Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-11
LETTER FROM Mr.. BENTON
Central National Highway from the Mississippi
Riuer % Me Pacifc.
PEOPLE OF MISSO URL

practical FORM and is about to receive its solution in the
authoritative examination of the country and the selec
ton Of the route. An appropriation has been made by
Congress for the examinations, and the selection Of the
route is referred TO the next Congress This WELL and
will give the CENTRAL route fair chance although the
MEMPHIS SOUTHERN route has gained immense ad-
vantage il in the surveys which have been
made, and the long concentration OF the pubic opinion
upon it.
The Central route has been advocated by Col Fremont
for four years. and his preference for publicly made
known. From the time of his first survey of the (ms-
caed SouTH PASS he deemed that pass to be too far
north for California and subject to other objections
and therefore sought along the summit of the Rocky
mountains, and along its base both Sides for Passes
further south and found them in several places in the
THREE PARKS and at head Of the Arkansas But he ana
aot consider the examinations complete until he should
search the head of the Rio Grande del Norte where the
Information of the mountain and the course OF the
bualoes led him TO expect to find the best Pass ana IN
the best country and on the straghtet line OF comuni
cation between the central parts OF the Valley OF the
Mississippi and the Bay Of San Francisco.
This was the object of his last expedition, undertaken
at his expense, in the winter OF 1915 after ne
had resigned his place in the army of the United States
and the event though ardy and after great disaster
has realized all his expectations Upon his arrival at
Taos and SANTA FE after that disaster every body could
tell him land especially Mr.. Antoine Leroux) how near
he had been to his objectthat he the point OF
going through the fine Pass at the head of the valley of
the Del Norte when his guide from deplorabe mistake
and against his convictions and remonsrances turned
him of the valley and led him upon the stupendous
heights and deep of the SIERRA SAN JUAN Though
baked and turned back he had enough to his
object know it there and to know that it pas
sable in winterand in that winter, which one of
the deepest and earliest ever known He had
cd from the Upper Arkansas through the SIERRA BLANCA
the broad and rich valley the head of the Del Nore
which leads the PASS and had surmounted every OBJ
sacle that lay his way In three days. without cross
ing swell in the ground being able to detect the
point of the divorce of the waters he would have been on
the of the Rocky mountains the waters OF the
Great Colorado of the West in country Of wood and
grass, and in climate comparatively mild in fact he
would have been there less time than his guide got him
the place of his disaster The information received at
Taos and Santa Fe completed his knowledge both of this
Pass and of the country beyond it. and left him perfectly
satisfied in his mind that the true route eoas found
and he communicated this important fact to the Railroad
Convention in Philadelphia, in April 1850, in letter,
which published; and also sent to the Convention
sketch of the route indicated map.
Col Fremont and were both in Congress at that time
and Immediately went work develop this route; but
both left out of Congress that year. and the CEN
lost its advocates and disappeared from the view
of Congress and the people, and has remained unnotced
for three years. while the Southern emphs route has
monopozed attention and acquired eugrossing promi
But the time has arrived for the neglected route
to appear upon the again. and in form secure
for it share of the public attention The people of ST.
Louis Congressional district elected to the House Of
Representatives last summer; and came here to work
during the winter; though not in the House 1t has
happened that Mr. Antoine Leroux, the best qualified
in the world speak the subject mot excepting
the renowned Christopher Carson has arrived here also
and from him have received the information embodied
IN winch not merely the
practicable, but the easy and excellent character Of the
route, and which statement herewith present:
STATEMENT OF MR.. LERoUx.
At the request of Col Benton l. Antoine Leroux native Of
St Louis Of Missouri and inhabtant Of Taos in New
Mexico do make the following statement in relation to the
Pass at the head of the valley of the Del Nore
country each side of that Pass ard also the road
from Missouri California And first tell how got
ed with the country
In year 1920 when was in my nineteenth year,
joined Ashley Major Henry in an expedition of
to he nd
tains and after years in that part Taos
in New Mexico and afterwards married there, have
made my home since and from that place carried
the business of beaver apper for about fifteen years. gene
rally the Of the Great Colorado the West; and
from the ella the head Of the Grand River fork Of the Up
per Colorado, and the Great Salt Lake and the
Of Wah Satch Mountain and out to the ygen River and
have been four times California and guide great many
American officers employed Mexico, and know the country
from New Mexico to California
will now describe the Pass
head Of the valley Del Nore there broad Pass
about eight miles WIDE called by the Utah Indians Coochd
top and by the Mexican Spanards FL Puerto and which
mites in both languages The Cap the Gate and has been
known 10 the SpanaTds since they settled in New
Mexico and by the Indians always. II is made by the
Sierra San juan which up from the south the west
side Of the Del Norte and gres there and by the Sierra
Bdnc which in from the east like going to join
the San juan but of north round the head of the Ar
kansas and towards the Three Parks and eight miles wide
Here between these two mountains the Pass which out
level from the valley Of the Del Norte (and looking like
tnuation Of which leads to the upper waters Of the Great
Colorado the West The Del Norte does head in this
Pass but in the San Juan Mountains little south OF the Pass
whore there is also Pass but for the winter,
account Of the in it, There is small creek in the
Pass called by the oochaope which comes out
from the end Of the San Juan and goes about eight miles east
towards the Del Nore but stops small lake, out Of which
little stream gets the Del Nortewhich shows how level
the country IS The Pass heavily mbered with large pine
and with pinon there be small oaks
not certain There is much in this Pass and
people 20 through all winter and when there is much
in the mountains the A5qu route (Which the Old
Spanish Trail California; the people Of Taos round this
way and get into that trail in the forks Of Grand and Green
lint
there many trails going the Abiquiu road and
the country This Pass is laid down
map the War Office, made by Lieut. Parke and Mr.
r. H. and Is named after me- because gave 1t
about it. 1t the only map have seen
that shows that Pass and the best have that
Of the country and with little correction would be perfect
As for the country each side Of the Pass viii descrbe
:, - - sat rrst.
There IL large valley the about fifty sixty miles
wide and hundred miles long reaching from the
cha 10 the Taos settlements Mt the Little Colorado
The Del Norte through this valley, which the widest
and best valley in all New Mexico and hold people
than all New Mexico besides Ii is all prairie except the
creeks the river the mountain Sides which
well wooded 1t s rich soil and covered with good grass,
and wooded all the The spanards called ii Eli
VALE SAN Luis, and il formerly famous for Wild
horses and buoes and since Taos settled by the
Spanads the inhabitants their sheep and cattle there
winter Before the Utah Indians became bad the stock
many 900 CO. coo head Of SHEEP and cattle have
been driven there winter which they did we'll feeding
The grass during the day sheerng the woods about
the shepherds campat night Most Of the winters there is
along Of the the north side of this
valley being sheltered the north and open the
the south The United States established military post
this Wiley the Pass FL ange dc Christie
and about hundred families gone there 70 live chief
y the Fort and raised crops there last years and
that they have protection, the valley will be all settled
will be the biggest and best part Of New Mexico Abou
three hundred families more we're preparing 70 move there
The post IL called Fort Massachusetts,.
- .lll l a l. - H.