also an auxilla-
ry measure. This document should opcr
the eyes of the people of Missouri to the
| danger which the central route has to en-
counter, and the forced adoption ofanothci
condemned by every national consideration
1t is true that "b.tarcotion" (Which be
leve signifies a ,forh) of this Ell Paso route
is intended to be conducted TO St. Louis
which, if done, will be favor lost, as lit
man in Missouri would any more think ol
going to San Francisco by that route thar
Of coming to Washington city, by way oI
East Florida. The central route is the on.
ly national one. and the only obstacle is the
Rocky Mountains, and that is no obstacle
at ALL as the country rises gradually and
imperceptibly 1000 10 5000 feet before
their base is reached, and there are ther
many passes between the head of the de
Norte and South Pass--betwccn 3S and
~ degrccs-vcry practicable, and already
marked out by the buffalo trails. In d
speech which made on this route at the
last session of Congress pointed out these
animals as the original and most uncrrina
oitopographical engineers, the first finders
of all good routes. and the safest guides tc
| all road makers: and gave instances.
did not know then that the great Humboldt
had previously written the same thing
and in fact gwen the same instances, but
have since seen that he did; ard now add
what he wrote, for the sake Of convincing
those who yield to authority the conviction
which they refuse to reason. He says:
at is worthy of remark that the Amer
/
progress of geography in trackless noun
famous regions.
These animals wander in the winter III
search Of mildcr climate, in herds Of sew
eral thousands, TO the south of the Arlsan
sas river. In these migratons their size
and unwicldiness make it difficult for them
to pass over high mountains. When, there
fore, a well-trodden buffalo path is mel
with, ii is advisable to follow it, as being
sure to conduct to the most convenient pas.
across the mountains. The best routes
through the Cumberland Mountains, il
the southwest part of Virginia and Ken
tucky, in the Rocky Mountains, between
the sources of the Yellow Stone aud tho
Platte, and betwcenthe southern branch ol
the Columbia and the Rio Colorado o.
California, were thus marked out before
hand by buffalo paths."-Aspects IF Ma
ture, p. 62.
This is all true, and the mountain mer
can show these roads and passes in as littl,
time as a horse can travel TO them. Their,
are, therefore, plenty of good passes fo
the central route: and as for the snow, it i
dry, and but little impediment to loco
motive; and besides, where deepest it is il
ravines and gorges where the road is raiset
and the wind blows OFF the dry snow. |
is thus that the railroad from Moscow Il
St Petersburghismade-a raised road an,
dry snow which presents but little obstacle
and which the wind blows away. Their,
is no difficulty in finding practicable pas
in the Rocky Mountains about the latitud
3S and 80; that is to say. on the straigh
line between St. Louis and San Francisco
1 have no doubt the whole road will b,
eventually made, because believe grea
object which concers the welfare Of million
will in the end succeed over all opposition