The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-06-16
0S,~sM@A


stration with its usual care Without pretending
be confidently assumed by the various parties inter
esed that sidsroufe viii be allowed to supersede
central one, except for the most weighty and
statesmanlke Fairness justice TO all inter-
ests and the accordance of patient hearing of all
that be said by the several parties interested in
matters of great public concern are characteristics
of the present national administration.
In the mean time. whilst the government is impair
TALLY investigating the merits and dement's of the
several routes over which bdderspropose TO convey
the overland mail, take great pleasure in laying
before readers such information in relation to the
physical geography Of the middle route, about which
the public know least, as we are able to CLEAN from
the unpublished surveys of Capt Whpple. From
its character we derive hope that closer exami-
nation of the surveys of the engineers than we are
able to afford will show the most central to be the
most feasible of all the routes.
Immediately after the conquest of California, Gen.
Riley, perceivmg the sad condition of immigrants
who arrived from the States by the way of the Gila
and also by way Of the Salt Lake, despatched Capt.
Ord, of the army to ascertain whether better
land route could not be found. His report made to
Maj Candy, assistant adjutan general of the army in
California, dated at Monterey, December 30, ls49,
and printed by Congress- in ls5l3 though brief, is
very interesting and very important After making
careful inquiries of old trappers, and examining an
old English map, and map made by of the old
Spanish priests in ITS he became satisfied that by
leaving the furthest settlements from San Francis
co--viz; the Tulare valley at the TETON pass-and
then travelling TO and along the Mohave river,
thence to the Colorado, thence along of its
branches through the villages of the Moquis and the
Zuni village the traveller could reach the old town
of Albuquerque, the Rio Grande near Santa Fe,
and pass by the way of Anton Chico and the Cana
dian river to the Mississippi river easier than by the
old routes 'The only difficulty to opening this road
at oncen he reports, consists in the fact that the
route is inhabited by hostile Indians To avoid these
Indians the old Spanish trail from Santa Fe to the
settlements in Lower California led through the des
ers From the fact that the new route is populated
he infers fertility, and recommends the establishment
of forts and settlements along such route in prefer
euce 10 wandering through the deserts, along the
old Spanish TRAIL in imitation of the Mexicans and
Spaniaris.
Mr.. Aubrey, an enterprsing and distinguished
merchant at Santa Fe subsequently passed over this
new route, but was compelled TO fight many battles
with lis Indian Inhabitants He bore strong evidence
in favor of the excellence of the route the fertility of
the valleys and the goodness of the grass and of the
timber; thus indicating the truth of the statements
Of the priest of l1.5, and of Capt Ord of 1919.
Since then Captain Whipple has surveyed this
route his survey is more minute and complete than
that made Of any other route and demonstrates that
the route is eminently feasible BY pursuing con
ciliatory course he passed throughout its entire
length without lighting battle,
The FIRST pass through the Sierra Nevada, latter
leaving San Franciscpl which may he travelled AT
any time of the year. is the TETON pass, in latitude
about 20 degrees north, The first surveyed pass
through the Rocky mountains, south of the British
possessions which may be easily travelled engry day
ia the ysar, is Campbell's pass, near Albuquerque,
directly east of and in the same latitude as the TETON
pass ..
To go across those mountains. in the depth of
winter, irurelsrs maa go as far south as Aose tho
passes, 1t is physical necessity.
Since the completion of Whipples surveys but
little has been said of the high merits of this route
and the people. owing to accident, have supposed
that winter-traseled roads mi4 be built south of it,
ON, the extreme southern border route. After the
surveys Of il had been completed. Secretary Davis
called upon the engineers for the results He desired
10 be furnished with them that he might submit them
to Congress prior TO IFS adjournment In the haste
to do in fortnight the work of months the cost of
building a railroad along the route was estimated at
slT5S77 265, instead Of 500, $50 COS the true sum
thus making mistake aganst1ha best route of more
than eighty-two millions Of dollars This, Of course
was fatal to the route; for railroad the FL Paso
route was estimated to cost only S94 100000. The
FL Paso route-from Fulton, by way ofSan Pedro, TO
SAN by Secretary Davis see
VOL l, p 81, Pacific r. r. Surveys to be ,6ls miles
long TO San Pedro extension to San Francisco, 40
total 2,06S. On the same page the middle route
along s5th parallels stated to be ,s92 miles to
san Pedro; extension to San Francisco, 406; total
distance a2gS miles. This made the middle route
go miles longer than the e Paso route. and more
than eighty-two millions Of dollars the oostliest,
Now, this was = sad mistake BY referring to
volume 4, page 2Ss, now nearly ready for puhliea-
on il win be seen that the measured distance from
Fort Smith to san Francisco is only $50 miles.
The VI Paso route, instead Of being go miles
n. y. I,