The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-22


and this will not be done by the Mexican popals |
ton, and cannot. by the American nothing short |
Of geographical survey made by the nited States
., M rec niy acquired i, ~ s
wealth. Iron. coal. quicksilver, copper, gold aud
silver are In abundance between the eastern bouad-
ssy Of New Mexico aud Catifornia And here We
arrive at the point where charge neglect. forget
fulness, and want Of appreciation of New Mexico,
upep our statesmen more particularly.
The Missouri compromise hue, running rs IL docs
through the extent Of New Mexico, must neoessa
rly give it an nPortant geographical position with
regard to the line Of future railroad Ny friends,
Leroux, Hatcher, and Mr.. Carson, have all and
each experience and kpo Wedge of feasible lines Of
route and travel through the ;hern portion
Of New Mexico, but il is my personal OF perience
that line Of travel is practicable, running, with
few variations, nearly directly west to San Francisco
from Missouri, and which shall accommodate the
int of the North and South, without giving
undue preponderapce to either. This line rams from
In6epe ndence or Kansas, to point Mt or about the
Turkey Creeks, on tho Santa Fe road This is 2l6
miles wagon road from ayettevile, in Arkansas.
line of railroad running through that State, com
meDcipg ut Memphis will connect the whole Of the
stesnbeat and railroad navigation Of the South with
that OF the North and central States nc the point
above named thence south Of west, until crossing
at or below Sante Fe, about thirty Ave degrees
north latitude or degree and half south Of the
compromise line; thence west to Fort Defiance in the
Navajo country, all Of which is 1t this time prAe.
ticable wagon road thence north Of west, either
crossing the Colorado below the junction Of Grand
and Green rivers above the junction Of the latter
rivers as might be found E.ost practicable from
thence to the Vegas of Santa Clara thirty six de-
grees fifteen minutes This piece Of country is
known and unexplored, that is, from the Colorado
to the above named point, but, from the appearance
and structure Of the country, rs we'll as can re-
member, 1T presents no insurmountabe obstacle.
From the Vegas of Santa Clara there 10 good
road striking due west Tor rather good road can
be made inside Of the Great Salt basin, with suf.
he
vads without any difficulty, entering the Talure
Valley Gf remember rightly) at the head Of Rio
de los Reyes, or King rver thence to the San Joa-
quin, and thence down the south western bank until
cpposits !" Pacheco's Pass of the coast range
thence TO San Jose, and thence to San Francisco
Tho advantages to be derived from folio wing this
line Of road. are great and many 1t cannot be al
legged against t that il has undue North South
tendency the coal. iron and timber, requisite in
iSA construction Of railroad, can be found IN
g--etsr abundance than known of on any proposed
IiGe vest Of this point, and confident Ob5ta-
ore 80 be encountered which capital. energy, aud
eptsrpr,pe will not snrmouns besides witch, the
nation will reap the collateral benefs Of our capital
and labor, being expended within the limits OF our
own country, without being diverted through
the cbanpel Of foreign republ cs; moreover,
the wbols OF the country on this line il
capable of maiutaiopg large population, AMI it
is not too far north to make che cold of
winter an obstacle. The crossing of the Sierra Ne
vsds. or the apprehension of the difficulties TO be
encountered there, is mere bugbesr Of the imsgi-
ration; and so it will be found am exoseilng
my prescribed bounds So reader till We meet again.
N. B-I forgot to mention in the body Of the
above, that the line l propose is full $50 leagues
sherter than any other line of travel viii ,h has
suf gested. No email item
ALBUQUERQUE, Mexico, Oct rs, 1852
My DEAR DOCTOR I send you, herewith, q copy
of the letter addressed to Mr. Phelps, of Missouri,
on the subie,t of explorations west ward from tsis
place, with . copy of Col Summers endorse nent
Write me few lines, and let me know what you
tn NIX of my views; and as shall write again by
the next mail to Washington, l would bs glad of
any suggestious from yen upon this subject
Very truly yours, JOHN PoPR.
DR. j n, Santa Fe.
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Oct rs, 1852
DEAR SJR-ln compliance ~it your request, con-
veyed TO me through tie Hon Hugbton, take
great pleasure IN giving you eli the inform alton in
my Possession concerning reported route between
tins place and California viii premise, however,
by making fe 2 remarks, which / think useful to
the full understanding of the sugges lions an
about TO offer to your notite
The absolute necessity of some closer connection
between our people the Atlantic and Pacific, and
ef facilitating inter well a. mmerce be-
twstn countries widely separated, and the very
great confederation that line Of aniea Of
srch importance should be entirely within cur wn
dOminioDs and unosr our own control have drawn
The attention Of Congress and she people 20 che |
'vsrlsrd lines OF communication With the Psa6o. !
md the prospect OF great national railroad has |
been siten and again discussed
In the confederation Of Q plan 70 gigantic, and
raught with results of such incalculabe
the comm er0ial relations Of the whole world 1t
Tot to be supposed that our government will be in
lueEcad by any opinions or prsjudiess Of q local or
eetonal character The great object to be attained
railroad connection between the tive oceans;
nd it would be cl.siiJ rise 70 be sWsyed by any
pfuence in the selection OF = commencement or
erminus 10 suoh road. except af.sr mature and
areiul examination Of every line Of communication
,etwesn tho Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean
Vhen name and tame are to be won BY tho discovery
nd location Of route 80 important, the explorer
apt 70 be too eaBguine OF his and too
ID. Mt In his opinions TO avoid being embarrassed,
the outset, by oontendug interests, il would seem
o me to be clearly the policy Of the government to
onnsnce the road at some point in the territories
Il The United States, anG without the limits Of tae !
states, aid to terminate in California, 1T some point
asily accessible to the whole lice Of coast To |
weld all danger Of unfortunate location Of the
Dad, it would undoubtedly be the part Of wisdom
o lay aside oil pre- possessions or prjudi:es and to
elect no line OF operations uatil after minute and
zrefll comparisons OF thorough explorations Of
very available route to California The petitions
# the ter Of the read, provided they be within
territories and the character Of the country
raversed rs 20 productiventss capacity for settle
nent and likelihood Of supplying freight and
ravel, are, IN "a Judgment, matters OF sesondt ry
not Of much less Importance, and csnnet se pro- ,
luetve Of any material advantage injury to tns
treat highway Of the world. TIE only matters TO
,e taken into consideration by the government are,
be comparative oistsucss between the frontiers OF
he Wsstetn States and the Pacific ocean, the char.
loter Of the country trarsrsed by the d,ffsreat
Ioaes as 70 its praoioa oilty for the construction
u railroads shich could be used st every season Of
he year. and the nesps 2ressosea by each for sup
plying the pece ssAry fusi and water
In comparison vi h these considerations, all other
matters which would be taken into account in
escting roues Of railroads for local purposes arc
# innessursby small consequence Believing sash
o be the view of the government, il il surprising
o find how much the question Of this railroad ha,
'een sgita.ed throughout the land, and how little
las yet been dooe toward furnishing inforMation
absolutely erscrtial TO any well advised considetA
ion of The means to accomplish it; with the single
reception of Fremonts petition through the Ssu,a
Pass not one exploration, under the auspices Of
government, has ever been pushed 10 toe Pacific.
The route Of General KsarDy, from this place, in
lS46, was almost entirely through the State Of
sonora, in Mexico; and from the South Pass 10 the