Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1858-09-15
Letter on the Overland Mail Route.

pALATIS, JHfc l-Nl, 1000
Cot. T. BorEns-Sr: | am in receipt of your
note of the 9th, asking for information of the
nature of the contract entered into by the Oycr-
land Mail company with the Postmaster Gene
raj, the services to he rendered tho pay they re-
ceive and az much of the details of their plan,
of operation as may see proper to communicate
The Company is composed Of the principal husi.
ness men of the American Expire So Co., all of
them of energy, and fine business talent and hab-
it's. They con racted to carry the mails semi
weekly from Memphis and st. Louis to San Fran
cisco, to 20 through In twenty-five days. mails to
be carried in four horse coaches, suitable for
the conveyance of passengers, and the security
Of the mails Their contract is for six years, to
commence the 10th of September next, and they
are to receive six hundred thousand dollars an
nually for their services to he paid quarterly.
The company have obtained tho consent Of the
Postma ster General to start their mails from
St. Louis and Mem phs on the 18th July, to run
as far as Fort Bclknap Texas, and from San
Francisco to Fort Yumah on The Pacific side,
mails to be carried twice n month until the gap
can be filled, so as to commence through service
by the lst Of October.
It will REQUIRE | 200 head of horses and mules,
and 80 coaches to stock the road; they have al
ready about 900 head Of horses and mules, and
all their coaches harness, and their agents are
now actively engaged getting them out on the
route.
Through tho settlements, say from st. Louis
and Memphis to Fort Bclknap Texas, on the end
of this route, and from San Francisco to Fort
Yumah 900 miles, there are but few settlements
and 1t will cost very heavily to transport proven
der in wagons, they will depend great deal on
grazing and as mules will do better on short feed
than horses, they will be used. though there is
but little doubt that in two years there will bea
chain of settlements along cte entire route, hun
dreds of families have settled on the route
through Texas, 81 nee the exploring parties pass
eu' o}rUae,sh in January and February.
Through the unsetttei ,as@ntrv: the company
will have to erect stations every u or 10 "eiles
for their own conveniences; at each Of these sta
lions there will be smiths shop, wood and har~
ness shops, and post Office. and at some OF them
will be stores To trade with the Indians, and to
supply per sons in the employ of the company and
emigran:s, thus forming the nucleus OF settle
ment.
As to your suggestion Of the danger OF the
stations being broken up, and The mails robbed
by Indians, would say that do not apprchcnd
much difficulty, as the Government will place
regiment of cavalry on the route, who will be
continually moving from one station to an ltlier'
and will thus prevent any marauding band get
ting near the line before they are discovered AS
regards the practicabilty of the route. have no
uOuDb, rs &c ffhe "Coh 'uiiy oNP'"'Ne -
men sent out by the company, and they report
very favorably of Indeed, stages have run from
San Antonio Texas to San Diego, regularly
since last July and they lnnve never been ITtef,
rupted Their rou is the same us the oTcrhnd
mail company, from Ell Paso to Fort funah and
will be discontinued after LIST October.
The company will build IL telegraph line from
St. Louis and Memphis, via Fort Smith to San
Francisco. which will prote great convenience
both 10 them and the country. have been, and
am still of the opinion that the Government
ought to lyuild it.
According to tlrc original contract, the compa-
nv agreed to bring these two branches together
A. Little Rock, but on examination of the road
from St. Louis to that point, it was found to be
30 bad, the company procured the consent OF the
Postmaster General to make Fort Smith the poin
Of connection, that being considered better
point, and they also procured his consent to car
ry their mails and passengers from Little Rock
to Fort Smith in boats L C distance from Ut.
Louis to San Francisco, is :, 300 miles
/ have, I believe, given you all the information
that is necessary relative to this stupendous un-
iertahing and will only add that it is in the
hands OF ren who know no such word us fail. |
md that there is not the shadow Of II doubt bat
hey will carry it out successfully, and that they
will have more applications for passage than they
nm accommodate. Yours truly,
JAMES GLOVER.