New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-05-04
Railroad Route to the Paoi6c-Lsttsr from
KIT Carson.

Railroad Route to the Paoi6c-Lsttsr from
We find in the st. Louis Intelligencer, Of the
29th ult., the following communication from the
we'll known mountain traveler, Kit Carson, in
reference to the most practicable route to the
Pacific. Carson's opinions are, doubtless, worthy
Of consideration, yet it will be seen that he diff
fers in many material points to others whose
observations entitle their views to equal con-
SANTA FE, March 27, 1858.
SIR: find the following sentences in letter
addressed by you to the Santa re Gazette:
al see writer in the New York Tribune,
who professes to have visited Fort Laramie In
le49. and then and there saw Mr.. Kit Carson,
quotes that gentleman as in favor Of the South
pass. have ventured to doubt the statement
that Mr.. Carson prefers the route through
Utah, and have claimed him as friend to the
New Mexican route. l wish he would write to
me as soon as may be, and give me his opinion,
with all the testimony which his valuable ex-
perience and sagacity on such subjects can
You are perfectly right in claiming me as a
friend to the route through New Mexico.
consider it as far, far preferable to the route
through Utah Territory. l know but one route
ter and summer, and over remarkably level
country, and that one must cross the Rio Grande
del Norte within fifty or sixty miles Of Santa
Fee, and from thence as direct to the California
Mountains as the nature of the country will
allow. The pass known as "Walker's Pass y
through the mountains is good one and has
no very abrupt ascents or descents. There is
another pass higher up, which is nearly, if not
quite, as good as Walkers" That comes in
somewhere about one of the g Four Greeks" and
DR.. Nangle, of Santa Fe, has mentioned to me
the fact that reliable and intelligent man, an
old mountaineer, and whose statements know
are to be depended upon, having passed from
the Vegas of Santa Clara and after making his
course due west, reached the Tulare Valley
passing over country which, to use his OWL
words, you could drive ten mule team through
anywhere.
There is no manner of doubt that the trai
from Albuquerque by Zuni. along the heat
waters of the streams that run into the Gila
and then crossing the big river about the "Mo
have, and SO on, is the easiest road that can b.
found. The only objection that know of, is
that great part of the country along there il
very barren, in fact, SO bad that the wolves
can't make living; and then it comes into tn,
Tulare Valley at its very southern extremity
and you have to run up three or four hundred
miles to strike the Bay of San Francisco-s,
that, if you could make little more northinl
it would be better. Mr.. Fremont had Away
expressed q wish to me to examine the country
along the Southern limit Of the basin, and if hi
explorations had not been stopped, that woult
have been his next enterprise. ~
On the other hand, l consider the road by tn
South Pass as almost impracticable. have NJ
faith in it. The SHOWS lie early and late in boil
the g Rocky and Snowy mountain coun
tries. 1t is easy enough the ascent of the Snow.
mountains going up from the eastern side, Blu
on the,west it falls right off, and its like goinl
up ladder to get out Of the California valley
to the top of the mountains any where that
know of SO far north. As to the SHOWS, yo'
folks that live in the States know nothing abou
them. Why, sir, it SHOWS harder and longer
and faster and more of it, in the Californi
mountains than perhaps any other place il
Gods world. l am not alone in my opinion
upon the subject about which you have writte
to me. Any old mountaineer that knows an
thing about it, will say that the Southern rout
through New Mexico is the best.
! am, sir, yours very truly, G. CARSON.
To VIM. s. Allen, Esq, st. Louis