The Washington union., 1857-11-25
LETTER FROM CAPTAIN HuMPHREYs. y
wA&sosos, November "a, 1887

ishod in your paper of the 10th oa that the fact that
the Cmmarron route was explored before the Pacific nail
road explorations were made does not affect the accuracy
Of his statement that the route dd MOI re eroiaa-
on oOioa so The Uaaed States Paefe railroad eord-
a@s and anys - Had this fact been made known IN
connexion With his statement the impression conveyed
10 those who not familiar with the subject would
in my opinion have been just the Of what was
without a. isaal sh y kttessi ~ Fsigl t HAfe
To charge that in the execution of the duty assigned
to the Secretary of War by Congress ascertain tbs
most practicable and economical route for road from
the Mssissit the Pace oeean IA certain route
had not received that attention which its Importance TO
the great West and especially to Missouri and Kansas
demands implies that it the duty of the Secretary of
War to consider especially the interests Of Missouri and
Kansas In the execution Of this duty and not the act OF
Congress and national interests Stated IN this way the
charge needs no comment So 80 Y s.sss ~ =
Let admit for moment, however that, IN view OF
the Congress- the lines Of approach to the Rio
Grande Albuquerque presented equal claims to con-
sderaton as parts Of the route the 35th parallel
AS both could not be ravesed by the party destined TO
explore that route the decision must evidently be made
in favor Of that respecting which the least was known
The report map, and profles of Major Emory Joined to
information verbally communicated by him respecting
that portion of the Cmmarron route ION the pains)
not passed by his party, were of themselves
sufficient to establish its character There in adj
dition the report map, and profles of Dr. Wslzenus,
the survey of Lieutenant Peck and the examinations OF
Lieutenant Simpson. The description Of Gregg the
survey by Albert, and examination by Simpson, of adj
Joining routes which, in part coincided with the cin
line and the exploring party of the route near
the ssth and s9th parallels, would give another profile
of one half the line besides the department possessed
general information respecting tho line and region from
officers who familiar with it, In fact, the nforina
ton collected upon this route exceeded that through the
South Pass far Fort Brdger and, in the opinion OF
those well qualified to judge, sufficient to establish
its general practicability, character and resources
For the line of the Canadian there the reports of
the expedition Of Captain Marcy and Lieut. Simpson and
that of Lieut. Albert down the Canadian river the head
waters of which he had reached from the Arkansas but
there profile whatever of tine route, and profile
was important show the practicabty of connecting
the valley the Canadian with that Of the Rio Grande
Under the supposition therefore that the two lines
presented equal claims consideration under the act Of
Congress- it is plain that the information most de-
cient upon the Canadian route and that of the two it
ought to have been traversed by the exploring party
The survey along the Canadian river might have been
dispensed with and not the object in view when the
exploring party was directed to take that route but,
from the point of leaving that steamer further
was essential and the field of labor much better
reached from Fort Smith up the Canadian than by the
route from Independence
The subject Of grade in the mountain part of the Cm
marion line naturally connected itself with the examina-
ton Of the Canadian route the two approach closely
in that region and in fact the Independence route should
unite here with that of the Canadian Thus by ascend
ing the Canadian all the information that might be
deemed requisite for both lines would be obtained
But Independence is out of position starting point
for or as point in the line Of the most practicable and
economical route from the Mississippi river to the Pacific
ocean south of lat 39o The practicable route south
of that latitude the Rio Grande in lat $50 In
dependence is in lat 39o The mouth of the Canadian is
in $50 30 and the course Of the Canadian between
$50 and 500 la and the starting point of the route on
the Mississippi river should be nearly in that latitude in
stead of four degrees further north The Cimmarron
route therefore, presented inferior claim if any, to
consideration under the act Of Congress in connexion
with the route of the 35th parallel The difficulties in
the construction of Pacific railroad begin at and
found west Of the meridian of $50 west The Cimmar-
ron route passed through this region Of difficulties in
obliaue lne--that of the Canadian in direct line
Independence properly forms point on or near the
line of the route the 3Sth and seth parallels, and
the party for the exploration of that route started from
Independence But it does not form point the
best route for railroad from St Louis to the Pacific on
south Of 500 lat for that route should be directed
southweStery from St Louis until III reaches point tnat
all other things being equal will give direct and short
line across the difficult region. AS have stated the
exploration of the route the 3sth and seth paral
lels began near Independence. To have commenced
there the exploration Of the route the 35h par
ale would have indeed shown great regard for the in
terests of certain portion of Missouri and Of Kansas,
but would scarcely have been accordance with the act
of Congress and national interests fmSt
The line from independence to New Mexico is great
route of travel because it Is the best the plains
but because Independence accessible by steamers from
the Mississippi river and long wagon journey is thrk
saved but when railroads extend westward of the Mis-
ssspp to the borders Of the pans other routes to Santa
Fe will be followed taf
Mr. Blake attempts shield his letter from my closing
remark to which il justly obnoxious by directing
attention to the fact that the great region through which
the explorations for Pacific railroad made still pre-
sents fruitful field for the explorer That not ques
ton His letter in substance avere that of the Pacific
railroad parties ought to have passed the cmmarron
route and that having passed over it, he while
travelling over 1t in mail wagon at the rate Of thirty
forty miles day. part of the time under constant appr
hensol Of Indian attack had collected information for
which it was virtually alleged the elaborate Investigations
of wcll-apponted exploring party requisite. This
pretension certainly refuted the allegation but still il
was proper to the nature and extent of the examna
tons the route had received from Others and TO point
omission was claimed to have been supplied.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 3.
ssiai. vss3 A. A. HUMPHREYS