Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-10-15
THE OVERLAND MAIL FROM San FRAN
CISCO

We yesterday Published the very appropriate tele
graphic reply Of resident Buchanan to despatch
announcing the arrival at ST. Louis of the Gres!
Overland Mail from San Francisco in twenty three
days and four houn. The National "Intelligencer'
saye thst "a despatch alec addressed by Mr.. Blu.
| terfeld TO the Postmaster General bu. the empors
ry absence of Mr.. Brown Lin Tennesssel prevented
its being made pubic. II must be source of graft
ticaion to the Goernment that this extraordinary
undertaking, whc!. few thought practicable within
the stipulated time should have been successfully
achieved This SUCCESS ia due in the fret place to the
ssgacity of the Postmaster General in selecting the
mos eligible route s15econdIy 10 the extraordinary
energy and perseverance, Of the contractor and his
| agents."
| The progress Of hamsil from ST. Louis to San
New York Herald he's ae following dispatch from u:
| FoRT BLLKSAP, TEXAS.
| Sl9 miles from H. Louls. Sept 23. 1858
| The overland mail arrived here this morning, at
twenty minutes to Elk iaving been twelve hours in
coming the lasi IS ms, owing to the ob.iinacy o;
| the wild mules which NJ. Bates, the superintendent.
ia co,nptlled TO use. We al @ sti. however, nboui
| twenty-seven hours shed Of the time table, having
| ,rsversed the hardes: rods on the route, and making
| nne-third the enre distance. We have travelled
night and day. the relay of horses being ready al
mos, all the stations promptly. We have suffered bur
| nnc detention OF conseq ence and that wss OF Eve
hours at Colberts ferry, )ver the Red River, where
| managed to write you Wills the express waited
| had expected TO be aba to write in the wagons
when reached the praires, but found them too un
even and the creek crossRs and routes too frequent
| 10 admit of my carrying OFT my purpose. We are do
ing finely, and asiunish th natives with the facility
| of our progress Slow ss has been, compared with
wha, il can be when tb,rou.e s fully established
and horses put where tbs should he in the place OF
The mules between Sherman and Fort Beknap Ger
| sinly, and do not know Tut further We have been
favored thus far with eIcdlent weather, though fol!
the extreme warm days aid cod nights OF this coun
try rather uncomfortable. As ng ght comes on have
to keep putting on Clothes. and es morning comes on
gradually take them of certain extent. have
not seen bed, or time p get a comfortable meal
since we left ST. Louis. Tls plaza is the regular mill
tary station of the Second Regiment Cavalry, Major
Thomas, and now hss ten companies stationed here
| will az possible, give you an account Of oui
Journey from Fayetteville, Arkansas, where my last
letter left U.s. ! have mann expectations Of going
| through TO San Francisco sssy and in time.
Although the announcement OF the arrival of the
overland mail has been frat made from ST Louis there
Ia little reason 10 doubt that it also arrived al Memphis
Tenn, about the game time, for las many awsre
q bifurcated route was adopted; that is, the mai
wagon. start at the same time from St. Louis, Mo
and from Memphis, Tenn, meeting At poin; on the
Arkan.ss river, in Arkansas, known as Fort Smith
thence there is but singe line, that which by
the 32t degree OF latitude, passing through Arizona
The fllowing table shows the distances from point
to poi,, on the line. The measurements we're made
by h. exploring party sent out by the Overland Mai
Company: sM,Les
EromS. Louis TO Syracuse, Mo, l6S
Syracuse to Springfield, Mo, l43
SprRfeld TO Fort Smith, Ark. us
Fort smith 10 Cobert'a Ferry, Red River, 2U5
Cobr't Ferry teigheen miles below Preston)
to Iori Belknap. l4bi
Fort 3elknsp to Fort Chadbourne, 1876
Fort Ihadbourne to Pecos river It's
Peco river to Pope Camp, Do
Popes Camp to Franklin tnesr Fl Paso,) l72I
Fran;Ip Through Arizona) to Fort Yuma, 6lOi
Fort Yuma, on the Colorado, TO San Franoisoo, 664
Toal distance from st. Louis, via Ell Psso,
tSsn Francisco, 2,65l
Th distance from Memphis to Fort Smith, by the
road Travelled for the present, is about 40O niles.