Washington telegraph., 1853-09-07

ee correct IN every particular but if sucl
| is the tact, these passes have been discover
ed since lo49. At Santa Fe, in the snm.
mer OF that year, 1 consulted with some ot
the best mountain guides in New Mexico
who had frequently passed over the country
lying between the Pacific and the Rocky
Mountains, and who undoubtedly possessed
more intimate knowledge of the country
than any other men living, and they ali con-
Cured In the opinion that there was no pass
known by which wagons could reach the
Paclfc, nearer than the Gila river.
1t Is said that route has been discover
ed within few years past, crossing the
mountains through what is called Walkers
Pass This leaves the Rio Grande at a
place called Albuquerque, about forty miles
south of Santa Fe, and runs near the 35th
parallel OF latitude, some 150 miles south Of
the Gila river.
Our Government has recently ordered an
examination of this route, and we will soon
be IN possession OF authentic information
concerning it. Should it prove as good as
1t has been represented by the mountain
traveller who discovered it, | believe it will
be the most northerly feasible route for a
Pacific Railway. (unless tho one recommend
ed by Col. Fremont and Mr.. Beal should
prove as they anticipate.) The measured
distance from Albuquerque to St. Louis is
eleven hundred and forty FIVE miles, and
from the same point to Memphis, via Fort
Smith, is ten hundred and eighty miles.
imagine that there will be but little diff
hculty, so far as the surface of the country
is concerned, in constructing railroad from
Albuquerque to Saint Louis. This route,
which [ myself discovered and marked out
in lS49 commences at Fort Smith, Arkan-
sas, and follows near the valley of the Can
adian upon the south side of that stream, for
(600) miles, when it leaves the river traves-
ing rolling rraa;;TT;;e prairie country in very di-
rect course for Albuquerque to Santa Fe
On leaving Fort Smith, this road passes over
gently undulating district, covered for the
the most part with heavy timber, occasional
ly interspersed with small prairics which af-
ford the very best of grass for eight months
in the year, and is interseeted by numerous
perennial spring brooks, flowing over pro-
ductive soil which renders it altogether one
of the very best of agricultural sections
This character continues for hundred
the 99th deg. of west longitude, where the
road emerges from the wood lands, and
strikes the plains, where there is but little
timber, except on the immediate water
courses; the soil becomes thin and sandy.
and owing to the periodical drought of the
summer season, it cannot be made available
for agriculture without the aid OF artificial
irrigation; there is, however, sufficient water
upon this portion of the route to serve the
purpose of railroad at all seasons, and the
wood is sufficient for fuel for long time.
Immediately on leaving Gross Timber
near the 99sh meridian of longitude, the
road strikes a ridge which separates the Ca
madam river from Washita. and continues
upon it to the sources of the latter stream,
distance of about three hundred miles
This dividing ridge runs In very direct
course for Albuquerque, is hrm and leEel,
and makes one OF the best natural roads L
ever seen. From the head of the Washita
river the road continues near the valley Of
the Canadian for one hundred miles, occa-
sionally crossing small afiuents which fur
nish the traveller with water. The arabic
soil upon this route extends very near the
same distance west as upon the Missouri
route. or what is called the Santa Fe track
but I am informed by persons who have
passed over both routes, that they regarded
the one leading from Arkansas as presenting
fewer obstacles to the construction of a rail
wav than the other Should the reconnois-
ance that is about being made prove the i'm
practicability of carrying the road through
s.Walker's Pass it will be necessary to go
further south. In the summer Of 1919.
T was directed to escort company OF emil
Grants from Fort Smith to New Mexico, on
their way to California. Upon our arrival
At Santa Fe we ascertained that there was
no route known by which wagons could pen
citrate the range of Sierra Nlanibres" noun
tains. north Of the Gila river 1t there be-
came necessary for the emlgrants to turn to
the south, and travel three hundred miles
down the Rio Grande, before they reached
the point of departure from this river. 1t
then occurred to me that if road could be
found from this point in a direct course for
Fort Smith, it would be much shorter than
tbe one we had made along the Canadian, L
accordingly left the Rio Grande at place
called "Donna Ana,'' and was entirely sue
cessful in my efforts to discover and es'ao-
lish good road between the two points be-
fore mentioned. This road, for 300 miles
from the Rio Grande, traverses an elevated
nrairie country, intersected by three ranges
IF mountains, upon which there is much
aood nine timber. We were enabled, how.
ever to pass at the bases of these mountains
where there was but very little elevation OF
denression in the general surface of the
country: there are broad swells of surface
with the spacious valleys intervening. bu
the ascents and decents to these are so Sigh
as to offer but little impediment to the con
structiou of railroad. After passing thi
& o$