Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-19
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP
The Wagon Road.-We trust that Con

w
gress will promptly respond to the petition
from California, signed by sixty Thousand
citizens of that State, for the construction of
substantial wagon or military road from indie
pendence, Missouri, to the most easterly set
Elements of the now State. The power Of Con
| gresS to construct such military road as Cal
| ifornia asks is undoubted It's entire cost can
not equal the amount of revenue from Gus
toms collected in the single California port o.
San Francisco in single year Both isthmul
routes are now in such condition as to demon.
strate beyond denial the vital necessity 70;
promptly assuring to our countrymen who de-
sire to pass to and from the Atlantic and Pa
cifc coasts, a way that shall not be subject to
the contingencies of Central American gov
ernments, climate, and other disabilities CAL
ifornia has only to will to separate from the
rest Of the Union to make the separation al
most a thing accomplished.
The rest of the Union, notwithstanding the
large amount of eastern capital so far sunk in
investments of all descriptions there, is now
annually reaping from California, directly
and indirectly, twenty fold the cost of such q
military road; and the prospect is that in ten
years the Atlantic slope will reap perhaps
twenty times as much from and through Cali.
fornia as at present. Such a road, if con-
structed, with settlements along it encouraged
by land grants even in the way of prescriptions
only, will at once prove a positive and COM
plete assurance of safety to all the emigration
to our Pacific possessions that may pass over
the overland route. whether in small or large
parties. From the moment the road is COM
pleted a Thousand emigrants will 60 by that
way for every hundred who go thus now. As
they will not only have ample protection with
out requiring the services Of more soldiers to
that end, but will find provender for their
stock and food for themselves, assistance, shell
ter, &C., on demand, the time necessary in
which to make tho journey will be materially
lcssened.
Indeed, it can hardly fail to become We ~
speedily the great thoroughfare for the i'm
mense stream of emigration destined to seek
the Pacific possessions of the United States
rushing out like great food as it we're The
sagacious mind of Senator Gwin originated
this overland road project here. He early
appreciated the fact that the construction of
the work was within the power of the General
Government, and impressed all public men
around him with his ideas on the subject.
Thus he laid the foundation for what Congress
will probably do in connection with the pro-
ject ere the end of this session. We trust and
believe that ere the session terminates ne will
enjoy the pleasure of knowing that his active
though almost unseen exertions to impress
those by whom he was surrounded when on
the stage of public affairs here, with the i'm
portance Of speedily opening such a road to
the far west, have 60 soon produced good
fruit.
The District.-We trust the members of
Congress will read the extract from the annual
report of the Secretary of Interior hereto ap-
pended. 1t shows the necessities Of the Gov
eminent at this point in the way of improve
ments, &c. Our own fellow citizens, too, will
recognize in it proof of the fact that no other
functionary of the Government, past or
present, has manifested a more enlightened
and solicitous regard for the General Govern
ment's ward, (of which, from bis position, lie is
especially the guardian,) while holding the
seals Of the department of the Executive
branch Of the Government over which he pre-
sides than Secretary McClelland:
EztrGct from tie Annnak Report of the Sec
rotary Of hs Interior, dated December 3,
1855
In the District Of Columbia, have hereto.
fore suggested many improvements and the
construction of fre-proOf public buildings.
The public money may not be so juiiciOusly
expended, and L doubt whether it will be ap
piled to purposes of greater utility
Within few years, the business of the
Patent Office viii require the whole of the en-
tire structure in which it now is, and the De-
partment Of the Interior will have to seek
shelter elsewhere. If an appropriation for
the erection Of proper departmental build
ing were now made, it could not be finished
and prepared for occupancy in less than three
or four years, which is the longest possible
time the rooms now occupied by this Depart
ment In the Patent Office building can with
any show OF propriety be retained. 1t there.
lore becomes question Of moment, whether
Immediate preparations should not be made
Tor the anticipated exigency.
The extent of some Of the grounds has been
trenched upon, whilst. perhaps, their limits
should have been enlarged Ground enough
for public purposes has not been reserved, and
many years will not elapse ere there will be
universal regret that more space had not been
retained.
The estimates for improving and ornament
ing the reservations have been increased
The plan adopted for the mall" should be
more vigorously prosecuted. Its present ap-
pearance is inelegant, when, with a compare