Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-12-29
Laramie Territory.

This is the name chosen by the gold hunt
ers at Pixies Peak and thereabouts, for the
new Territory they propose to erect out OF
the western parts of Kansas and Nebraska-
and the Indian territory, the northern strip
of New Mexico and the eastern section of
Utah. 1t is all in the mountains which cover
a district from four hundred to nine hundred
miles in width. This is the very section Col.
Benton had planned out for mountain State.
though he never dreamed of gold being found
there. He termed it the Bueolic State, hut
the gold seekers. with wholesome contempt
for snch classical nonsense. have christened
it Laramie, after the fort, which for so many
years was the outpost of civilization in that
dreary wilderness. Had similar good taste
prevailed generally throughout our country,
we should not now have had to deplOre the
existence of so many Romes, Atticas, Pal
myras, etc. The passion for individual
names of antique origin died out in eonse-
quence Of the southern planters (mostly col
lege bred) naming their ugliest and toughest
negroes Caesar, PomPey, Marc Antony, Han
nihal, and so on : but the ridicule seems to
have been ineffectnal to prevent the spread
of classic nomenclature for towns.
1t is evident that the region where these
gold hunters have pitched their tents. has no
connection with our other settlements. I'm
mense desert tracts surround them, and if the
gold should continue to be found further in
the heart Of the mountains, there will spring
up colony of peculiar character. From
the Kansas settlements. and the arabic dis
trict likely TO be in the future occupied near
them. Laramie territory is separated by the
Great Plains, where wafer is only found at
rare intervals. and vegetation exists only on
the margin of the streams. From Utah it is
separated 10y difference Of interests and
character not less extraordinary than the
hinge mountain barriers which intervene.
New Mexico. Texas. and Nebraska, are large
enough without il. They have fifteen hun
dred persons out there, and have founded
several towns. Next season many thousands
will be seen vending their way thither across
the plains from the Atlantic States, and
towns will spring up everywhere, and gold
hunters explore the recesses of the mountain
district. Already, as we learn from the st.
Louis Republican, settlers are to be found
along the whole route. from the Missouri
border to Salt Lake City. These are rude
farmers and pioneers, who, fOresecing the tu-
ture greatness of the overland routes, go in
pursuit of good location. They have occu-
pied land. put it under cultivation, built
houses. and drive brisk business in selling
provisions and fodder to the emigrants, trav-
elers, and hunters traversing the great Wild
erness. Last season we noticed the starting
of party of these settlers to occupy part
of the route Now there is such chain OF
them that the traveller is never ii day without
seeing one of their habitations. Moreover
the travel between Missouri and Utah has be
| come very large. constant and important
| The whole route is dotted with trains contin-
ually. Under such circumstances, we regard
the proposal to organize a new territory IN
| the mountains as most Opportune. 1t VIII
give an immediate impetus to the settlement
| of the whole overland route, rendr our mail
connections permanent, and and in achieving
that great cOnsummatiOn, the building of the
Pacific Railroad.-PhI North american.