The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-04-25
Gu w. abingdon Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, April q, 1857.

The Pacific Wagon Irelin.inary Arrangements Of
the Sscrary Of the Ltrlor-Names and A,eceients Of
ae Commissioners AppoinAd to Supointd We Execution
of the Roads-Colrse hich TIE Several Lines are to Run
Camels TO be Used il ne Preliminary Sursys-CAaracer
of he Country to Be 7uprsedAvsessan Weus &C., dc.
The Secretary OF the Interior has made his selection Of
commissioners and nearly completed his arrangements
for the wagon roads, under the provisions Of bill,
originating in the Senate appropratng I'VE hundred
fifty thousand dollars for three great highways across
Territorial portion Of continent from east TO west
In reviewing this matter IN connection there will neces
sarly be repetition of facts, which have been pub
kshed from time TO time in the HgnD since the bill be-
came law.
The law provides
That the northern road shall commence Fort Kearney
in Territory Of Nebraska and extend via South
pass Of the Rocky Mountains TO the boundary az
the State Of California, Honey lake. appropraung
three hundred thousand dollars for the purpose.
Commencing at Fort Kearney this road will follow up
the north fork Of the Platte river keeping upon the north
ern or southern bank wherever the emigrant necessities
Of wood water and grass the accessible and in
quantities sufficient for large emigration. '---.
The commissioners may find best cross and recros
this river several times Leaving the Platte at or near
the mouth Of the Sweetwater river the road will thence
PASS up this latter stream, which has its rise in the South
pass II must be remembered that this pass is no moan
gorge, with overhangng cliffs, the rocky bed of
some mountain torrent but billy depression the great
Rocky Mountain chan gentle in its typographical fs
lures that stranger, the tributaries Of Green
flowing west would be the first indication met with of
his having passed the summit From the South pass this
northern road will be made nearly due west with perhaps
little inclination ssutherly, until it has passed the
dian Of the great Salt Lake. then incnng to the
SOUTH will have to the Goose creek and Humboldt
mountains, to the head waters Of the Humboldt river
The road will follow down this river, whose general
is westerly, until it makes abrupt TO
the southwark Here the road will leave it, making
direct possible TO Honey lake, situated in
latitude 40 90 longitude l20 10 on the borders Of Olfor
MIA West of the South pass the general course Of the
chains Of hills mountains north and SOUTH with fine
valleys between This will increase the labor Of commits
sioners Kirk and McGraw, and render very careful
Gliding the line Of road Indeed il should be rcmeu
bered that wherever these roads selected
Elements will follow, public and private money be ex
pended and Pacific railroad follow, the natural
meeting link TO long line Of settlements, over the most
splendid cattle and sheep pastures on this continent
The Secretary has divided this road into eastern and
western DIVISION under two commissioners, entirely dis
connected This arrangement is judcious one il will
enable the Secretary 10 accomplish the poinof much
consequence to the emigration and TO Corniaof having
the road completed in as short time as possible much
hess than if only one party of engineers and workmen
10 be organized Indeed il is summers work to
merely pass this northern emigrant road To
nothing Of road making, crossing, it does, the whole
Of Utah and much the larger portion OF Nebraska
say summers work. because in winter it may be
said to be at present practically impossible from SHOWS
spring as soon as the grass has enough TO sup
port the animals, and be discontinued early in the fall
cept Of the valleys to the norhward Of Salt lake
where the altitude lower than is near the South pass,
the Sierra Nevada.
VINE. Mc6raw, of Missouri, formerly of Penn
sylvana has hen appointed commissioner for the eastern
half Of this northern road extending about the longitude
Of Salt lake City.
John Kirk Of California has received the appointment
Of commissioner for the remainder m this road.
Commissioner Mc(raw will tit out at St Louis, and pro
coed with all proper despatch westward. Mr. McGraw's
tho pulau Qta rhnrac
70 recommend him commissioner He was one q the
pioneer contractors for earring the Mormon mall the
through from Independence Missouri TO Great Salt lake
City need hardly add that the elements caused failure
OF this service every winter st now 1t rs sent one half
the year via California. Hardly winter passed but the
enterprsing lost lives, and his animals
uniformly froze TO death in attempting the passage
through the SHOWS.
