The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-24


it, and then let them own it conveying for the
United States gratis, and doubling upon the
people to make it up; getting, 10 addition to
their other profits, interest upon the cost OF
construction. and which cost was betrayed by
the United States; and all this crowned with
monopoly of the road deem all such schemes
to be fundamentally unwise uni ust to the COM
munity impolitic, and vicious | hold that the
United States should build the road and the
fixtures, and let out the use of it Cor periods OF
seven or ten years to contractors, who will
carry all freight public and private, and all
passengers, individual and governmental, at
the same rate-the lowest responsible bidder
to take the contract, and furnish his own cars
and run them and if underbd at the end OF
his time, or superseded the successor to take
all his stock at valuation
1t is an illusion and cheat TO suppose that
contractors will carry for the United States
gratis. They will get their pay somewhere,
and ought and the fair way, and the only IN
telligible way, and the only way for each party
TO know what they are about is for the United
States to pay like an individual for all that is
done for it, Ii is the only way to save the peo-
pie from being oppressed and plundered. Be-
sides what is the GOyernment-our Govern
ment--but the people! Why rob one pocket
to put in the other? Why rob individuals in
detail, to give to the community as a Govern
ment, especially when it is very certain that
the individuals double charged will never get
back any part Of their money! The United
States pay their ocean steamers for all they
carry, and that enormously, and to the estab-
lishment Of oppressive mOnOpolies why not
pay their land steamers fairly and equitably,
instead of throwing the burden upon the travel
ling and the business community! This road
is to be long one and intended for universal
use, and travel and freight upon it should be
made as cheap as possible. Besides our own
trade, and our travel, the trade and travel of
Europe with Asia should go upon it. A free
road-that is to say, road which, like the
ocean or river, charges nothing for its use
is the first great step towards cheap transport
alton and for the Government to pay like in
divduals is the second and completing step to
that cheapness.
| now add some notices on the line Of coun-
try over which this route would pass, with the
view of showing the facility of making the
road, and the capabilities Of the country for
continuous, populous and powerful settlements
ali along it.
/. The Kanzas Riuer-Its mouth is in lat.
80, Ion. 94%, elevation of the country 700 feet
above the level of the Gulf of Mexico. It's head
is in lat 80, Ion. 1903, elevation about 900 feet,
and its course (the Smoky Hill fork nearly
straight, and skirting the latitude of 80 all the
way. 1t has four forks, all close together, and
parallel to each other 1t is without falls, and
It's valley, if that can be called valley which is
nearly on a level with the prairies on each
side, is fertile grassy, and wooded. The two
main forks, the Smoky Hill and Republican,
| I,,b . Io 70 Ill
fort are in latitude 80 degrees minutes, Ion
gitude SO degrees, q minutes elevation 926
feet above the Gulf of Mexico. Fremont de-
scribes the two streams LIST of June) as too
deep to be forded, and the country as beaut-
fully watered with numerous streams, and
handsomely timbered, some of the oaks FIVE or
six feet in diameter, the soil rich, black vege-
table mould Higher up and half way up the
Smoky Hill fork, he describes the country as
still assimllating to northwest Missouri, the
river having "a uniform breadth of 80 to 100
yards with many small streams falling in,
wooded with oak, large ems, and the usual
varieties of timber common to the lower part
of the river The mouth of the river is in COM
municaton with the rich and pOpulous coun-
try of Missouri with supplies of every kind at
hand, and transportation easy up the Kanzas
river by water, and over the clean level praires
now traversed by annual thousands of wagons.
?. The Upper arkansas and ats Valiey-Ta-
king Benps Fort, near the mouth of the Huer.
fano, as point in the line and its latitude is
about 80, longitude l03i3 and elevation above
1000 feet. lts head is about latitude 80, and
there are several Pueblos above where Indian
corn and other grain and vegetables are grown,
and cattle, sheep, and horses, are raised which
shelter and feed themselves all the winter
| There Ia wood upon the river, both above and
below the fort, and 1T is iordablc anywhere for
some hundreds of miles 1t has the aspect of
u settled country, and Fremont speaks of trav-
elling both above and below the fort, "along
broad wagon road" Soil good for cultivation
g. Huerfano or Orphan Riuer--The mouth
is just above Bents Fort, and therefore it has
about the same geographical position. 1t comes
in from the southwest and its head il in about
latitude 37la, and longitude 1857, elevation
not known, but not considerable, as it has no
falls. 1t flows through an open country, trav-
ersabe on n broad space, haYng the Sierra
MOhada, or Wet Mountain, on the west, and
~ the line of approach to the Pass FL Sangre
de Christie, and others which lead through the
Sierra Blanca, lin which it heads,) into the
head valley Of the Del Norte. Fremont found
no snow in this pass
4. The Valley Of S. LOwS.-This is the head
valley OF the Del Norte about between latitude
81 and SO, and between longitude l05 and
lO7, elevation not known Fremont and Leroux
both describe it as rich and beautiful, valuable
in itself, and the more 40 as being about half
way between st. Louis and San Francisco. The
United States have the Fort (Massachusetts) in
| it, and it is filling up with settlers. 1T must
have an area of 5000 or 5000 square miles, is
nearly surrounded by grand mountains, and
must be one of the finest and most picturesque
mountain valleys in the world. Fremont found
but little snow in it.
5. The Pass COo-eha-tope, or Ell Pusrto.-Its
latitude is believed to DO near 80, long. about
lO7lR, elevation hardly less than 1000 feet 1t
is u continuation of the St. Louis valley, mar
rowed down to eight miles, level, and no OBJ
struction, but dense forest of largo pines.
Several trails lead through it, and many from
1t towards the West The first western water
is the RIO Compadre, branch Of the Grand
river, or east fork Of the Great Colorado From
what Leroux tells me, the whole breadth OF
eight miles is good for n road, and he himself
never followed any particular trail on going
through it. 1t is magnificent pass worthy
to be called I'll Puerto, The Gate, and worthy
to open the door from the East to the great
western slope of the North American continent
and IN the right place and accompanied by all
advantages.
From this pass to the mouth of the Kanzas
the face Of the country is an inclined plane,
level to the eye, but rising under the baromc-
ter--the country broad and open and trayers-
able anywhere The coal fields of Missouri
are known to extend high up. Fremont says
1t is ready for the operative engineer to 90 and
lay down the road
6, The Valley Of The Upper Colorado-Ths
large valley lies between the ATTITUDES 81 and
Al, and between longitudcs lO7 and 49, and
rs crossed 10y the Great Spanish Trail probably
about latitude 3s. Its elevation ut the cross
ing OF Green river, the main fork, may be con-
jectured at between 1000 and 600 feet, being
ascertaned by Fremont to be 5000 feet where