The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-05-11
From the st. Louis Intelligcncet OF the 2sth uit.
.ETTER FROM KIT CARSON-ROUTE

From the St. Louis IntelligcRces OF the 2sth u't
LETTER FROM KIT CARSON-ROUTE
TO THE .PACIFlC-sOUTH PASS.
The following letter, which has been handed
70 us for publication, will, considering tho source
from which it comes, be read with interest at
this time, when the question Of the most eligible
Railroad Route u the Pacific is occupying 50
large share of the public attention:
SANTA FE, March n, 1853
Sin: find the following sentences in let
ter addressed by you to the Santa Fe Gazette
l see writer in the New York Tribune, who
Processes to have visited Fort Laramie IN lo49,
and then and there saw MIR. XII Carson, quotes
that gentleman as in favor OF the Souih fass-
l have ventured to doubt the statement that Mr.
Carson prefers the route through Utah, and
have claimed him as friend to the New Mex.
lean route wish be would write to me as soon
as may be, and give me his opinion, with all the
testimony which his valuable experience ana
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. l know but one route
across the continent which can be travelled WIN
ter and summer, and over remarkably level
country, and that one must cross the Rio Grande
del Norte within so or 90 miles Of Santa Fe,
and from thence as direct TO the California
Mountains as the nature Of the country will al
low. The pass known as "Walker's Pass
through the mountains is "a good one and has no
very abrupt ascents or descents. There is an
other pass higher up, which is nearly iii not quite
as rood as oWalkt RS" That comes in some
where about one of the s'Four Creeks" and
DR.. Nangle, of Santa Fe, has mentioned TO me
the fact that, a reliable and intelligent man, al
old mountaineer, and whose statements know
are to be depended upon, having passed from
the Vegas of Santa Clara aud after making hi:
course due west. reached the Tulare Valley
passing over a country, which to use his owl
words, you could drive ten mule team through
anywhere. There is no manner of doubt tina
the trail from Albuquerque by Zuni, along thu
head waters of the streams that run into thu
ella, and then crossing the big river about tat
"Mohave," and so on, is the easiest road tina
can be found The only objection that | know
of, is, that great part of the country along
there is very barren, in fact SO bad that thu
wolves can't make a living; and then il comes
into the Tulare Valley at its very southern ex
tremity, and You have to run up or 400 mile
to strike the bay of San Francisco-so that
you could make little more northern 1t woul'
be better. Mr.. Fremont had always expressed
wish to ME to examine the country along tn
SOut0efn limit Oh TIE OuSlus dAu u CAPs"lo'
tons had not been stopped, that would hav
been his next enterprise.
On the other hand, do consider the road b.
the "South Pass as almost impracticable.
have no faith in it. The SHOWS lie early an
late in both the "Rocky" and "Snowy' noun
tain countries. 1t is easy enough the ascent 9
the Snowy mountains going up from the easter
side, but on the west it falls right off and it
like going up ladder to get out of the Califo'
mia valleys to the top Of the mountains an
where that know of SO far north. As to tn
SHOWS, you folks that live in the States kno'
nothing about them. Why, sir, it SHOWS harde
and longer, and faster and more of it, high up
those California mountains than perhaps in an
other place in COPS world | am not alone !
my opinions upon the subject about which ye
have written to me. Amy old moun:aineer th'
knows anything about it will say that the Souti
ern route through New Mexico in the best.
am, sir, yours very truly,
G. CARSON.
To WV. s. ALLEN, ESQ.,, st. Louis.