Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-29
THR ovERLANn mAIL.


The Importance Of the Overland Mail from Mem
pbis and St. Louis to San Francisco Cslifornis,
cannot be too highly estimated. The Postmaster
General with Characteristic enterprise and energy
has succeeded in establishing semi-weekly line Of
four horse coaches on this route, to run through
from Memphis to San Francisco in twenty five days.
The magnitude Of the undertaking may be appre-
cisted when it is understood that the mail is to be
carried distance Of 1850 miles over barren plains
without water or provisions, over tall and rugged
mountains which would seem to present insur-
mOuutable barriers to she travellers approach or
progress, and through immense wastes and forests
untrOdden as yet BY the foot Of civilization But
determined viii is appalled, by no difficulties how
ever discouragng and the Postmaster General feel
ing the necessity Of establishing this mail line
through that rich but uncultivated territory lying
between the Rio Grande and the ella rivers, and
opening up its undeveloped resources to the world
determined to accomplish those desirable objects in
spite Of all obstacles. The consequence is that an
arrangement has been effected with Messrs BUTTER-
FIELD Co., highly responsible gentlemen, by
which they bind themselves to transport the mails
regularly over this line according to the schedule
above indicated.
The success Of the Postmaster General in putting
this service in operation, is pregnant with bench
ca consequences to the city Of Memphis, the Slate
of Tennessee and the whole southern country. It
establishes the course Of travel between the Atlantic
and Paoifo Oceans, and will fix the course OF the
Pacific Railroad should it ever be built making
Memphis the Eastern terminus thereof
We are rejoiced to see that Gov, BROwS's eXer-
tons in the public service are duly appreciated by
our contemporaries in other parts Of the country,
and would commend the following extracts from
the Washington Union and New York Herald to the
particular attention Of our reoders:
From the washington UnOn.l
The OVERLAND NAIL ROUTE TO THE PACIFIC
We publish from the New York Herald an inter
esting account Of one of the greatest enterprises of
the age We allude to the plan, arrangements for
which have Just been cOnsuTmated, for regular
semi-weekly mail, and line Of stage coaches, be
tween Memphis and San Francisco. The distance
10 be traversed, it will be seem Is 800 miles and
the time, twenty-five days. The magnitude Of the
undertaking aud the early completion Of the arrau
gements for it, argue the great assiduity and pains
that have been bestowed upon it by the able and in
defatigable Postmaster General
The law authorizing this enterprise was passed
on the third Of March, 1856 and in little more than
year all the arrangements have been completed for
the execution of the mammoth project. Il Is the
greatest undertaking Of the sort, by far, that has
ever been entered upon the preparations necessary
for it vast in the extreme and the results must be
commensurate with the magnitude Of the enterprise
It will spread continuous line Of civilization and
settlement across the continent and unite Allan
tic and Pacific States by belt Of farm-hOuses and
cultivation which will widen with time. until every
arabic square mile of intervening territory shall
contain an owner and homestead. The enter
prise is worthy Of the assiduOus pains that have
been bestowed Upon it by the Postmaster General,
and will he one Of the prOudest monuments of his
administration.