Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-22
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

formed our readers that we would presen,
to them some Of the leading consideration:
which, no doubt, guided the Administration
in the selection of the great overland mail
route from the Valley of the Mississippi
river to San Francisco, California. We now
proceed to the discharge Of that duty; and
the statements we make may be relied upon as
substantially correct, for with no little labor
and patient Investigation has this task been
performed. Itwas charged by some of the lead
ing opposition papers that the selection of the
route and the contractors was q foreeone con-
cluslon, long before any definite action had
peen taken IN the matter; and this too while
the POSTMASTER General, with his accustomed
industry and perseverance, was collecting all
the dsta pertaining to the proposed routes, that
he should be able to present a fair statement
with regard to them, that the President and his
Cabinet might be thoroughly informed, and
competent to decide this great question impair
TALLY, and to the entire satisfaction of them
selves and the country at large
A patient, dispassionate investigation of the
several routes will develop mass of facts In
favor OF the route adopted. which will convince
the most skeptical that it was the proper one,
and that its adoption was for the public good.
Politicians may grow indignant, and specula-
tors may clamor, but the laws of nature will
prevail in spite of them.
Let US take general view uf the interior
portion OF our country, and see what is its gen.
eral character and the relations which the sew.
eraI routes sustain to each other and to the
eastern and western shores Of the continent
Draw upon the map of North America line
from the valley of the Red River Of the North
to about the Bolson dc Mapima, in Mexico, md
thence one passing through the mouth of the
Colorado of the West to a junction with the
Sierra Nevada. of California, and prolonged bv
that range and the Cascade Range TO the Brit
ish Possessions. Between these lines we have
an immense angle of territory, six-tenths at
least Of which is, and must ever remain, so
long as the present condition of things exist, an
inhospitable desert, "a bowling wilderness"
veritahle paramo dc la Suma Paz. save in the
SorSes OF the mountains and along the valleys
OF the leading streams. The trail from Mis-
souri, via the South Pass or the Cheyenne Pass
and Salt Lake City to California, subtends
1t at its greatest width; the Ell Paso and Fort
uihd Wall duu SuU(CuuS IL DIT lIS iedSt With,
and the Albuquerque route is intermediate.
This line from the Red River of the North to
the Bolson de Mapima, is about the mean limit
of a comparatively dense population westward
from the Mississippi, and the experience Of the
last two winters in the Northwest, (eight
months of winter in Minnesota and the rapid
settlement of Kansas in preference to Nebraska
are fast demonstrating the fact that the march Of
Empire from the Missouri river must be South
westward That this diversion of population is
inevitable can be demonstrated on philosophi-
cal principles-by careful study of the rela-
tiOns between the warm. moisture-Iadened
winds Of the Gulf of Mexico, and "the cold and
killing north winds which sweep down from
the plains of Nebraska. But the limited space
of our columns will not permit a thorough dis
cussion of this nature. We are satisfied to state
the facts-the effects, and leave to the philoso-
phar the more elaborate explanation of the
causes.
1t is we'll known in Texas that the prevailing
winds which bring rains from the Gulf of Mexico,
come from the Southeast, and at some point near
the Tooth meridian are bifurcated by the north
erly winds which sweep down from the Arctic
regions along the illmitable savannahs east of
the Rocky Mountains, one portion carrying its
burden of water across the southern portion of
New Mexico, and the other curving round TO-
ward the great valley Of the Mississippi, dis
pensing c0pious showers along its path. When,
as during the two previous winters, the north
winds prevail the line Of the deposition of rain
or snow is swayed further south, hence the un.
procedented cold and snowy weather in north
ern Texas, the two last winters; and when the
sOutherly winds prevail this line extends further
north, hence occasional seasons of luxuriant
grasses upon the plains of the Arkansas and
Kansas rivers.
1t. Warren, Top. Eng, fixes this line Of the
limit of population in Nebraska at the 9th me-
ridian (Expl. in Dacota county, 1855, p. g.
Maj Emory fixes it on the independence route
at the 99th meridian; Reconnaissance, lS49 Cap
tains r. B. MGoy and J. Pope, U. S A, fl this
line as far west as the Llano Estacado, or about
meridian IGl deg, 30 min.
The Postmaster General conceived ii t. be his
duty to select from the three principal routes
Viz the Salt Lake route, the Albuquerque
route, and the Ell PaSo route, that one over
which the mails can be transported in coaches
with the greatest regularity and despatch ,n
trenty- fee days (25) from the Mississippi river
to San Francisco
The Sal. Lake route is conceded by all to be
beyond the question. From the fact of there be-
ing frost and ice as late as July 3lst (see Gross
Journal Of march Of Mounted Rifemen, Quar-.
master Generals Report, IS50,) il is easy to in
fer the rigors of winter. The records of the
Post Office Department, however, do otpermit
US to infer, but convince US iu fret, that this
route is impracticable for mail service.
The Albuquerque route Comes next in order,
and in this contest was the rival route with the
adopted one. Let US for a moment contrast
them in point of length and elevation, in point
of climate and capabilities for settlement gen.
orally. As space will not permit thorough
discussion of these routes, we shall therefore be
contented to present the leading points of diff
ference First, then, as TO their length from a
common point say Memphis or New York and
their elevation: