Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1853-05-12
Letter from Kit Carson Route to the Pa
cifc--South Pass,

The following letter, will, considering the
source from which il comes, be read with
interest at this time, when the question OF
the most eligible Railroad Route TO the
Pacific is occupying so large share OF the
public attention:
SANTA FE, March 81, 1853.
SIR:--l find the following sentences in a
letter addressed by you to the Santa Fe Ga
zette:
| see writer in the New York Tribune,
who processes TO have visited Fort Laramie
in lS49, and then and there saw Mr. Kit
Carson, quotes that gentleman as in favor Of
the South Pass. have ventured 10 doubt
the statement that Mr.. Carson prefers the
route through Utah, and have claimed him as
friend tn the. New Mexican route. Iwish
he would write TO me as soon as may be,
and give me his opinion, with all the testi-
mony which his valuable experience and
sagacity on such subjects can supply.
You are perfectly right in claiming me as
friend to the route through New Mexico.
| consider it as far, far preferable to the
route through Utah Territory. know but
one route across the continent which can be
travelled winter and summer, and over re-
markedly level country, and that one must
cross the Rio Grande del Norte within so
or 60 miles of Santa Fe, and from thence as
direct TO the California Mountains as the ma
ture of the country will allow. The pass
known as walkers Pass" through the
mountains is good one, and has no very
abrut ascents or descents. There is anoth-
err pass higher up, which is nearly if not
quite as good as "Walker's. That comes in
somewhere about one of the "Four Creeks"
and DR.. Maggie, of Santa Fe, has mentioned
to me the factth a reliable and intelligent
man, an old mountainer, and whose state
ments know are to be depended upon, hav-
ing passed from the Vegas of Santa Clara
and Alternating his course due west reach
ed the Tulare Valley, passing over coun-
try, which, to use his own words, you could
drive ten mule team through anywhere
There is no manner Of doubt that the trail
from Albuquerque by Zuni, along the head
waters of the streams that run into the Gil
la, and then crossing the big river about the
"Mohave," and SO on, is the easiest road
that can be found. The only objection that
L know of is, that graat part of the coun-
try along there is very barren, in fact so
bad that the wolves can't make living, and
then it comes into the Tulare Valley at its
very southern extremity, and you have to
renup 3 or 400 miles to strike the bay of
San Francisco-so that if you could make
a little more northing it would be better.-
Mr. Fremont had always expressed wish
to me to examine the country along the south
ern limit Of the basin, and if his explora-
tions had not been stopped, that would have
been his next enterprise.
On the other hand, l consider the road
by the "South Pass" as almost impractical
BILE. have no faith in it. The SHOWS lie
early and late in both the "Rocky' and
Snowy" mountain countries. 1t is easy
enough the ascent of the Snowy mountains
going up from the eastern side, but on the
west it falls right off, and its like going up
ladder to get out of the California valleys to
the top of the mountains any where that
know Of so far north. AS TO the SHOWS,
you folks that live in the States know Moth
ing about them. Why, sir, it SHOWS harder
and longer, and faster and more of it, high
up in those California mountains than per-
haps any other place in Gods world. l am
not alone in my opinion on the subject about
which you have written to me. Any old
mountaineer that knows anything about it
will say that the Southern route trough New
Mexico is the best.
am. sir, yours very truly,
c. CARSON.
To WIN. S. ALLEN, Esq, St. Louis.