Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-06
TO THE EDITORS.
c STREET, July 81, 1853

Il STREET, JULY 81, 1905.
GENTLEMEN send you letter, just received,
from Mr.. HARRIS HEAP, companion of Superinten-
dent BEALE in his central route expedition to
/ California, and which contains information on a
subject that concerns the public. 1t is not the
journal which Mr.. Heap was to keep and did keep,
but letter of results and events in anticipation Of
that journal This letter corroborates that of
Superintendent Beale (only with more detail, re-
ceived by me last week, and published in the Ma
connected with the central route upon which its
practicability and preference depends for onehalf
the distance, and confirms all that Fremont and
Leroux have been saying. People will be astonish-
ed to read that from the frontier of Missouri to the
Valley of San Luis, at the head Of the Del Norte
there is not an obstruction to railroad any way
comparable to what is found between Baltimore
and Washington, and that the whole route is
through beautiful country, rich in soil, grass
water, and game. In fact finding game every day
itself tells the character of the country for every
Western man knows game is not found in desert
nor even in poor country.
The Secretary at War has just said, as reported
in public speech, that in looking for passes in
he mountains The deserts haze been skipped, and
that these cannot be crossed until science shall fnd
out nep modes Of travel and Of jerttlzing the earth y
This may be true of the southern routes, on which,
in the language Of Kit Carson language more
expressive than the schools can teach or sci
ence inyent-"a aeolf could not make has 1iuiag;"
but it Is not true Of the central route nor of any
that Fremont recommended. Though not educated
at West Point, he happened to know that pass in
fha nf =
get to it, and therefore infinitely examined and de-
scribed all the approaches to all the passes that he
recommended, and found them to be good before he
recommended the Pass This was the case with all
his recommendations, and especially of the central
route, as far he had explored it-that is to say,
to the Valley Of San Luis, at the head Of the Del
Norte. All that he said is now proved to be true,
and more than true, BY the explorations of Beale's
party.
Mr. Heap mentions three passes through the
mountains which divide the waters of the Del
Norte from those of the Arkansas, and all good
There are, in fact, five of them and only differing
in degrees of excellence. Still these are not the
main pass, which de6ouches into the valley of the
Upper Colorado-the Coochatope. That was at the
head Of the valley of San Luis; and they were to
set out for 1t the next morning after the date of
Mr. Heaps letter-Beale having returned from his
ride of three hundred miles in three days. to Santa
he and back, to put letters in the post Office, and
/" hunt up guide in place of the sick Leroux.
The places which Mr. Heap mentions may all
be found on the latest maps, and will show that
their line Of travel is straight, with slight incli-
nation to the south.
The Huerfano river is above one hundred miles |
long, and fresh with cool and flowing waters from
the snow-clad mountains; and the same may be |
said of the eight beautiful streams-from Pur-
gatoire to the Rio Mohacla, or Wet Mountain Val
ley creek-which fall into the Arkansas on the |
same side, infthe course Of one hundred and fifty
miles, and make lovely country which invites the
focks and the plough Of civilized man.
Council Grove" where Riggs left his govt, is |
one hundred and fifty miles west of the Missouri
frontier, in the Plains; Fort Atkinson" where
he left his rheumatism is three hundred miles fur
Their, on the Arkansas river
Tie time has come, and, if not, it will soon be
here, and in claps Of thunder when error shall hide
lite head, ignorance hold its tongue and "sctcntfc
speculation to befog the plain question Of the
plain road to the Pacific Common sense and prac-
tice at work, and will vindcate truth and JUS
tice against the errors of all assailants.
Respectfully, DC.
THOMAS Fl. BENTON.