The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-02-17

crisi, and can be purchased at reasonable u &
are, a iull supply could be carried by me 'enaei
| 10 suffice the locomotive until the Tram iea'"e'
lthc Checaaue or Skunk river, where coal can
also be Obtained, and the engine driven 10 ms
Des Mones, where coal also aponnas iron,
which point further supply q TINS iuei Gou y
be used 10 carry the train to the ocuhen hi"n,
Whether coal has been discovered al any point
on the Missouri north oi the Kansas river, ! am
not advised. | have seen il at Lexington, anu
i we have reliable niormaiion that Il exists on
the waters OF the Kansas IN Nebraska. we
j have no evidence Of the existence o coal on TIE
i Platte: at least We know Of none from the
mouth Of the Platte othe mouth oil the South
Fork, nor has 1t, we believe, been fouad on eth
err The North or South Forks, until you approach
| their sources near the mountains.
ANY route 10 the Mountains, across the
/ plains from the Missouri river, either north OF
i south OF the Platte, will, we fear, be found but
scanily supplied with coal or wool, and 70 rem
edy this, Gepots, would have to be established on
The Main Platte, and the supplies obtained iron
the Kansas. The discovery OF the Coal BASIN
| BY Capt Stonsburs, extending iron The NOUN
OF Bitter Creek to Bridger's pass, would enahl.
ihe carriers en- me proposed read to establish , a
| pot on the Platte, or some other point midway
between Grand Island ana the base OF the
Mountains. Coal, howey r, does not exist near
The sources o! the Platte, and careful survey
by competent mincralaglSts might lead 10 III
discovery in the valley OF The Man Platte river,
or IN the lower part Of the valley oil the South
Fork
In getting TO the Pacific BY any OF the many
routes Indicated, whether north or south, scar
city OF fuel OF every description will be expert
eaced. Oar great Plains are iamentabiy bare
Of fuel. aud this must 10 some extent be rene
died, in order TO make Railroad available. /
know OF no route, however, starting from the
Mississippi, north Of the State OF Missouri, so adj
santaeeous as the Rock Island ronte. You viii
have fuel 10 Grand Island on the Platte, and
you can do no better IN reference 10 iuel BIZ any
of he other proposed routes. From Utah Luke
or tile Mormon Cttv, across the greet Basin. the
government will doubtless direct speedy sur
yey 10 Be made b. competent engineers, with a
view 10 discover the best trad for The proposed
great highway TO the Pacific. TIE Country
southwest OF the Mormon statements and ex
tend ne TO The Sierra Neveda, between 81 AMI
38, is 10 us perfect think | have no doubt,
however, that a road will be carried across il IN
preference to following the Staaogs course OF the
Nahsafeh cham, To the Spanish settlements, east
Of Los Angios and the nee north TO san Francis.
co. Southern iron highway, va the Re-
Grande and the RIVER Zuni, crossing the Co ora-
do degree or Two above the mouth of the G IA,
could well afford To dlverse 10 the south as far
as 81. but no, 50 with our northern route 10 Cal
.fornia. We ought not 10 @ south Of IS or 40,
else the distance to San Francisco will b. great
s. increased.
Coal has been found bv Colonel Washington
west OF the Sierra Madre in New Mexico, and
therefore / think The National Government viii,
IN the event OF the passage OF bill authorizing
the construction OIL a southern road TO California,
direct and require the engineers IN traYersing
the region from the Rlo GFande 10 the Colorado,
to kus the coal BASIN, in order that fuel may be CD
tanned Procure nj yoar earliest convenience.
II practicable, a copy oil s,ansbury's work. aua
examine tbs maps delneatinJ his hpmeward
ronte, ron Salt Lake Cry, and then point on
% the people OF your yIenage the peculiar
ia ltatian Of Davenport rs the eastern terminus
81 the proposed northern highway 10 California.