The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-21

WAsHIsoros. December II. 1888


by me in the Senate the 18th OF this month, on the
reference OF my bill in aid OF the construction OF railroads
IN California, leading from the shores OF the Pac'hc
across the mountains the direction OF the States upon
This assault upon the character of The papers read BY
me to the Senate i perfect sutpnse Wns snoss @
,icipa,.d and substantially ssd by Mr. Beals aud Mf
Hesp Who under Col Benton's auspices, went over Ills
favone route, and whose observaoss were published
from time 10 time by Col Benton himself. IN your paper
Mr. Htap and MIR Beale and are devoted friends oil
Col B.nloa-,he latter, amid the fearful disasters al The
Colorado, boldly declaring to him that rather Than bring
mos,ifcalon 10 you, would die twice. The following
is their account, published by Col Renon IN The
National lnteligencer of October IL, 1853, only two
nontns ago:
~Itwus Of the greatest regret and dissppoint-
sn 10 Beaie ard myself that after having followed the
route you traced for om Wesport 70 the MoAave,
we compelled 70 sbandon our ,nienlon OF ente,ns
Ca.ooia throu Rh Walkers Pass On reaching the Mo.
have aninlais corn pletey broken down, and
uauy of the foot Oar main reliance for snb'ist-
ence the game able 10 kill, which con-
sisu of occasional sage rabbit Oar only remaining
provision pnos which was reduced 10 lew spoons-
iuIl day; yei, had our mnes been able 10 Havr we
would followed your plan to the end; bur their
cou.i.,ion rendered his impossible. -
ysiey entering 1t through The Tejon tIsyhone) fass
which also .ods ras - o me IasS ,Sas o
The Cabon, JON, or Cascon Cahons Pas al the head
aThere ars 100 equally god passes through the
tans the great !u'are valley vz walkers Pass near
the sd Of Keen river WHICH affords an entrance
no the va ey somewhat the norhward OF its upper
southern and the Ielon Iayhone) fass, which
lis The pon, Of uncnon Of The sierra Nevada and C,a
usually eled other from the Great Salt Lake D'sefi or
nom valley & Los Aaste; !. has isansn,y nst been
Lake Bnenavs. Kern Lake, s about hheen miles to
the norhward Of dis pass and It is emphaticaly al the
Walkers Pass is li,e known here. Leroux evidenty
meant the Tvjon tTayhone) Pass, when he spoke Of
Walkers"
This extract proves the aoxiety of these " fol-
low the route traced for them by Col Benton, bul
were conpe pelled to abandon H. We would hav. toi-
lowed oui YOUR plan the end, but hh (lhe mues)
ton rendered TINS impossible" Hence lney took bet
Ter route. Mr.. Heap says u'ther:
the desert Ieain.d IT. lsye and mono,onons character
until arrived the NJ ,have river, al 7, our an
mails almost prr,shiug from hunger and ih,rs,"
:. Al our troubles regarded scafcily of water and
gas. end; ana from this point our Journey
was level county, ofefing no iinpedmen Whatever
10 good road as lar as The settlements IN California
Mr. Heap further says of Mr.. Beae and himself thai,
II was their intention to have selected
1.-TWO thee OF the men 10 accompany US across he
de.eu iyirg between tbs Mohave aud Walkers Pass,
the slcrra Navada; but found that OF all animals
live that could travel over twenty miles IN
day and intervening country was entirey desti'ue
o, water aud grass ompeleu reluctantly 10 re-
hnqnsh thus Object
LIE, US understand this matter in geographical de-
tail. The Sierra Nevada extends neatly from north to
south uo i, reaches Walkers Pass; a, this po nj il
turns and pur-ues westerly unit forms juno
tion with the Coast Range. 1t does not "run our at
Walkers pass for the lowest points, Tor near sixty
about 500 feet high The lowest point YET found is
near the -pot where the Sierra Nevada aud The Coas.
