Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-22

| from the Rio Grande at Dona Ana 70 ArkansHs
across the adopted mail route and 10 the reports
! Of all the officers Of Government who have
made explorations in western Texas Cant
Marcy thought the Albuquerque route an ex-
eellent one and could not be surpassed but on
bis return, he entertained entirely different
views. Of the upper route he says; page I9I,
Sen Doc, 3lst Cong, LIST sess
:, The country lying between the tvo rnayIt ianS
u ol = on smith and Santa Fe T. interseCted by q
narrow oeh OF tImbeEed land. running from north
ol tle Canadian To the southern part OF Texas and
seIA .E rom ten To thirty miles in width. This,
ooruering the great western plains foatb me-
rldlan') T" forms the boundary line between the
WOODLANDS and prairies. That portion ~ the
country lying east of this ia 1en.tall J, rtcb ,nd
fertile soil, varied by lawns and ,xoodlandS
abonnding with multitude Of beautiful streams
ana rlfuletS, and IN every respect well adapted
to cultivation; whereas on the west n IS one orean
oi barren prairie, with but here and there feebl.
stream and few solitary trees
:. IL would seem IL If the Creator had designed
this immense natural bqrrisr bsVou5 ,rk,rs
dSTtcHtEriStS ShOUld NOT pass leaving the great
prairies for the savage TO roam over at will :
On his return from Dona Ana TO Fort Smith.
Capt. Marcy was convinced Of the superiority Of
that route to the Canadian, rs will be perceived
by referring to his report, pages 222-3-4-5-6-7.
After favorable description Of the route from
the Rio Grande L. the Pecos, he says, ID 223 }
Our road from here runs across the Llano Es-
,lca9o Tor seventy-eight miles upon perfectly
leNei prairie as hrm and smooth as marble II
Then deScends from the high table land, about
hfty ieel into rolling prairie country where the
Colorado OF Texas has its source. Thus far there
II oat littIe timber or water route eNcept al
certain points noted upon the man; hut these
points can be made from day To day with loaded
teams. As II, however, in compensation for the
absence Of other fayors. nature. IN her wise econ
omy, has adorned The entire face of the conntr,.
with luNuriant verdure OF different kinds of
grama grass, afording the most nutritious susie
nance Tor animals, and rendering Il one of th,.
best countries for grazing large dockS and herds
that can be conceived OF.
" Immediately after We descended from the
hlgh table lands we struck upon an entirely diff
fereat country from the one we had been passiny
over before. BY reference 10 the nap "a will hss
seen we Kept nearthe plain upon the head branch
e. OF The Colorado and the clear fork OF the Bra.
zo>. Here we found smooth road over a ysn,Iy
undulating country of pTairies and timber and
aooundlng with numerous clear spring branche.
ior TWO hundred miles and I'm many places COW
cred with large -oves OF mezauite timber which
makes the very best of fuel. The soil cannot b~
surpassed for fertility. The grass remains green
during the entire winter aud the cl innate Is salu
ofious and healthy; indeed, IL possesses ali the
requisites that can be desired for making a fine
agricultural countrv; and I venture 10 predict
that, al no very distant period. il will cctsiu >
very dense population. IL Is only necessary for
our practical farmers 10 see IL. aud have protection
from the incu!sOns OF the Indians 20 settle il at
once
:" soon after crossing the Rio Brazo< our mad
strikes out upon the high ridge living between the
waters of the Trinity and Red rivers; and ID an
pears as if nature had formed this xpreSsly fora
todu, as IL runs for hundred miles through q
country which il frequently much broken M ON
each side with hills and deep ravines: and the
only place where wagons can pass is directly upon
hecreSt OF this natural defile 10 is as firm and
smooth as turnpike. with no streams of uIarni.
tude or other obstruction through tine entire dis
Idh,e 70 near Preston, where We len il and
cd Red river. From Preston 70 Fort washita,
and thence to our oatward route upon GaineSs
Greek; the road passes through the ChickaSaw
country, which Is rolling, and in many places
covered with great variety of large tinl.r and
well watered. with no mountains or high hills 70
pass over. Hence YOU will perceive. that from
Dohd Ana 10 r orr smith, a distance Of 9oi miles,
our Toad passes over smooth and very uniformlv
tereG ground, crossing no mountains or deem val
Ieys, and for i've hundred miles upon the ca stern
extremity runs tHrOUgh the A.art of n conEfyU
possessing great aaturol adrontagsH 4 conceive
this to he decidedly the beSt overland wagon route
10 California for several reasons
In the second place, west Of the Rio Grande
to the shores of the Pacific, the Ell Paso will
compare favorably with the Albuquerque route
in almost every important particular From
all the data we can obtain by reference to rc-
ports and from conversation with gentlemen
who have been over the country near the thir-
ty-htth parallel, we are induced 20 think that
Capt. Whipple has thrown a little too much oE
the cOte1r aH rose in his picture. The records
Of Fort Defiance, the reports of Captain Sit
greaves and Capt Simpson. DR. Letherman's
Correspondence, all confirm us in this convic-
ton. The burden Of testimony, with reference
TO these two routes is in favor Of the El Paso
route. Commissioner Bartlett Commissioner
Emory, Lieut.. Parke, A. II Campbell, A. b.
Gray, Lieut.. MOwry, and a host Of others, all
agree that this route is pay tJcellcHce the best
Not having access % the Ms. report of Lieut.
Parke and the undistributed repor, Of Mai.
Emory, we will make few extracts from the
letter Of Lieut.. Mowry New York Tones, July
10th, semi-weekly,l which, in the main, is cor
rect, being condensation Of The most import
ant facts known Of this region
We will premise these extracts however, BIZ
stating that between the Rio Grande and tho
San Pedro river there are Is permanent water
stations in about %: miles giving an average
Of one in seventeen miles and Is including sev-
eral fine rain water stations. where water can
be preserved, which will give an average Of ono
in twelve miles We have submitted this letter
Of Ii. Mowry TO Mr.. Albert II Campbell. nt
the head Of the Pacific Wagon Road Office Iu-
terror Department, who accompanied Captain
Whipple across the thirty-ffth parallel route,
and 1t. Parke across the thirty-second parallel
a. principal civil engineer. in lSj3-4-'5. lie
confirms the statements of 1t Mowry ia every
important particular. and further informs Us
that the ninety mile joyHoda from Tucson to
the GiIa is avoided entirely by following down
the San Pedro asd q liza rivers to the Pimas VII
lagos. The distance from the San Pedro by
either route to the Gila is about the same. and
it is probable that By following down the Ara
yaypa, a tributary Of the Gila, discovered by
1t. Parke's party distance Of many miles
can be saved and in the Calitro mountains
along this route, there Is an abundance OF pure
water in living streams, inc grazing and oak
ash, walnut, and some pine timber Deer an
telOpe. bear and grouse abound there also. ami
many indications of gold were observed, ana
gold was found near the san Pedro river
,.IhP Country fr.lLlt o. L..