The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-09-03
MAILS AND MAIL ROUTES the GEN.
TRALAROUTE.

MAILS AND MAIL ROUTES THE CEN
TRALSROUTE.
The NEST unjust. sectional and impolisic
e1travagancs of our Government, il dis
played in our California and remote West
ern mail service. Near the close Of the last
session Of Congress, our Representative,
Col. Curtis, in few remarks, showed that
all the several mail lines to the Pacific, start
from Southern States, or run (entirely)
through foreign countries, and that their
annual cost exceeds two millions of dollars.
We of the North and Northwest, have
branch lines, by which We try to connect
with the central lines; but the travel and
mail matter of the branch must stop or de-
lay at the connecting point, if, in the judg-
ment Of a driver, there is sufficient load on
the main line. But, when thus secure
connection with the Central Route, which is
tho only convenient line to US, it is slow,
uncertain, unsupported vagrant Of the Gov
ernment; poorly paid, poorly managed
passing near the Gold Mines, without
branch connection--andt the contractors al
lowed unreasonable time to make the trip
At the same time, the extreme Southern
Route, through Texas and Arazonia, ispush-
ed through a dssolate country, tri-weekly,
in % days, at an annual cost of 100000.
While that route is thus continued, and the
service through Santa Fe was recently in.
creased! We see by the St. Louis Repubh-
can, of August Goth, tina. the service on the
Central Route is reduced from weekly to
a scmi-monthly mail. Can anything b.
more unjust9
Our letters, to and from our friends in
the Gold Mines, are delayed for months, or
uever carried through-and We are no,c in
formed that the only way of sending letters
is by Lcavenworth Express, which costs 25
cents a letter, and makes it travel oper dou-
bic the direct distance travelled by enigrants
to tho mines. In fact, it is six or seven
hundred miles by Leavenworth to Fort Kear-
ney-a point lS6 miles west Of us-through
which the Express goes, but ,0here 40 ar
rangement is made by the Express to take
our mails.
We who live here on the Missouri River,
see travel, settlements, and NIL the natural
conveniences for good mail service on this
Central Route constantly increasing, and
wonder at human folly! Where ten travel
over the Texas, or Santa Fe, route, thous-
and pass up the Platte on the Central route !;
and where, on those Southern lines, one way
letter is received, there would be thousand
on the way Of the settlements Of Platte, the
Gold Mines, Utah and Carson Valley, if this
Central route were properly served, and
convenient post. Offices established.
Yet we are told the service on this Central
route is reduced and that, too, when i, is
crowded with emigrants, and new settle
ments are daily being established upon it !
1t is time the people and press wonld speak
out on this subject. Shall the entire income
and influence of the mail service be applied
to divert travel, trade and settlements away
from US? We have suffered too long from
this policy of our Government-whi has
been to aid Central American, Mexican and
extreme Southern routes, INSTEAD of support
ing our Central overland route, that sho uld
have concentrated on it all the vast travel
that now, By reason of Government cncour-
agement, is directed through foreign chan
nels. Through our own country-through
the central portions Of it-should our mails
and our lines Of trade and travel, be con-
Will our countrymen of the
East unite with US in directing the public
gaze on the outrages perpetra:sd on tie
whole country, under cover Of California
mail service. Millions are verse than lost.
Travel is urged through sickig and solitary
wastes, where EN- grants are either roasted,
starved or murdered. Our Pacific mails
should 60 by the Central route in Is days,
and emigrants would not then be lead off by
false appearances, that annually betray
hundreds into paths of dangar and Death
The Central is the only settled and safe
route. and the Government should foster
and maintain it.
CO A correspondent: Of the Huukeye,