The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-11

JAMES B. TAYLOR, l3eai1
Sealed and delivered In presence Of A. N. wAxDuIS
The Overland HAIL Route.
TO THE EDITOR or THE H1RALD.
WAsurNGr0x, May 0, 1863.
The overland mail from st. Louis and Memphis
to San Francisco IL "fxed fact" II will be Rood.
lected by you that the overland mail was establish
ed by law on the Sd of March, 1857. Immediately
after the accession Of Governor Brown to the Post
Office Department he took up the subject, and after
a most painstakiug examination of it, devised IL
means for executing the law, and submitted his
plans to the newly installed President of the United
States. The President laid the measure, 30 i'm
portant did he esteem il, before full Cabinet coua
Gil. After numerous consultations II was unar1-
mously resolved to commit the execution of the con-
tract il was thought best to make to John Butter
field and eight or nine other experienced, energetic
and public spirited stage contractors and express
men of known means. They were not only known
TO be possessed of ample means, but also of perse
verance that would not quail when they came -
grappe with the gigantic difficulties that existed On
the routes between the Mississippi river and Ban
Francisco.
The route selected by the Postmaster General,
under the advice Of the President and his Cabinet,
has since been carefully examined by the contrsc-
tors, and, with few slight changes, has been found
not only practicable, but far very far, better than
The contractors were allowed by law and contract
one year within which to prepare for the execution
of the great trust confded to them They are -
commence running four horse coaches from both
ends of the route, semi weekly, on the 18th of Sep
TENDER next. and make the trip in twenty-five
days. After completing their examination, 30 well
made application it is understood to be allowed u
run mail from San Francisco quite down to Fort
Yuma on the first Of July next, and from st. LOWS
and Memphis to Fort Belknap at the same date.
40 In In
be granted.
As this is the first great practical step taken ~
the government of the United States TO open up IN
easy and direct line of communication between Sea
Francisco and the Mississippi river, for the convey
ance Of passengers, and for the purpose Of building
up continuous line of settlements, viii describe
the route
The route begins at San Francisco, runs up the
river to and through the Tulare valley through tina
Twas pass, through the settlements In the fertile
valley of San Bernardino to Fort Yuma-this Ia an
air line nearly. From Fort Yuma the route pro-
ceeds through Arizona, directly to Fort Fillmore.
on the Rio Grande, q few miles above FL Paso. Fro0
thence the route east and crosses the Rio Pecos
about three miles below the mouth Of Delaware
| creek; thence to and along Marcys trail to tho
Springs in the "Sand Hills" thence northeast 70
Mustang springs thence to the Big springs Of the
| Colorado OF Texas; thence crossing the Clear fork
of Brazos near the mouth OF Paint creek TO Fort Bel
KNAPP; thence, through Preston, to Fort Smith on
the Arkansas river. Here the route branches; o0o
branch runs down the river by Little Rock, to Mem
pills. and the other branch from Fort Smith runs
through Springfield to st. Louis. From st. Louis 70
San Francisco the route Is about $50 miles long.
and stages can be easily driven it, after the o.
ganzation has been perfected, in twenty-five days.
The country being high. dry and remarkably
lieved the stages viii always be filed with az many
passengers as can be accommodated; for thousands
will prefer a passage overland, In comfortable
stages, to a passage by sea and across the sickv
isthmus
To confirm this preference but one thing Is want
ing-thorougb military protection
This want, with the eye Of practised statesman.
the cautious Postmaster General has not only ap
pretended, but sought TO provide against II Is un-
derstood that this sagacious officer has made formal
application TO the President of the United States foe
thorough protection of q route important, and
along which so much life and property will pass-s
route which Congress has ordered to be opened st
cost so large, and with prospects 80 hattering:
what plan Of protection ,, VIII ultimately be Iesoi,es
believed that the President himself has bestowed
some thought upon the subject and has given II in
charge 20 the Secretary of War, with instructions 70
render the operations Of the Postmaster General Sc
cure II this has been done, the security will Ger
tainly be afforded: for Gov. Floyd Is apt TO do what
he undertakes. With Lieutenant General Scott -
devise military plans and competent subOrdinates 70
execute schemes Of defence, the Secretary able "a
consummate his measures with rare sitisaction 70
the President and the country ,,
Security being afforded TO the Postmaster Generais
great overland mail route of 2 $50 miles, what viii
follow what must follow Settlements at each
stage station" and in every fertile valley every
stage station" will have tavern, store, black
smiths shop, telegraph Office, an express Office An
immense emigration will follow the stages. Security
and stages can be far separated from the emf
grants-they are bound TO go together and when
found together, they will build settlements along
their path.
Hence the Postmaster General. in the first eighteen
months Of his service, will have the happiness Of in
stituting measure which will build up the waste
places" OF his country, and thus connect together
the distant and disunited parts thereof What -
many statesmen, by other means of more Inn
posing and costly character, have m vain
sought 10 do, he will have accomplished by th0
use Of the old English stage coach lie will have con-
nected and consolidated the settlements, and created
new ones Of the utmost Importance He viii have
given employment to troops IL is true; but the
rush of settlers into the protected valleys viii quickly
transfer the necessity Of protection from the white
Paso 10 the Red river will almost at ones cause
line Of settlements to spring into existence, scross
which Indians cannot go 1t will at once open Texass
from its northeastern flank, and pour into u
wondrous tide Of throbbing humanity. 50 with Ar
kansas, so with southwest Missouri; eminentiyso
with Arizona and southeast California.
Ten years hence this great measure on POSTMASTER
General Brown is likely 20 be considered the wisest
and the most benefcest which will signalize the adj
mnistration Of President Buchanan u connects the
remote portions of a vast empire and Is, therefore,
statesmanlike; Il insures the building and mainte
nance off a telegraph for the convenience Of trade
and commerce upon the most distant and greatest
ocean and IL, therefore, wise and benfcent.
Az the ball was set in motion amid many ieers and
taunts the Postmaster General may well felicitats
himself upon his brilliant prospects OF achieving
successful result. To conduct TO successful issue
20 important an undertaking will be an honor alike
10 those who plan and those' who execute 10; Il viii
be the event of his life and Of the administration
Nv,lys nm stuxu Cttv yexxs.