The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-09-26

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF TIKI NEW YORK HERALD.
ST.. LOUIS Sept is, 1858.
To-day the first overland mail San Francisco from St.
Louis and Memphis under he contract with the Overland
Mail Company, started this city under tho direction
OF Mr. John Butterheid the president Of the company.
The oontractofs-Messrs John Butterneld VIM B. Dins.
more VIM G. Fargo v. p. Gardner, N. L. Knyon
Alex Holland and Hamilton Spencer-are well known in
your city rs OF wealth, energy and ability every
confidence Is expressed in their success.
Thus is inaugurated under the administration Of Mr.
buchanan second great event OF tho age. The nrs.
linked nations together the second union OF
the extremes Of nation separated heretofore by and
distance but 70 be united by the facilities of rapd
Communication and both tend bind closely those
who before united in OF brotherhood The
importance OF enterprise which the first practical
step towards the Pacific railroad hardly be overrated
and think may safely pronounce it another great
event Of the age. the overland mail succeeds the rail
road and the telegraph viii follow its course the
settlements along the limo will be built Up with rapidly
vast possessions New Mexico viii be opened up TO us
and 10 the world and instead Of circu:tous route 10 our
Pacific possessions tedious in lime peace and extremely
mpractcable in time Of wa- shall have easy SAT-.
and rapid route whore but few years nature in her
wildes, aspect regned supreme. pursuance Of Mr.
Buchanans policy developing resources Of the coun
try and studying is best interests instead trrciag to
the political hobbies II the day. that these benefits are to
be gained Under the supervision Of his adm nstra,on
the great uncxporcd centre Of continent has been
thrown open to civilization 1t has established route
through Northern Texas from san Antonio to san
Diego a regular mail from 81 Joseph to Salt
Lake, from Independence to Santa Re, and now the
climax is capped by the successful commencing OF this
great enterprise The theory that mounans sparat. m
tons that there lay between and our California
brethren impossible obstacle erected by the hand of
God, Is thus scattered t. the winds.
In view OF the Importance this enterprise at this time
and the bearing which has upon tho future desncs of
this country propose to give you condensed account of
the origin and history the contract and the claims Of
the competing routes prescni in a cond nscd and
clear light ali the points u his question Ii doing =, il
viii be- necessary to refer many pares net familiar to
the general reader; but tina, tIo Information i'm
parted viii be sufficient epa he trouble of consulting
what confess is arce-a good map of the coun.
try west Of the Mississippi may Dc, all tina, is said
against this route he true, that This commence
mcrt Of trial for wagon road TO the Pacific and be-
hooycs every intelligent to be thoroughly posted.
This is the largest for land mail service ever
given and what a curious coincidence. has to compete
With which nearly the same time
The six O'Clock traih to-day took mail East 70 20 by
steamer TO California, while tho eight O'Clock train took
mail West. Which win get there hrsr
Tie q Congress under which contract wac made
its father the Senate being Mr. Gwin OF California and
IN the Buse, M. Phelps " Missouri Ry the terms OF
the act "the Postmaster General authorized cnn
for the conveyance of he entire letter mail from
such point the Mississippi river the contractors
might select 70 san Francisco, IN the state of California,
Cor years at cost tot excelng three hundred thou
sand dollars annun for sm monthly. four hundred
and city thousand dollars for weekly, hundred thou
sand dollars for weekly service, 70 be performed
semi monthly, weekly or semi weekly, nj the option
Of the Postmaster General; that the contract should
require the service 10 be performed with gool four
horse coaches spring wagons, suitable for the convey
OF passengers well a. the siicy and security Of
the mails that contractor have the rg Of
pre1mption 10 three hundred and twenty o. any
laud not then disposed u reserved each point
sary for a station nearer than ten miles from
each ohcr-proy icd that no mineral land should bn thus
precmptec. that the service should be performed within
twenty Eve DAYS FOR each lip and that before entering
inio tle contract the Postmaster Genera, should be
ned q the ability and disposition q the parties, bona e
and good faith 70 perform tie sad coairac and should
require good and suc ni security Tor the q
the smc-the serve ~ con nen.s thin twelve months
after the signing Of The contract"
You will perceive irUrn this that tho Postmaster Gene
raj simply authorized Dot required, leaving the
matter entirely optional TIA the Mr. Ba-
cbanan had much the interest OF the country heart
20 allow this matter PASS by uanotccd. He paid per-
eonnl ard assduous attention With he Postmaster General
Gov Brown "a the OF rawirg tho contract; and
particularly lie awarding. You will perc.iy. the per
plexy Of their position when Congress had left them
deridc the oca.on q coniin.ntai routa Jion winch
themselves could Mt agree Tbr Nor heru papcrs poured
bot sot INTO their 20 cunr~ the loaton Mt ~ Louis,
At least further north white tho sorihcrn papers ared
bumhEhelis On behalf % the tcrmin AT new Orleans
Memphis AID tho extreme sostern route by Jun Brchs
line, Gar below The thrcth parniic commanding san
Anton0 T. and extending through the widest portion
Of that state VI Iaao Columns upon columns
written 20 show the superiority Of either both
tcrmni Formidable array OF statistics Of popua.