Commissioner Kirk will take the steamer for San Fran
III in Sacramento City, far the skeleton Of
his expedition is concerned but he will depend on hiring
quite portion Of his labor from the emf grants, whom lac
will meet bound 10 California: indeed the whole of Com
missioner Mcraws party might be hired TO be discharged
the line Of the at salt Lake City whence they
| easily pass 10 the Pacific.
Mr. Kirk formerly canal contractor in Pennsylva-
mia and Ohio then various railroads in Hi
nos: while as TO road making no the
great national turnpike Of the West In California he Is
well known rs having built the Sacramento leyec of 1883
having completed and extended the great South
Fork canal TO supply large portion OF Fl Dorado county
with water for mining purposes. Mr. X resides in Pa.
ecrve. The people OF California will no doubt be pleased
with this selection of commissioner.
VIM. r. MOBILES, Of Minnesota, strong applicant for
he should remain superintendent Of the road from Fort
Rdgey in Minnesota TO the South pass, for which The
Congress Of 1856 appropriated fifty thousand dollars
asmuch the rcsp6 from Fort kearny 90 the South
pass Is well defined at this moment, Commissioner
McEraw may have instructions tn push o@er this much 81
his line, devoting his time the coming summer to the
mountain country OF the South pass Some few miles
OF this road also be placed under the charge Of Com
missioner Noble, addition 10 his Port hdgey and
South PASS road
The central road, by the statute, Provides for
pcnde OF fifty thousand dollars for the construction oi
L,V (.fan N.uN tn. hA Gnl
| RADIO river. near the mouth Of the Mohanna river"
The river speh "Moinnna, was probably intended for
the Mohe, which rises In the Sierra Nevada mountains
about latitude "a deg % min longitude III deg 10 min
west, flows nJrhwardly, thence northeatery, disap
Of the Colorado between which and this last named river
il complete desert, devoid Of wood, water grass.
The Secretary Of the Interior turned the construction Of
this road "a ne Secretary Of War. for the reason that
the Quartcrmsters Department Of New Mexico could fur
nsh the ott ON the spot, or 80 much a was deemed
necessary for preliminary survey which the limited
Of money arprcrriated seemed 90 render necessary
There yet another perhaps for this change, IT,
be found N the statements Of many guides and uapfrrs
that wagon road be made through the mountains
along what known The line OF the thirty nth parallel
l without an immense expenditure q money.
The Pacific Railroad surveyors have selected the line o.
the thirty parallel the best wagon road the year
through while the Northern one, via South pass,
referred IN above has been selected by
q them the best route which TO drive stock Ia Gall
fornia 80 far a. wood water and grass are conccrncd
The fierce Navajo Indians are another consideraton
The Secretary II War has selected Lieut. Bcale formerly
Indian Commissioner California, superinend the
trail road. II has been suggested that the came at pre-
rtured and in at van An-nio Texas, should be
employed In making a preliminary examination Of this
read but am satisfied they could do better service FOR
the country with less danger Of being killed and eaten by
the Indians " they be used in accommodating the
desert west OF Fort Yuma, where there is stretch Of
eighty miles without water also with less danger u Indian
incursion. Only camc be used there 10 advantage
ON the southern road, the law provides two hundred
thousand dollars " for the construction OF wagon Rad
from II paso the Rio Grande, 70 Fort Yuma, at the
mouth ~ the ella river.
A. ~ Psso " in Mexico, and moreover, some point
farther north will better accommodate connection with
the road Texas from the mouth Of the Delaware
creek doubt the southern road will at Fort
Fillmore Donna Anna, hue higher up the Rio Grandc
Prom either Of these points The road will probably rro
coed nearly west I'll enters the valley Of the San Pcro
river thence follow down the valley OF that stream IN
near Junction with the CHA thence through the yaies
OF the moe and harcopas Indians; leaving these
villages the roal will cut of the great bend in the ella
striking the at distance 81 forty five miles from the
villages FROM this last named point will follow down
the Of the river To s Junction with the Colorado
where Fort Yuma " situated perhaps crossing the ella
number Of tines the better 70 procure wood and grass
a.. wt. .rtx uufAV