Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-12-03
FROM NEW MEXICO.

| The last mail from the West brought files of FL
Amigo del Pals, published at Albuquerque, and the
Santa Fe Gazette up to the Doth of October. We
coIlate from E. Amigo del Pals the following ac-
count of Lieut. Whippe's route for a Railroad:
We have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. A. W.
Whipple aud his exploring party, who arrived here
On the Sd inst, in good health.
From conversation with Lieut. Whpple we de-
rive most satisfactory accounts Of the route passed
over. From Memphis to Napoleon, on the Misss-
sippi river, the reconnaissance rapid to Fort
Smith from which point more careful examinations
were made.
On the eastern portion Of this line, timber of an
excellent quality suitable for the construction of the
road exists in great abundance sufficient for the
construction of the entire road.
The entire distance from Fort Smith TO this place
presents obstacle for the construction of Rail-
road, and is, as inspection of the map will show,
as direct as need be. The surveying party had
water at every encampment and except in one
instance no interval from water to water exceeded
| ten miles. ..s
The bridging of the Del Norte presents no serious
difficulty at any point On the mountains, in and
about the route, is much good pine of large size,
suitable for construction, and coal in abundance.
Up to this point then, all is we'll and from the
point to Zuni, westwardy to the Pacific Mr. Whip
pie has to explore a comparatively unknown
country.
BESroN's RoUrE-The Santa Fe Gazette, Of the
s22d October offers some insuperabe objections to
this route-wrtten by a who has been in the
country 10 or 20 years at least, and knows all
about It
We are authorized to say that III passing from the
valley of the Huerano to the St Louis valley, there
is summit level to cross from 5000 TO 5000 feet
above the level Of the sea; and from any point
where the route may leave the valley Of that river
the intervening summit cannot be overcome by
much less grade than 100 feet to the mile.
. y O. T IL.
ton to be overcome must be near II 900 feet above
the sea level even passing through Col Bentons
much Wanted Cochatope pass. And although tie
ascent to this elevation may be gradual enough for
a Railroad after immense expense OF grading and
a still greater expense for motive power, yet when
the elevation is attained the descent if we mistake
not will be found rapid, entirely too much so for
Railroad, that is, if anything like direct course IS
maintained.
The pass from the valley of the Huerfano to the
st Louis valley is at least 1000 feet above any
point likely to be found on the Albuquerque route,
and that through the Cochatope is not less than A.,
600 feet. And when it is considered that the diff /
ference in latitude between the two routes is from
three to four degrees placing Bentons route that
much further north where the snow falls and lies
from FIVE to seven feet deep during most of the
winter months, we think there can be no doubt as
to which will be selected by the government.
The same paper speaking again of Bentons
route, says
We have been at some trouble to inform ourselves
of the practicabity of the route know Benton's
route for Railroad and the result Of the informa-
ton we have received convinces that the route
is not practicable, and that the road never can be
located through the passes indicated by Col. Ben
ton and his friends and if it was located anywhere
in that elevated region Of country it would be OBJ
strueted by SHOWS during all the winter months.
THE ELECTIoN-The whole vote given in the Ter |
ritory of New Mexico is set down at 9497 of |
which Gov. Lane received 4,526, and Gallegos a.,
97l; but the extraordinary vote of San Miguel coun
ty-267 for Lane and 1897 for Galegos-show5 |
that there was cheating on big figure. Indeed in |
the county of Santa Fe, the Grand Jury found /
twenty odd bills of indictment against men who vo-
ted fer Galegos, for perjury and fraudulent voting,
and they express the opinion that they were not
oDe-tenth of the number really voting. /
The TERRITORIAL CAPIToI--The corner stone of |
the new building intended for the capitol of tho
Territory was laid the Sth of October. by Gov
ernOr Merriwether, in presence of large assem-
blage of citizens The Governor delivered an adj
dress, which was followed by one from Bishop
Lamy. The ceremonies were conceded by a bene-
diction from the Bishops. Louis Republican.