Too length u railroad amoInt a trade, and predomi-
nance q importance generally, produced, and amid
The widest excitement u Al . interests the bs
opened "a no, 1857 and found 20 b. follows from the
Jo,In Bas,er6eld, william p nn.rnore. william a
Fargo, Jamcs v Y. Csrdoef, Marcus I. KIN.
yon Hamilton Spcncor and Alexander Holland
put three bids FOR the scia weekly mail, the
Ina
route, which shall describe before close Tho b8s for
The sem weekly mail we're a. folows-f.s,, 10 run be
s5s5 COO per annnm; ond, to between Msmpbi.
and Fan Francisco aos1o, seni.wecky, $4,000 pr
and third, 70 run from both ~ Louis and Memphis
converting = ue bet cnl 70 be settled after full ex
animation, and proceeding thence common line g. San
francsco sooO~o. Ths las, was called the bidrcaied
route.
In addition 10 this, Ncssrs Butcrfeid 90. stipulated
ust 'bcy we're wilma y run over any variation
master General nigh, Indicate as from the result
u eNlcrieuce, b., likely - make the mail safe and
a this which Postmaster General Eht deem
proper, ,thcr North suih, avoid any obsirucoas
that experience might ruvc % interfere with tho sac and
regular TRANSMISSION n the mail This idea Of biflr.
caird route, which, believe, originated with Mr. John
nuitCrAod. the President ~ se Company met
All III difruity Al once. Ii gave tofnpH 10 both the
North and the south and advantage Il
difentv which seeIned he nsurrnouutahlc Bat the
Postmaster GENERAL and the Cabinet SAL held 10 tha lrac
ucabty q The II Paso route by tho thirty conf parallel
AM strengthened r Opposition 70 the thirty ah parsl
W. b. adopting the bif0rcs0n lOcating The
Toin, a lAtie Rock, and proceeding hence along
NJ hriy sccnd parallel route hcssrs Buiterheld 60
fought hard Cor the thirty hfh parallel and were quite
Ass0nhec 10 md that though the act read as the
usctofs may select they bad voice ai all IN selecting
tr upon Mhch iheir money 70 D. expended ia
van dd tbey rob that they could not Inc 81
stsges ~ Little Rock u wse only After they had
tr,d and found impossible that the Postmastcr Gone
~ vas wiling 70 change the point of conveyance % Port
- Knowing the exist GO q this feeling q fear Of
VIC y Passo rcute, opposition member N thu House
tntfOdtced rrop0Eiion ~ have altered But
~ coArse ~ contractors lent counteua1cc 70 an At
tack uIou buluis,rai0n Nhnse employees they were
arc ~ unsaocesiul oeng 10 the vigorous opposition
a. iostmnetgr 6euerai Brown. The contract signed
On the 10th o. September 1867 lust one wear since
and prrvidtd
That wherrsa IN Busrf IA William n D.psrore william
a. Fargo Jenes v s~feaor MArcns T. Kinyon Aleyanter