Range form Junction and even iEat is 3 ieet high
il is six or egni miles IRON the Telon. 10 enable east
ein gentlemen TO appreciate the magnitude oil The scale
upon which our California mountains are CONSTRUCTED,
they will please recoct the fact that The height OF the
ethnes, where CROSSED by The Cumberland road SAB
feet shove the level oil the sea.
A lew words in this connexion. Opposite Walk
ers Pass OF The Sierra Nevada and nearly west OF H..
there passes through the Coast Range oi noun
tains-one casd Walkers Pass and the Other San Fran
cisco Pass Gong IRON The CITY OF San Francisco
10 South. California, by the San Joaquin and ruare
valley the traveller goes through The Teon Pass on to
the plain east of the Sierra Nevada and ling
south. crosses The Coast Range 10 Los Angeles
Ii the traveller IRON San Francisco would go to Col
Benions Coochsope Pass. or 10 Albuquerque, 10
the southern by The Ga, he would 20 through The
Teion Pass Mr.. Heap tells Col. Benton:
This Che Tron) is tho pass through which The valley
1.sa sn,ssa a seeI % from ,as e!e' Salt Lake psssn
mssntrhs T,jon Pass when he spoke OF Waikefs'
This evidence is as pointed as that submitted hy me
IN the Senate, and only less weighy because Messs
Heap, Beae and Leroux neither measured heights nor
distances. Tney could only conjecture either.
Why am assaled Tor submitting evidence merely con
frmstory OF whai Coon Benton has himself published
canno, undertake 10 say srpecally sier the Secreary
OF War has expressly and officially informed Congress
that The question OF praccabiiy 10 settled Speaking Of
WALKERS Pass, Secretary DAVE IN nis annual report,
says
Recent in nformaiion from Lieutenant Williamson ...
tsb.nes the iAcI that Inis pass mPractc for rail-
way"
Thi. fact a.csained after an actual and elaborate sur
vey, and not alter mere horsebick Reconnaissance,
,etles The matter beyond The power of Colonel Benton
to jisiufb it, unless, indeed, be show that the in
strumsnts bad or untklully faissiy used
That this Il his object, and thai be nas IL
Dent 10 attack the earlier and incomplete accounts sub
mted By the than The positive and ascefianed results OH
cixy announced By the scientific Secretary oil War, is
not usikey. for he brgins thus
This Is the given OF that pass (Wslkex) by
two officers and read IA hs Sennte oil the Uni
ted Sse n infusDcein fact 10 governa great nsuonsl
mrsure. Now wish 10 opposs 20 these Judgments pro.
noniced ina the dcscrtption v u by Mr.
Ffsnon, above line years when there ques
ton about rivsi rsirosd routes"
Alter giving long description OF TIE pass by Mr.
Fremont (vbo nerey todv over the mountains without
accurately measuring the distance asceuaiping wheth
sr the grade was foot or hve hundred ieet 10 the
miie) Col. Benton goes on TO say:
This !. tho description which Mr. smon gave OF this
pace and. ahoueh he was not educated at West Point,
tst he knows "A hawk from a haDdsaw,'" " &c.
He repeats the hawk" smile, and three times reminds
the reader OF fact. we'll kt own 10 the public that Mr.
Fremont has not had the advantages afforded to the topo
graphical eng by the methodical scientific tram
ing OF West Point, and then contrasts their opnioos
certainly shall not enter upon The defence ri corps
OF Inc most distinguished among those OF the
nations OF The whole earth for scientific attainment tor
their martial expoirs, and Tor their high members
OF society But | do vindica,e Lieutenant Williamson
from Colonel Bsnions slurs, when they cast upou
him from my having quoted him
ssy, then, at Colonel Bsnto's expense that when he
says that the Walkers Pass OF the Sierra Nevada is
called by LenIensnt Williamson 'thr Walkers Pass ol
The Coast Range lie says that for which he has
horil He has allowed him,si to become uojust IA
10 fabfiealr h~ assertion ou ui nohlng and IN behalf
OF able oIheer absent public duty, thousands OF
miles dsiant, ! cannot but ray that believe an uns-
quvocs prompt, and unqualified re,ractIon of the false
presentation is demanded BY every principle oil justice and