The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-11-04
IIq1 ooRREsPoNpENcE. 91I 7d'F
wAsmnaros, November ., 1857.

. tig wAsnksros, November 3, 1851.
ToBk Editor Of ne laios 49,, s.E s,.r.,. -IrFy
DHaR SIR In your paper Of Saturday last is a letter
from Mr. WIN. p. Blake, giving narrative Of his jour
new In the msil-oocch wagon from Santa Fe N. NJ
10 Independence No. by the Cinnamon route and express
ing opinions upon the OF the country and the
pacticability Of the route for railroad.
Mr. Blake employed geologist by Lieut.. Will
Hanson when the latter engaged in explorations and
surveys in California in eonnexion with railroad routes to
The Pacific and subsequently by In the Office of those
explorations and surveys in Washington In conse-
qence OF his connoxon with this work, 1t appears he
was upon arriving at Independence, requested by Mr..
Jacob Hail. United States mail contractor for THE route
from Independence TO Santa Fe to furnish statement Of
f,cts connected with his journey, and bis opinion upon
the pfctiblity Of the route for mail aud railroad
niuncaion with the Pacific. In addition to replying TO
these queries, Mr.. Blake, in the closing part OF his
letter states that this route Qom Independence TO
santa Eel s'dI aR neaecs EXAMINATION eopnerim 9th
N, Tinted Set Pacfc railroad o7faiias and s,ry and
N, MOI r,cd Aot attention from the War Department In
conncxon with the Pacific railroad project, is meant
,rsich III Iportaace ne ron Wts and especially Missouri
and Kaa.s d,nsmds." The meaning of this charge is
that the War Department either ignorantly wilfully
neglected to obtain failed to obtain, the information
necessary to decide upon the prncticnldy and advah
tges Of this partial route and the OF the
gon through which passes in connection with project
Of a railroad to the Pacific.
1t my perhaps be unnecessary to notice charge Ike
this but TINT those who not familiar with the report
OF the Secretary Of War upon the Pacific railroad project
may know how grondess the charge is il will DO sui-
Gent 10 state in brief tho facts Of the case Accompanying
that report profile of this very route which had been
surveyed by officers Of the corps of Geographical engi
nccrs and others than once and all the information
collected necessary establish its paccabilty and to
show the character and Of the country before he
PaciGc railroad explorations Jgeh. description OF
this route accompanies the report Of the Secretary
IL appears Mr. Bl.kes letter that the opinions he
formed upon the railroad pracabiiy and resources OF
this and other routes, while travelling over them are to
be presented to the public afordng information which
the officers and employees of the War Department have
failed to obtain 1t must be remembered Tint these routes
are travelled yearly by many educated and intei
gent army officers of all corps who possess trained habits
Of observation have been nversed frequently by we'll
organized exploring and surveying expeditions whose OBJ
ects were the examination of these very routes the
exploration Of regions beyond them yet all these Mr.
Blake would have the public believe have failed to OBJ
tain information that to I've got easily that he who
il neither engineer surveyor, gathered it from the
seat Of mail wagon
Very respectfully, yom obcdcnt servant
A. A. HUMPHREYS
Captain Typographical Engineers.