The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-02
TIE MIDDLE ROUTE TO TIE PACIFIC.

70 he Editors Of As Onion; A
Your paper of Thursday February III contains
article headed "1he Pacific Railway in the Senate-Ihc
Desert Feature " and signed Missouri submitted, it
is said or the purpose OF dssipatng an error which
to cling to popular opinion with tcnacity that is
as strange as it is unfouned " the imputed being
the opinion that the country between the 9sth meridian
and the crest of the Sierra Nevada generally sterile,
though furnishing grazing lands and cultivabe valleys
and plains of limited extent.
Il is my intention To enter into any discussion of
this subject it Is probably we'll known to all who feel
interest in that region that siuce the first aequisi
ton of territory west OF the Mississippi river the gov
of the United States has from time to time sent
well organized expeditions TO examine its character;
that during the last fifteen years those explorations have
been regularly aud systematically continued, and the
number The parties employed increased and that
their reports particularly those of the past five six
years. have attracted high commentator in countries
not given TO praise OF American works IL Is probable,
therefore, that those who really desire to be informed of
the character Of our territory between the Mississippi
river and the Pacific will have, the Senate has
M to those well authenticated accounts of its
physical condition.
Upon the particular selected for remark by Mis-
souri, !" chat the 3sth and seth parallesl would
commend to perusal chap VIII. of vol OF Pacific
Railroad Reports
Afrer some discussion of the cuvae character of this
route as far the San Luis valley, (on the upper Rio
Grande) Missouri continues;
But in regard to the region between the Sierra Ma
Dire and Sierra Nevada the country Is not familiar,
and will introduce the testimony OF Others to the emf
nent advantages of this ronte of transit for commer-
cia purposes. ftt fttl
"Mr Charles MeLanalan [Ncclanahan,l formerly Of
Virginia and now resident of California; and large
stock driver Missouri and Texas to the Pacific, in
letter to the late Col Benton in 1853 thus speaks of
the route:
sn this route almost the entire way may be settled,
as all the land from Missouri to Bent Fort IL rich and
very fertile equal TO the best lands of Missouri and I'LL
nois and no land beat the Sierra Blanca for grass
Even to the very summit II stands thick the best
meadows and many acres would at least four
toms To the ncrc Then the large and beautiful
valley of San Luis, one of the most fertile In New
Mexico Indeed fine land Is upon the whole route,
and the climate "a such that stock live all the
winter upon the grass On this route there ia and alum
dance of grass and water much that stock will travel
and keep lat very largo majority Of our sheep
fat mutton as any In the philadelphia or Baltimore
ket and a very large number Of Mr. Barnwels Bur
well II cattle are fine beef, and have any
stock after travelling so FAR, look half so well
One who undertakes to dsspatc Is bound TO pre-
sent his statements with snc completeness, precision
and accuracy that they shah create impressions
tirsy variance with the actual facts This Missouri
has not done He is wanting in completeness and pre-