The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-08-19

Hon. Thomas II. Benton has wTittsn chaYAc-
testic letter upon the subject Of failroad to the
Pacific. There are indirest hits in it, which 10
those who have watched his political cosrss) viii
give it pungency and make il readable. His hit at
the Administrations. - having nxed IL eyes aupon
"a Southern sectional route hardly within The limits
OF the United Stsiss." u in entire ksspisg wiih
his recent movements and views: s.s
WAssHsroH Csfr, July y. leE1.
To Ms s.5.ss Tssss A. !:S LcSc. jan. y:s
Of the Board Of Disctsn # " Pss,hs ksksad Con-
Gentlsmsn--I did not receive your invitation 70
be present at the commencement q your great work
in time to answer II for the day.
To attend could mot, even il the time had been
longer various reasons connected with the stats
Of Mrs. Bentons health, and an occupatoA Of my
own, put it out OF my Pswer 70 return to St Louis
before September. M
take great interest in the success Of the road
Of which you make beginning. Il is the central
route, and every national consideration Requires il
to be made, and with the aid Of the national gov
eminent st. Louis, San Francisco and Washing
ton City line, and that line is through the
heart and centre Of the Union and the eyes Of the
Federal Government should be 61sd upon il. Un-
happily they seem 10 be fixed upon . southern sse-
tiona route, hardly within the liits Of the Unitsd
States. teH
send to the addfess Of the President and Direc-
tors of ycur company, dozen copiss Of q docu-
ment just printed. being report Of ssven different
reconnoizances fur Southern Fl Rass0 routs 70
San Francisco. being lhs seventh explored within
the last year BY - many dflerenE oficen, and ex-
elusive Of those previously made, and also sxclu-
sve of the survey which the Mexican Boundary
tnuaiion Of the Ei Passo route, and Of which the
amputation Of Ell Passo from New Mexico and
giving it 10 Texns, was also an auxiliary measnre
This document SHOULD open the eyes Of the people
of Missouri 10 the danger which the central route
has to encounter, and The @fced adoption of ano.
1t is true that bfarcaiss 22Ich i bsiisvs I sis.
nes fork J Of this Ei fGnoo G115o y intended 10
be conducted 10 St Louis. which, y do0e, will Be
favor host; a. no man ID msed9ri would any
more think OF going San Francisco by thar route
than Of coming 70 Washington CITY by the way d
East Florida. The central route il the only ~
tional one, and the oniy obstacle is the Rocky
Mountains, and that il no obstacle at all, a. the
country rises gradually and impeEceptibly seven 10
eight thousand feet before their base q reached,
Del Norte and 6ouih Pass between s. and %
degrees very praciicahle, and alsosdy marked Ont
by the Buffalo traiL In . spssch which made
upon this route in the last session Of Coneress.
pointed out these animals o. The original And our
most unerring toposra raphical engineem, The frs,
finders Of all good rousas, and the aisst eules "a
all road ymaken; and gave insiancss.s did MOI
know then llas the gfeas Humboldt he'd previously
written shesame thing, and, in fact, given Inc eas
Instances, but have since seen that he did = and
now add what We wrote for lhe sake Of nvincina
those who yield 10 anihority, the coviction Which
they Nfuse4 p reason. He says. /" Il il worthy
Of FeiuaSk ~ the American buffalo IA eresred
aninlueucs ~ The progress Of geography in irsck
less mountainous regions. These animals wandsl
In the winter, In seaFch Of a milder climate. n
hordes Of several thousands 10 tho south Of ~ ~
Arkansas river
SIN these migratons, their size and nm nwield;re.,
make it difficult for them 10 pass over high moun.
tains. When, therefore, azwsll trodden buffalo
path is met with, il il advisable to follow it. a. be-
ing sure to conduct TO the most convenient ~,
across the mountains. The best routes tbrourb
the Cumberland Mountains. ia the soutb. ~
PARTS Of Virginia and Kentucky, Il ~ R6ekv
Mountains, between the sources Of the Yellps
Stone and the Platte, and between the scu(ksri
branch Of the Colombia and the Rio ColoSado 8
Cal.iornis. were faus marked out befosshana u
buffalo paths. (Aspeets Of Mature. :. ~ ~
This is Ill true, and the mountain man a. shc,.
these roads and passes in y litte time a hors'
can travel to them. Thers are therefore. had,
OF good passes for the central route and q ior m
snow it is dry, and but littls impedimsnt to : 10
como.ive; and besides where deepest. it is in n
wind blows off the dry snow. Il i thus that th
railroad from Moscow to ST. Pstsrsbprg il made
n raised road and dry snow, which presents bu
little obstacle, and which the wind blows away
There is no difficulty in finding practicable pas
IN the Rocky Mountains, shout the lsttudes 36 an,
39-that is to say, on the straight line between 81
Louis and San Francisco. l have NO doubt III
whole road will be eventually made, becsuse be
lleve great object, which concerns thu welfare
millions, will, the end, succeed over all oppc
sition. II not made BY the Federal Governmsn
as it should be, it will be made piecemeal By com
PPanles PPan and communities Thus, you have bseu
3oo miles Of i q one end; ~ people Of Californi
propose beoianinu AZ fha 0kksr And .nd ~ ~ !,