Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-06-25
Our western Territories.

We are indebted to Hon. Warren WinsloW for the
first volume of the report of Major Emory q. S. Com
missioner for ascertaning and marking the boundary
line between the United States and Mexico under the
treaty of 1853, generally known the Gadsden Treaty
or Gadsden Purchase in virtue of which we acquired the
new Territory of Arizona or the Mesilla Valley.
Major Emory had been detailed to act as chief As
tronomer and Surveyor under the treaty of Guadalupe
Hidago and in that capacity had gone over the old line
with the former commission. He had also made the
campaign Of 1846-'7 in California and New Mexico
These facts combined with service upon our Western
and Pacific frontiers entte his views to much respect
where the character and capabilities of the territories
in the centre or on the western side of the continent are
concerned.
In his report he says that the want OF moisture must
prevent the settlement of the territories of the Union
for agricultural purposes at least from hundred west
longitude from Greenswch clear through, until the paci
fc slope ofthe California and Oregon mountains reach
ed From line less than three hundred miles west of the
Western boundary of Missouri and Arkanzas to within
comparatively short distance of the Pacific the country
is an arid waste an mpracticabe wilderness of noun
tain peaks. 1t will not do to make estimates calcu-
aons for the Western section of the continent based
upon what we know of the Allegheny slope or the Mis-
sissppi valley. No such population can ever grow up
there. Grazing and grape culture may be pro6tably
pursued but these could not maintain a population Of
any density He calculates that nearly onehird of
territory belongs to the basin system Rivers arsing in
the mountain ranges find no outlet to the sea, but are
absorbed in basins enclosed by mountain barriers
These interior basins of all continents dry arid and
without fertility, given up to pastoral hoards or only
cultivated in spots by means of artificial irrigation.
The only line for even a good wagon-road, between
the Atlantic and Pacific, is through the new Gadsden
Purchase. Major Emory laughs at the speculative ge-
ography of those who without actual survey and adj
measurement have figured out routes and passes. All
this is nonsense, in his opinion.
South of our ne on the Pacfce side and even in the
centre of the Mexican territory the tropical rains
with considerable abundance and do away with the
sterIity to which the absence of moisture dooms the
central and western parts of the continent above their
influence.
The idea of doubling the number of the States by the
settlement of the present territory of the Union out OF
the question. The Rocky Mountains arenotke the Apa
achian chain presenting fertile slopes to the East and
TO the West A wide belt extends along their Eastern
base that closely approxmates the character of desert
West of them the country is broken by ridges even
higher and more inhospitable in Oregon while farther
South in Utah, New Mexico, Upper Texas and Cali
fornia we find succession of mountain ranges high dry
table lands enclosed basins and little or no rain. With
out splitting of the old States or the acquisition
more territory on the South, we do not see how thu
number of States can be increased over forty There
can be but one tier of States on the Pacific say Wash
ington, Oregon, North and South California.