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

u
tested with hostile Indians, with market for their
products, and absolutely without incentive TO any
labor beyond what IL actually necessary for their
daily subsistanoo. With the golden regions of
Of Missouri o, the other, they can offer few indu,e-
ments for emigration add settlements to people
from our own country. The sstablishment of
great national highway through their midst,
produce and the constant intercourse and &C ,uain-
ance with the people Of the United States, thus
thrown open to them. would greatly elevate their
social and political condition, and the Inducements
to locate themselves presented to the emisrants
would soon ensure that infusion of American popu-
laton, aud consequent amalg alton with this race,
which would sbbreviste, by many years, the pro.
baton through which they must yet pass before
they will cease to DO burthen and IN expense to
our government The crowds of hardy and adven-
turous emgrants who have penetrated through the
South Pass into the valley of the Salt Lake. and to
Oregon, have carried with them knowledge of our
government, m experience OF its vie and benc-
fcia results. and attachment 70 our institutions,
which will enable them to establish and maintain
agovernme mt far in corsonance with our az to
entite them, ~ soon - the populatons Sufficient,
to admission into tho community of States Of the
Union Not so with New Mexico; and, in my judg-
nent, no better digested plan for ameliorating the
coalition Of these people, and fitting them for .
participation in the benefits Of our free institutions,
can be proposed, than to promote by every means
in power, intercourse with the people Of the
United States In view of the considerations, thus
presented 70 your notice, it seems but reasonable
to believe that the government should leek with
great anxiety to the discovery ofa practicable roste
to California through the midst of New Mexico.
The country between the frontiers of Missouri,
within certain limits to the SOUTH and some point
on the Rio Grande, within one hundred and City
miles to the south Of Santa Fe, presents facilities
for the construction OF rail or wagon 70 I'd rarely
met with in any part Of the world, and has been
sufficiently traversed, in many directions, to render
the selection of route without further examtna-
ton, matter Of little difficulty The deep and in
accessible rocky ravinss, or cafons through which
flow most Of the large tributaries of the Arkansas
and Mississippi rivers in their passage across the
plains, would render any wagon road impraetioabls
and any railroad exceedingly difficult of coAstruc
ton further to the south than the present road
from Independence to Santa Fe These cshons are
several hundred feet in depth, Wholly inaccessible
to wagons, and. III most instances, to horses and
on foot, and are found on all the streams, both
north and south OF the present route.
Even should IL be fousd practicable to make n
road through Arkansas, or Texas, it would be ns-
cesssry, uniets continued through somo part Of old
Mexico, to diverge at right angles to the north
after striking the Rio Graz de- aud to pursue tbs
valley OF that stream to point nearly in the yic-
nifty Of Albuquerque.
The route through San Diego, in California,
crossing the Rio Grsnde near Albuquerque, and
passing through Independence, in Missouri, wsald
be nearly straight to New York Little grading
would be required far west as the Rio Grauds;
WOOD and water are found Vt convenient intervals,
and coal beds Of good quality have already been
discovered along some of the streams. Evea
4 casual exaninstion will exhibit the great
advantages offered by this over any other; and
should the statements in regard to continuance Of
The road TO The Pacific De VERIFIED it caonot fail
Dent the attention of the government From the
Rio Grande westward tho matter is still in some un
certainty: AID will proceed to describe, nearly
rs pCsslble, three routes TO the Pacific which are
confidently stated to be easily traversed IT an
GODS Of abe year These routes you will fin n ark
ri a nd n hair
directions, snd the distances along them
viii be easily perceptible The southernroute leaves
the Rio Grande ut Val Verde, and proceeds nearly
wet TO the Great Colorado, which it crosses at
the mouth Of the Mpjuve river.
The ceatral route crosses the Rio Grande at Albu-
qurque passes the dividing ridge between the waters
o. the Atlantic and Pacific, aud, descending upon
the Isno river, tributary Of the great Colorado,
follows the valley Of that stream and its continent,
the Little Colorado, to o point about four hundred
miles west Of the Rio Grsnde The route DIVORCES
at that point; the one called Walkers and travelled
by him ghs spring Of 1861, proceeds direct TO the
Colorado, which it crosses lmned atsiy below sahe
Great Canon. The other, described by Mr. Leroux,
an old aud intelligent noun taneer, crosses he Co
dorado at the mouth Of the Aojuve river and folow
tse valley Of that stream TO the settlements in Cali
torEis, which stated by HIM 10 be only six days
journey from the great Colorado The only diff
cultes along tnese routes rs l understand, are the
accents and desoents, Of two CT three hundred feet
each, to and from the meGr or table lands, and.a
distance, in two insssnoes, them Of sixty
or seventy miles without water. These thugs are
but triflng obstacles TO railroad, and, for wagon
travel could be easily obviated, by some action Of
the government.
These three routes unite In the valley of the No
juve river, and pass through the Tnlari valley,
formed by the abrupt termmstions Of the Sierra
which the whole coast OF California is easily accesi
BE From Albuquque to San Diego the journey
was made by Mr. Walker in thirty days. over dis
lance Of nearly seven hundred miles
The routes can be safely travelled 1T all seasons
of the year and, in fact, the winter ID preferred in
sequence Of the abundant supply Of water afford
ed BY the SHOWS along the mountains The valiies
prreued are never difficult passage from the SHOWS
or cold weather, and the grass Is of fair quality
throughout the year. Weed is very abuadaat along
The whole route, in the vaies and along the noun.
tain ridges The entire distance from lnde pendencs
to San Diego, by the central route, would be- rough
y, about fifteen hundred Miles--nore than three
hundred miles less than by the South Pass to San
FraI cisco. and through region Of mild and e NAL
In an expedition into he Navajo
country, along this route, from which have just
returned, ] crossed the main chain Of the Rocky
Mountains, passing rom the waters wing into the
Gulf Of Mexico 70 those dischArging themselves into
the Calf Of California
From the Rio Grande TO the Pueblo OF Zufo, on
tributary Of the Colorado, distance Of one hundred
and City miles, there wss absolutely ns obs acle 70
any kind Of road; and rs in this distance crossed
the main divide between the waters Of the Atlantic
and Ps.iee, where AL the difficulty ought to 10 ~.
pretended it seems Incredible that from thence to
the Pacific NO good route could be found. CsIsSn Ls
ionx ,aLd Hatsher, celebrated among the guides
and nouptaneeis of the West ieAtJy assert that
an excellent road can be foand along either Of the
routes above mel ticpes and assure that they
viii, one or al, accompany any exploration which
sets ont with this view, aud pledge themselves for
it's sueeefsful Issue They state that west Of the
Great Colorado NO obstacle whatever will be en-
conntered in reaching any point Of the California
&C art, sDd seem quite confident that ssthins seri-
Gus will impede the construction Of road between
the Rio Grande and that stream
The third, or Northern route, leaves the Rio
Grande ut Cshsda, twenty. 6vs miles north Santa
Fe, and fojIs~s the trail, BY Abiqo, 20 the Pasbo
Of Los Argelos, in California Ihis reate is more
rugged and more sbjeetiora Dlc on aseoun of SHOWS
asa cold weather, and is Of little impoftasss should
she Central or Southern rsu,es b found available
am aware that these routes are inperfsctly do
scribed, rs they are merely represented 70 you from
With these who have traversed then,
AID ne one capable Of making inclined to make .
map Of them, hss ever yet travelled ever sherA