Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-07-24
PACIFIC ovERf,AND MAIL ROUTE.


giving the preference the Southern route Tor the
great overland California Mail.
Il is asserted boldly that no emigrant trains ever
passed over the road-that the country is desert
that it is not susceptible of eary settlement-ano
finally that the contract will terminate in failure,
involving great loss to the Government These |
statements betray so total an ignorance OF the se-
lected route that as matter Of justice 10 the Peo-
pie who occupy the new territory through whieh II
passes, have hastily thrown together the facts as
they exist, and as am able to certify to them from
personal observation. |
In no part of il is there distance Of thirty miles
without water and It often found at distance OF
ten to fifteen, with plenty Of good grazing. From
Tucson, the principal town Of the 6adsden pur-
chase throughout the whole length OF which tnis
route runs TO the ella river, nineteen miles, there
is in the dry water, and here two Artesian
wells will be necessary In the wet season there is
plenty of water Down the ella to Fort Yuma, one
hundred and seventy-fve miles, there Is plenty Of
water and grass From Fort Yuma, on the Colora-
do river TO Carisa Creek, about one hundred miles,
the route is heavy with sand and water is found at
three places in all seasonsin the wet season every
few miles.
Twenty-Five miles from the Fort or Colorado City,
are Cooks wells, which, at the expense Of one
thousand dollars, can be made to furnish an ample
supply for any number Of animals twenty-slx miles
beyond are the AImo Muche wells, which can be
enlarged at the cost to any quantity desired;
thirty miles further the Indian wells, which
also will yield ample supply; twenty miles fur
Their on are the Sackett wells, which are fed from
the subterreanan stream and can be made TO supply
any desired quantity of water.
From Cerisa Creek into San Diego the route is
well watered, and affords excellent grazing; the dis
lance is one hundred and twenty-five miles, but the
Supervisors Of San Diego county are engaged IN
laying out new road, which viii much shorten the
distance
The statement that no emigrant train had passed
over the Southern route is totally absurd that the
readers of the Times must have been surprised at
the evident mistake. The whole Southern emigration
in the early days of the California excitement
passed over it, amounting in some years to six or
| eight thousand
Lieut.. Canio, with o company of the First Ora
goons was first sent out to the Colorado river to
| protect the emigration. Afterwards Major s. T.
| Hembyteman and Major Fitzgerald, with five COM
panies of infantry and dragons, stationed at
the crossing of the Colorado for the same purpose
| and to ehastise the Yuma Indians for the murder
and robbery of emigrant trains. Hundreds Of emf
grants yearly pass over it now and during my term
| Of service at Fort Yuma more than hundred thou
sand head of sheep besides several large droves Of
cattle, driven over the entire length Of the
4 route for the California market.
| Last year four companies of the First Dragons
| marched from Ell PasO to Tucson, and three more
companies passed over the entire route to Fort fe
jar California, with over two hundred horses and
| large number of six mule teams.
| At present Fort Yuma is esteemed the most i'm
portant post in California and is garrsoned by three
companies to protect the emigant trains from the
| attacks of the Indians.
Two ferries have heretofore found active employ
| ment crossing emigrant trains and cattle at the
| Colorado river, near Fort Yuma. They now, by
| purchase at large amount, merged into one, and
| have known the receipts of the Colorado Ferry
| Company to be more than 81, 900 in single day.
This does not look much like unknown and i'm
passable route.
D-T-- IL ,d
place of pecuniary value and Importance, and Its
position at the only secure crossing of the river
| at the junction of the ella and ColoradO-and at
the present head of navigation on the river, make
it certain that it will be large town at no distant
| day. The Territory of Arizona is not only capable
Of attracting emigration and settlement but it is
now being rapidly settled Families, women and
children moving from California to the new
| purchase-and many fine claims already located
| in the numerous valleys Of the middle portion Of
| the Territory. Old ranches, long deserted by the
Mexicans who had not the strength the spirit to
resist Indian attacks being reoccupied and will
this year yield large and paying crops.
| Two steamers pass regularly upon the Colorado
| river to Fort Yuma, and already active and
| growing trade exists between Mexico and TUDOR
and Arizona and San Francisco
In almost any issue of the San Francisco dailies,
| your readers may see vessels advertised for the
mouth of the Colorado. The mining companies
alone last year consumed about 100000 worth of
goods purchased in San Francisco and this amount
will be largely increased this year.
A settlement will at once be made at every point
where military protection is afforded, for the
try will richly repay the industrious emigrant, be
| he farmer mechanic.
The Mesilla Valley already contains respectable
population, and there is doubt but that the Ter
ritory will contain at least two thousand permanent
voters by the beginning of the next Congress.
The petition of the people of the new Territory
will it is believed be favorably heard by the next
| Congress, and separate Territorial Government
established. The justice of the claim and the ne
cessy for the legislation, is but too apparent to
| resident Of the Territory.
The Postmaster General has shown his thorough
knowledge of the country and its availability by
selecting the Southern route. For years mail has
been regularly carried from San Antonio to Ell Paso
without difficulty danger except from Indians. At
| present monthly mail is carried by Government
! express for the troops in the Gadsden Purchase,
| (ArinOna,) from Ell Paso TO Tucson, three hundred
| and forty miles, 1t is escorted by dragons. Fort
| Yuma and San Diego have for five years been con-
nected by semi-monthly mail, Government
press, which during my two years service, at Fort
Yuma was much more regular in its arrival than
the New York and Washington mails have been for
the past two years The only part of the route not
opened to mail is that from Fort Yuma to Tucson,
two hundred and sixty miles, and this is almost daily
travelled by the people of the Territory, by emf
| grants, and by Mexicans. Tucson is q growing
The Pimas villages on the ella river will supply
grain for the route to Fort Yuma. At Fort Yuma
last year large quantity of allowed to rot
| by the man who raised it, for want of market
There is fOraging for ten thousand animals on the
river banks.
A few military posts which would be necessary
| on either of the routes, will make this perfectly
safe; and this immense mineral wealth in silver and
copper will at once draw to Arizona large populs
ton.
1t is the only available route at all seasons of the
year which can at once be opened.
The route through the South Pass is as much
closed by four to six months In the year as if
| it was barred with gate Of adamant.
| During the winters of 1854 and 1866, was in the
Salt Lake Valley, and mail from the East reached
us, from November to April The mail was carried
on pack mules and was in the charge of experienced
men, who had spent their lives on the Plains. If
| they could not get through either way with pack
mules, how much less chance is there for Concord
| coaches?
| The central route is no better. refer to Col.
Fremont and to Lieut.. Beale, upon their reputation
as travellers, to state how much dependence can be
placed upon the regular transmission of the semi
| weekly mail, through the Cochetopee Pass, in De-
| cepber, January, February and March.
The route by Ell Paso and Fort Yuma is open the
| entire year. On both the other routes Artesan
wells are necessary to get water at convenient dis
ances and this upon the southern route is therefore
L