Arkansas intelligencer., 1858-04-30
From tAe Santa Fs Gazefte, I3ih uit,
Pacific Railroad Meeting in New Mexico


Pacific Railroad Meeting in New Mexico.
Pursuant to public notice largo number
Of the citizens of Santa Fe, assembled at the
court house ON Thursday evening, the llth
ult., to take into consideration the subject of
a Pacific railroad.
On motion of Merrill Ashurts, ESQ, the
meeting was organized by calling Judge Kir-
by Benedict to tho chair, and appointing P.
Beck, T., Secretary.
S. NJ. lost, after making some preliminary
remarks, explanatory ofthe object of the meet
ing, moved that committee Of FIVE be ap-
pointed to prepare resolutions for the consde-
ration and adoption OF the meeting.
The motion was adopted, and the chair ap-
pointed the following gentlemen as that com
mittse: S. NJ. Iost, NJ. Ashurt, Kit Carson,
DR.. F. E. Kayanaugh and Col. John B. Gray
son.
After short absence and consultation, du
ring which the meeting was addressed by T.
Beck, =, The committee returned and report
ed, throogh their chairman, Mr.. Yost, the
following preamble and resolutions, which
were unanimously adopted;
The necessity for a speedy, practicable and
direct overland communication between the
great Mississippi valley and the Atlantic coast
in the east, and the Pacific coast in the west,
accommodating the more fertile, densely set
tied, and prolific intermei iate territory across
the continent, Is growing more apparent dai-
ly, The President n his recent annual mes
sage, strongly recommends that connection to
be made by railroad. That portion of the
message has been referred to a special com
mittee, for its consideration and action. We
may expect soon to receive the report of this
committee, whose recommendations Of route
will doubtless materially affect the final loca-
ton of the great national highway between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The people Of New Mexico are dee,,lv IN
terested in this question. Their future pros
perlty Is intimately associated with the route
which may be selected, and it is meet they
should give expression to their feelings and
sentiments on the subject.
There are three competing routes: that
along the AID parallel, through the South
Pass; that along the 35th parallel, commenc-
ing at Fort Smith in Arkansas. running up
the Canadian valley on tie 35th parallel to
Anton Chico, thence to Albuquerque; thence
to the Zuni villages; thence directly along the
35th parallel to the Rio Colorado, crossing
that river where the Mohave is supposed to
empty into it; thence along the bed of that
river to the Iulare valley, and thence to San
Francisco; and that on the SD parallel, com
mincing at Fulton in Arkansas on the Red
river, and crossing the Staked plains, or Llano
Estacado, proceed Immediately west to FL
Paso; thence to Fort Yums, on the Rio Colo
rado, and thence to California entering the
Tuare valley by the St. Georgian Pass, thro'
Sierra Nevada and thence to San Francisco,
almost due north. There have been surveys
of other routes north of the 35th parallel, but
all believed impracticable, save that on the
42d parallel.
1t is the interest of the people of New
Mexico, and as we believe, of the United
States, to have this road located along the
35th parallel, or the great central route, be
cause 1t Is the most direct, better supplied
with wood and water, in more temperate
and acceptable climate, is the shortest by 800
miles, and the cheapest by 100000.
The report Of the surveys ofthe route aiong
the 42d parallel informs US that during GER
tain portions Of the year, the snow Is very
deep and would be an almost iusurnountabIs
obstacle TO the regular running ola daily train
Of cars, or even the construction of the road.
THIS view Of this route accords with the orin-
ion of the old mountaineers Of New Mexico.
who from travel at all seasons Of the wear. are
Intimately acquainted with the features of the
country, and the degree ofextrsme cold which
are the characteristics of that latitude. In
addition 10 this, it is hardly to be supposed
the people or the government of the United
States would be guilty of the folly of locating
a railroad over two Thousand miles in length,
along route where there are no settlements,
but little timber, great scarcity Of water, and
but very limited quantity Of arabic land
The route along the 32d parallel is equal
ly Objectionable. The extreme of heat in the
one is as serious a hindrance to the construc-
ton and operation of railroad as tue extreme
CT cold in the other. There are at least 900
miles Of desert to traverse along this southern
route, water in limited quantities only occur
ring in distances ranging from eighty to one
hundred miles. Across the Staked plains,
the distance without water, wood, or any thing
to relieve the desolate appearance of a sterile
and barren country, is one hundred and TWEEN
ty-ive miles. The reports OF Maj. Emory,
Lieut.. Parke, and others, of the intense suffer
ing experienced by them in prosecuting their
scientific operations along this line, from heat,
sand, want Of water, wood and grass, are ar
guments SO powerful against the practcabity
OF the route, that it is deemed only necessary
to refer the public to them, to settle adverse
ly the Claims OF the 32d parallel project.
Apart from the powerful and unanswerable
arguments against the thirty second parallel
route, presented in the physical and climatri-
cal features of the country traversed, its geo
graphical location is sufficient to defeat any
pretensions its friends may encourage for it as
competing route with that along the thirty
fifth parallel.
1t is sectional route. Starting at Fulton,
IN Arkansas, it would only accommodate some
i've or six Of the southern and middle States.
and leave the great bulk of the territory and
the population of the United States. to seek
q connection with tho eastarn 4o...; =.