The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-12-09
The Truth Coming Out.

49, ~
edifying quarrel about the comparative de-
merits Of the Utah and FL Paso routes to
San Francisco,-tbe Democrat patronizing
the former and the Republican the latter Of
those magnificent swindles. Nothing can
be more convincing than the objections urged
by the Democrat against the southern semi
circular route some OF whose special ad-
vantages in the way or rather out OF the
way Of water and wood and grass we took
occasion to illustrate not long since by ex-
tracts from letters of travellers by BUTTER.
FIELDS stages, while on the other hand
nothing can be more thoroughly conclusive
than the facts adduced by the Republican in
proof Of the entire impracticability Of the
Placervile and Utah route,-the pet Of the
Bentonian School of Buffalo Engineers.
The following for instance may be regarded
as unanswerable:
In announcing the arrival Of Mr.. Browne,
from Salt Lake City, the DcmOcJot stated, that
"the mail by which he came IS probably the
last one OF the season. on account OF the depth
Of the snow on the mountains. &c. Such
confession on its face, tcas death to the rOnd as
q regular means OF transportation for mail and
passengers; and accordingly an attempt was
made, next day to cover up the unucky blum
der by saying, that "Mr. Brownies remark was
that il was the last mail OF the season, to
convey passengers, for hereafter it would prob
ably be packed from the South Pass to Salt
Lake city" For five or six months then, the
mail is 10 be packed, and no passengers are to
be taken between 81. Louis and California, and
yet il Is argued by the Democrat that this is as
good route as the one upon which the Butter
field Stage Company is now travelling, with
mail aud passengers in twenty five days, from
The Pacific to the Mississippi.
The Democrat had been dwelling very
pertinently and effectively to the mind Of
any candid reader on the fact that whatever
the enterprise Of Mr.. BUrTERFIELD may
have accomplished, in proving his route to
be practicable for mules, the experience Of
the few passengers who had tried it, had not
had the effect of recommending it, as either
a very pleasant or safe route for passengers
ard mails, and that in fact the hardships Of
the passage across the staked plains" and
mosquito flats" even il sufficient military
force were maintained on the rest of the
quite to keep in check the hostile tribes
which beset it, would prove an insurmount-
able obstacle to travel, or the transmission
'f valuable packages. In short, the Demo
rat very truthfuy described it as humbug
and failure. But the Republican does not
take the sense Of the Democrats observations.
1t is in rap'ures with every foot OF the
Southern semi circular line. Nobody but
On Abolitionist, the editor is sure, could see
anything but a smiling paradise, even in the
" s,aked plains" Indeed he assures US
That the Staked Plains instead Of presenting
The most formidable obstacles to the passage
pf mail wagon really offers the best road on
the whole route, that the road over il is indeed
D ddghUui one.
This delightful one" is thus described by
the correspondent Of the New York Herald,
who passed over it;
1t extends from the 30th to the 35th parallel,
being one hundred and seventy five miles wide
at the grea est width and entirely destitute OF
wood and water. Its northern boundary is an
abrupt precipice. nearly Fix hundred feet high.
while on the south it ia intersected by range OF
barren sand hills, rising seventy feet above the
general fvel OF the plain. These sand hills are
Of very drifting nature, and often cover up
the road 1t will not then be matter Of won.
der that to the emgrant this fearful journey is
fraught with terrors.
And for good reasons, according to the
official report Of government officer, who
says:
This 10 the route by which soufhtrn emgra-
ton seeks the Pacific. and the abandoned wag.
ons, the carcAsses. the whitening bones by the
roadside, too plainly attest the sufIerings here
sofore entailed upon the emigrants by the
scarcity Of uater.
A delightful road truly! A sweet place
One may well inquire if this is "the best
road on the route what may be the ma
ture Of the next best On the whole, we
think it will take the Republican some time
to puff the public into general spprecia-
ton Of its charms. 1t may be all very fine,
but We, at least, are too dull to comprehend
its particular advantages. Down in the
latitude Of st. Louis, where water is not
supposed to he a favorite beverage, and
with the people Of New Orleans, who are
understood to have decided objections on
principle to anything so insipid, the absence
Of water may be positive recommendation
and wood may not be indispensable on .
route, which, by q beautiful provision, dips
., near as possible into the perennial sum
shine OF the tropics-and as for grass, no
body supposes our southern friends are 20
unrepublican as to initiate the royal example
OF the Asyrian King in bis gramniver Gus
propensities-the Indians too, Offer On ex.
celIsnt theatre for developing the latent val.
or Of the national army, and nourishing the
germ OF incipeut Presidents 10 the blaze Of
military glory.