The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-29
DIRECT MAIL ROUTE BETWEEN ST LOUIS
AND SAN FRANCISCO ESTABLISHED.
From the ST. Louis Democra, of March la

From the ST Louis Democrat of March l2
We have received as follows from Col. Ben
ton, dated IL o'clock Friday night, March I'd;
~ got clause inserted in tia general post
road bill, for a direct route bet seen st. Louis
and San Francisco, by the mout of the Huer-
fano and the Little Salt Lake, T. Stockton, on
the San Joaquin river, in the val ;ey of San Jo-
aauin, where it will connect with he permanent
steamboat navigation of the bal of San Fran
cisco. and also of the Sacramento river, and
where it will also connect with tie telegraphic
system and the whole post road system OF Cali
fornia, the starting point on this side being In
dependence where it will also CO inject with the
steamboat navigation of the greaf West and the
telegraphic and mail communi. ations of the
whole Union. The details of service on this
route will be arranged by the Postmaster Gen.
eral, who will doubtless be liberia, as this route
will be an economy to the Department, as well
as an accommodation to the pubic. The econ
omy will be in this that at present there are
several independent routes which will be absorb
ed by it, and their places supplied by short cross
routes Thus the Sante Fe mail Fan branch off
at some point on the upper Arkansas: the
Great Salt Lake mail can branc|a from the Lit
tie Salt Lake, only iwo hundred nd sixty miles
over a level country and a we'll made Mormon
road, now in use; and the present mail to Los
Angeles and Southern California can branch off
at Las Vegas de Santa Clara. Thus this new
route will be an economy well public
accommodation.
Auxiliary to this route, and % all others,
either existing or to be established in the Ter
ritories is another provision which procured
to be passed in another bill-to wit, the post
Office GpprOpriatiOn-gra granting presumption In
stations to all the mail contractors in these Ter
ritories 1t is the same provision which was
part of the proposed amendment for mounted
Rangers. and which was rejected to make pro-
vision for four new regiments OF regulars, and
allows pre-emptive right in stations to the ex-
tent of six hundred and forty acres, at the rate
of one for every twenty miles. Vhis Is a most
important provision, under many sspects First,
it enables this important mail route to go into
operation, and to be maintained and carried on;
secondly, it will make chain of stations across
the continent, which will quickly become line
of settlements; thirdly, it legally recognises the
existence of the central route to the Pacific,
and, in my opinion, virtually establishes it for
the railway; for it will give it a development,
toriety and prominence, which will protect its
character and bear down opposition. This was
a consideration with me from the beginning, but
kept to myself, lest the enemies of the central
route should get wind of it, and defeat the whole
provision, IN order to prevent ITS Incidental et-
feet in favor of the central route / now con-
slider this route virtually established great
triumph, after all the combinations against il,
and the foul and unparalleled means to defeat
it by side-blows, and bury it in an inimical COM
mittee, after it had triumphed in every direct
vote on three different successive days. The
post route and the branches are the skeleton of
the future railroad and its branches, both going
upon the idea Of central route on the shortest
and best route between two great points, with
branch routes like ribs from the back bone, to
the right and left"