The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-24

Ao'~' s4uA]e nes'... 607 900
An area exceeding that of the present States
within the Union, (including the enormous
States of Texas and California; by nearly
100000 square miles. Here, then, in this list
of embryo States and Territories we have
space enough for some forty new States of the
size Of New York but we admonish our read
ers not to be deluded with this splendid array
of hgures-as our Pacific Railway jobbers
would desire them to be-for a single hard fact
or two will knock all this splendid fabric into
pieces.
Take out the lands at present occupied by
our white people, or held as Indian reserves, in
the above table of incipient States and Terrific
res, and the remainder is pretty much all bosh
We dare cay that in all this grand aggregate of
eighteen hundred thousand square miles there
are thirteen hundred thousand square miles
which for twenty years to come will not average
n value one cent an acre-not one cent, for the
purposes of CIVILIZATIONS; and. so far as known.
not one cent for any other purpose. The i'm
mense regions thus cut off from the social occu-
pstions Of civilized life consist Of arid plains,
immense chains of bald, rugged and desolate
mountains, volcanic debris, and sandy wastes as
nearly resembling those Of Arabia as it is DOS
sible TO conceive; in fact westward from the
present inhabited frontiers Of the Mississippi
valley TO the Pacific all our American ideas Of
lures must be dismissed.
Beyond the present Western border States
and Territories Of the Mississippi valley proper
we pas out Of an American country as we I'M
derstand IL, and enter into an Asiatic region
purely Asiatic in all its hard. barren, rugged
and desolate aspects. Thus our great Western
plains may be aptly compared with the steppes
Of Tartary; and the Great Salt Lake and its
principal sttiuents TO the Dead Sea and
the river Jordan, with all their natural
surroundings. Indeed. the many striking fea
lures Of resemblance between the great Salt
Lake and the Dead Sea, and in the physiea al
peculisrities Of the country surrounding the
one and the other, are 70 very remarkable that
they have contributed not a little to give a
peculiar charm Of sanctity to the New Jerusa-
lem of the Mormons We might enlarge upon
this incidental branch Of our subject by the
column, but our limits recall us to the main
question--our overland communication with
the Pacific. We must have some method Of in.
Accommodation and what shall il be?
Proved that this Asiatic division of our coun.
Try affords nothing except rocks with which to
build railroad; that, except a scanty margin
Of arabic soil here and there il is unfit for and
uninhsbitablc by an agricultural people; that,
with the projected railroad already built it
could ''never be made to pay" what does com.
mon sense suggest we should dol Clearly,
that we should open one, two or three
coed common national high roads from
the Mississippi Valley 70 the Pacific.
With some improvements in the mountains and
at other points the present overland trails would
do well enough for time, with the indispensable
additions safety from the Indians, and security
| from starvation, or death from a want of water
| In this view, these overland national highways
should be provided with watering stations at
intervals oftwenty-hve or thirty miles. all the
way through. This would require a number of
wells over the desert al intervals. and TO secure
these wells against the Indians, at every alter
nate one-to begin with-a little military set.
Element should be provided for and protected
by the government
Next bring in the Asiatic and African ship Of
the desert" the camel, and COLOMBO him libe-
rally at <ese military highway stations, and
your work Of a convenient, speedy, wholesome,
safe and inviting overland trip to the Pacific ia
secured. The csmels, from the two ends Of
the route, would supply all the stations
with the necessary provisions for any
quantity Of horses. men and mules going
through, and the tavcyD fees Of the station