The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-04-14
.Mail Route to San Franeiaco.

It seems that Col. Benton, near the
llclose Of the late session of Congress, sue
Eeeeded in getting inserted in the General
Postroad bill, clause establishing di-
rect maii-ronte between st. Louis and
San Francisco. He writes the Editor of
Ihae 81. Loais Democrat, under date of
March 2J, as follows:
seI got clause inserted in the general
post road bill for direct route between
St Louis and San Francisco. By the
mouth of the duerfano and the Little
Salt Lake TO Stockton, on the San Joa-i
quia river in the valley of San Joaquin.
where it viii connect with the permanent
steamboat navigation of the bay of San
Francisco, and also of the Sacramento
river, and where it viii also connect with
the telegraphic system, and the whole
post road system Of California-the start
ing point on this side being Indepen
dence. where it will also connect with
the steamboat navigation of the great
West, and the telegraphic and mail com
Fmunications of the whole Union.
1.-The details ofservice on this route
will be arranged by the Postmaster Gen
eral, who will doubtless be liberal, as
this route will be an economy to the de-
partnlent as well as an accommodation to
the public. The economy viii be in this,
that at present there are several indepen-
dent routes which will be absorbed by it,
and these places supplied by short cross
routes. Thus the Santa Fe mail can
branch off at some point on the upper
Arkansas The Great Salt Lake mail
can branch from the Little Salt Lake, on
ly $50 miles over level country and
well made Mormon road, now in use, and
the present mail to Los Angeles and
Southern California can branch off as
Los Vegas de Santa Clara. Thus this
new route win be an economy as well as
a public accommodation.
Auxiliary to this route, and to all
others, either existing or to be establish
ed, In the territories, is another provis-
ion which I procured to be passed in
another bill, TO wit: the post Office ap-
preparation, granting presumption In
stations to allthe mail contractors in these
territories. 1t is the same provision
which was part of the proposed amend
ment for mounted Rangers. and which
was rejected tomake provision for four
new regiments ofregulars. and allows a
pre-emptiye right in stations to the extent
of 640 acres, at the rate of one for every
twenty miles. This is most important
provision under many aspects.
"FIrst, it enables this important mail
route to go into operation and to be main
famed and carried on. Secondly, it will
make chain of stations across the CONT
nent which viii quickly become line of
settlements. Thirdly, it legally recog-
|nizes 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, notoriety and
prominence which will protect Its char.
acter and bear down opposition. This
was a consideration with me from the be-
ginning, but kept to myself, lest the en-
emies of the central route should get
wind oft, and defeat the whole provis-
ion, in order to prevent its incidental eff
feet IN favor of the central route.
81 now consider this route virtually es-
tablished--anda greattriumph afterall the |
combinations against it, and the foul and
unparalleled means to defeat it by side
blows, and bury it in an inimicai 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 a 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.