Arkansas intelligencer., 1858-04-30

| )ect and design OF a railroad across the conu
nent- And the question may well be moeted
whether the location Of a road along this bor-
der and sectional line would not be viola
| tion of the very intent of the reasons advan-
ced in support Of the power of the govern
ment to construct a road at all.
/ 1t an uninhabited and unnhabitable route
/ From the time it leaves the western border Of
Texas, with the exception of few scattered
! and spsrse settlements in the GadSden pur-
chase, until it reaches the valley OF Tulare in
California, there are no inhabitants, and no
country when can be inhabited. The reports
! of Maj. Emory and Lieut.. Parke, {the first
+ crossing the country to escort Gen. kearuy TO
California, and the latter surveying the routo
/ with an especial view to the location of a rail
road,( both agree as 10 the utter barrenuess
and sterliity Of the country, and as to the
great suffering they and their animals exPe
rieuced in trayersing it. Extreme heat, no
grass, no wood, no water and a perfectly bar
ren soil, in the torrid zone, are poor induce
mcnts for American people to settle up the
country along this proposed route for a rail
road.
/ IT. then, this route is imphaticalIy sectional,
not accommodating or intending 10 accommo-
/ date, more than one-.ixth of the population
or the trade Of the United States aud not
more than oue-tenth of the territory of our
country, without fuel or water, and Incapable
/ Of supporting population, we may with rea
son aud justice conclude the United States
government will not commit the folly and
outrage Of selecting 1t, as the great national
/ highway.
The route along the 35th parallel, com
mencing at Fort Smith, Arkansas, running up
the fertile valley of the Canadian river, and
gently rising TO the table lands of New Mex
leo, by any easy grade, proceeding to Anton
Chico, Albuquerque and Luni, then westward
up the Little Colorado, to Red river. thence
up the valley Of the Mohaye 10 san Franc
is the great central route. 1t trayersss the
richest Unsettled territory belonging to the
United States, crosses New Mexico, which
territory has population of 100000 about
its centre, and Is the cheapest, nearest and
best route. The valley Of the Canadian con
tans an area OF 400 miles by $50 broad, rich
soil, well wooded and watered, and large
enough 10 form two states as large as North
Carolina, and about the same temperature
The civilized Cherokee inhabits portion Of
this region, and cultiyates the soil with great
success. Lying west Of this region and east
Of New Mexico, is another 200 miles square
large enough for a State the size Of NI1-Uja,
with genial climate, prolific soil, and p.en-
ty Of wood and water and some coal.
From Iuni on 70 California we have the
! testimony OF Lieut. Beale, who has recently
traversed this routo 10 ascertain It's practical
bility for a wagon road, that there are some
of the finest lands and most magnificent tim
Der that he has ever seen in any part of the
world. The water IS ample, the average dis
tance between places where water IS found
being fifteen miles, and no distance over tweu-
ty miles. Indeed, the sum Of Mr.. Beales re-
port is that it IS a splendid natural ronte from
the Mississippi to CaiifJrnia-well wooded
and watered, and passing through a body Of
country admirably suited for farming and
grazing purposes. Il IS in q climate neither
too cold or too hot-avoIing deep SHOWS and
severe freezes on the one hand, and heated
sands, burning sun, and in>UieraJle "uorthcrS'
on the other. 1t la, all the advantages Of
wood and stone for the construction of a road,
aud those Of soil for the support Of a people
and the increase Of commerce and wealth al
ter the road shall have been constructed.
While Fort Smith, or some point near there,
/ is proposed aE the nominal eastern terminus
Of this road, it IS expected really that ST.
Louis or some point on the Mississippi oppo-
site the mouth Of the Ohio river, vii. be
/ The Southwestern Railroad is already graded
from st. Louis to Springfield, in the extreme
southwestern part Of Missouri, aud 1t is pro-
posed To continue it, 10 intersect the main
stem Of the Pacific at some point on the west
ern frontier of Arkansas, or in the Canadian
valley. This would direct the trade and tray-
el OF the Pacific, to the more northern of the
middle States, and the northern, western and
northwestern States, to st. louis, whence
| they could find easy access TO all parts OF the
! United States. The southern States could
also find easy, cheap and direct connection
| with the main stem of the Pacific road, at
some point in the Canadian valley, which
would thus render the Pacific railroad what
/ it IS designed it should be-a great national
/ thoroughlsre for trade and travel, dispensing
its blessings and benefits to all sections of our
common country alike.
/ Ia view, then, of these uranswerabe arru-
ments and natural advantages in favor Of the
! central route for Pacific railroad along the
35lh parallel
/ ReSoiged, That we endorse the reasons ad-
vanced in the Presidents message in support
/ Of great national railroad across the CONT
nent, and the principles from which those
reasons are adduced
BE ii resolved, That we The citizens of the
Territory of New Mexico, respectfully urge
the adoption of this direct, cheap and practi-
cable route, as that over which the Pacific
railroad should be constructed. New Mexico
has population Of about lOO, 900 souls; ten
tunes larger than the entire population from
the western frontier of Texas, on tho 32d pa
rallel, to the eastern verge of California. We
have an annual trade of from S5OOO.OOO TO
/ S7,0O0,000 with the United States, which is
now carried oE by slow, costly, uncertain
and dangerous mode, exposing us to losses
and delays which frequently prove disastrous
and ruinous to our spectators and merchants.