The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-12

multiplied business Of his department would allow Of If
all greater portion Of the railroads from the large
cities and the States east of the Mississippi had conoept
ted at any point that river such point would have
been selected for the overland route TO California But
such Is not the fact They concentrate chiefly at st.
Louis, Cairo, and Memphis Cairo mentioned in this
connection because through the Illinois Central, nearly
all the railroads constructed for st. Louis may be said
also 10 connect with the Mississippi at Cairo Find
ing therefore, centre the Mississippi the
next desirable object WAS TO ind some common point
Vea Of that rveg from which main stem could be
projected passing westward TO California you started
cut from St Louis west you must lose all the connex
ions with the Cairo and Memphis railroads but by
starting out from St. Louis, and diyerging south with
her railroad now making TO her Iron Mountain you will
presently receive the great railroad coming out from
Cairo richly endowed that it is TO be made at
distant day Still bearing southwestward, presently
receive at Little Rock the other branch of the road from
Memphis connecting the line with all the great railroads
of Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia. Alabama, Tennes
and Kentucky Not far from Little Rock the Vics
burg and New Orleans and Texas railroads fall in bring
ing in from almost every portion OF the great river all
the connexions which all the Atlantic States north and
south make to that great highway which try
ing to establish Thus it is that we have found west OF
the Mississippi what could not obtain on tia com
concentration of railroads TO single point from
which the future railroad may commence, swollen and
enlarged In its stem by the contributions OF the
railways coming in from nearly every State OF the Union
This diversion of the route to a southern direction by
Little Rock Preston has, however other advantages
than any to which we have yet adverted.
by starting from st. Louis, the great western mart
aud connecting at Little Rock Preston with the line
from Memphis the two great sections of the country
accommodated
Instead of projecting this mail and its attendant
benefits into the wilderness from the frontier of Missou
RI 10 buffet with north winds and upon the plains
of Kansas in winter and drag over monotonous, water
less treeles wastes in summer it located through
the centre of Missouri of Arkansas and throughout the
western frontier of Texas. 1t will thus develop hitherto
unknown in those States. 1t will open vast
agricultural and mineral region in Missouri lend help
tn he and
of Arkansas and conduct the hardy pioneer to the de-
lightul woodlands and pairies of Texas For nearly
thousand miles the traveller will be traversng country
Astounding beauty and in heathulness possessing sau
brious climate and fruitful soil. ~
Nor should it be forgotten that the southern location
of the route especially if it shall be followed by the
sruction of railroad, may serve valuable purpose in
reference to the neighbong republic of Mexico In time
of peace it will shed its blessings both nations whilst
in time Of it will furnish highway for troops and
munitions of war; which might enable to vndcate
rights, and preserve untamshed our national honor
have the honor to be, very respectfully your obedent
servant, a.. .eslaa ..n. .....
AARON v. BROWN
NorE.Since the action of the department this i'm
portant subject, publication has appeared in the public
journals, from the pen of Mr. Bartlett late of the bound
airy commission, full of valuable and reliable nforma-
on that the Postmaster General respectfully begs
to suhoin it to this report, as follows
OVERLAND CALIFORNIA.
[From Providence Journal of August 1871
Communication from Mr.. John r. Bartlett
The recent decision of the Postmaster General in adopt
ing the southern route the which the United
States mail shall be carried between the valley of the Mis-
ssspp river and San Francisco in California having at
tracted much attention, have deemed it duty sub
init few remarks the subject. In doing this / do
not propose to discuss the geographical question of
northern, central southern route, the advan
ages disadvantages which may to any partcu-
lar section of the country from the selection of route
but simply to speak Of the advantages which believe the
route adopted to possess and of the facility with which
wagon road may be constructed over it. My conclu-
ons based, not upon the reports explorations Of
others but from my observations while employed
upon the survey of the Mexican boundary line.
The government has Doubtless made its choice from the
reports OF the examinations made by the several parties
which crossed the country with view to collect such
facts would enable it to decide upon a route for
railroad to connect the Atlantic with the Pacific ocean
II is well known that the surveys and explorations of
the United States boundary commission with which /
connected from the year 1850 to 1853 near the
parallel of 81 degrees both east and west the Rio
Grande. Our journeys in Texas commenced near the
9th meridian of longitude, whence passed to the ia
BILE lands at the north and traversed the country dis
lance Of nearly six hundred miles between the 3st and
32d parallels From the woodess nature of the country
here one is enabled from any hill eminence cast his
eye vast surface, though looking at map and
notice all mountains elevations, and deprcssions the
rivers and small waercourses the water Sheds and the
tmbered lands i'll fact, open district as here
exists observer may obtain most exact idea of the
face OF the country for fifty hundred miles from his
point of observation particularly if that point is on the
summit of an isolated h of which there are many in
the district in question
For large portion of this Journey we travelled with
loaded wagons, where no travellers had been be-
FORE following no track and directed by no guide Wa
ter was found in the various tributaries of the Colorado
which river in sight at the north, and until we
reached the sources of the Concho Here came the first
desert and here begins the desert region which ex
tends to the Rio Grande This line of desert reaches far
to the north and includes the we'll known Ilano Esta
cado, which crossed by party its shortest an
gle, about sxty-tvo miles This plain is level
and hard the entire distance and would require labor
to make road across it available. 1t is without wood
and water yet in several depressons is often found
and there is little doubt that by sinking wells it might DO
procured at all times In the passes of Castle mountain
ten miles east OF the Pecos there water
where it might be found by digging. We followed the
Pecos and its tributary Delaware creek for more than
hundred miles, the country being quite level the en-
tire distance to the Guadalupe mountains and pass
From this the country is comparatively level to the
Rio Grande. There mountains to cross ey-
cept the Hueco range twenty-eght miles from FL Paso
and these attended with trifng difficulties In
water there is the greatest deficiency there being no
running streams between the Guadalupe mountains and
Ell Paso distance of about hundred and ten miles
The first water is spring call led 0o del Cuepo about
fifteen miles northwest of the pass and ten miles further
pond where there water and grass at all times next
at the Cornudos del Alamo and again at the Sierra
Hueco where there springs and natural water tanks
OF basins These by being dug out and properly opened
could be made to furnish the necessary for the sta
tons. This district, between the Guadalupe mountains
and the Rio Grandc, is the longest and most difficult to