Arizona miner., 1866-02-14
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 near the road. The Rio Grande is crossed where it is about one hundred and fifty yards wide, and not over five feet deep, with a rocky bottom and abutments. After leaving the Rio Grande, the country k billy and would require good deal of working for fifty miles, although no one point would require \ heavy outlay, and no steep grades are neces- sasy. From Las Vegas to Kansas City, the country is open. As far as the construction of the road is concerned, Fort Union, which is about hundred miles from the crossing of the Rio Grande, may be said to be on the edge of the Great Plains. For one hundred and fifty miles east of the Rio Grande, the road passes through or near settlements, and timber is on or near the road all of that dis tance. Owing to the vicinity of the Gilinas or the Raton Mountains, northeast of Fort Union, timber can be obtained farther east on this than on the Denver route.
 As to the farming lands on this route, l think am safe in saying that the Valley of the Rio Grande alone, above Fl Paso, can easily support one hundred and fifty thousand people. and that the Valleys of the Lower Colorado and Gila can produce subsistence for at least fifty thousand more. Besides, there are innumerable little mountain valleys that are capable of producing cereals as fine as any in the world. The quality of the wheat that is raised by the pueblo and wild Indians, with their rude method of cultiya- ton, is astonishing. The grass of these re- pions is another source of wealth. Last year, when the cattle of this State were starving by thousands. the grass in the mountains of Arizona was green and luxuriaBt. have laid great stress on the existence of this grass. k... I.s sHst have lived much in the arid attitudes of the Rocky Mountains, know what an important element in the construction of this railroad the presence of good grass is. In those remote regions, where innumerable teams would have to be employed, it is impractica- ble to feed them with full rations of corn or barley, and good grazing is almost indispen- sable. Then, in this State, the rich lands, which an told lie idle along the San Joa- auin and about Tulare Lake, would be rem dercd productive. The road up Owens Val iey, which was suggested in your issae oi September, could then be built as q branch to this When the road once emerges on tine prairies. it is claimed that it is on the same footing with the Denver route, except that its timber extends, already stated, further east. and that being further south it will not suffer so much from snow. In this last re- spect this route is beyond all comparison superior Co the other. There K reason tO be- iieve that trains would never be delayed a day by snow. between Fort Union and San Francisco. This can hardly be claimed for q more northern road. Large supplies of fresh meat would be required for the workmen on the road This route could be easily and cheaply supplied from the countless herds cf Southern California, New Mexico and Texas. No such great bends are necessary ia this road as in the other, and therefore have ground for asserting that t will be al least ss short as Its northern rival. The vast bal- g=Tk of the Mosollan mountains which ex- tend east and west almost from the Colorado to the Rio Grande. would eiiectually secure the road from falling into the hands of enc mics fron Mexico. Practically, this Is as central a route as any other. IL Is m no sense southern route.
 oxE or THE HOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS To be considered in this matter, is that of time Here. as elsewhere, time is money. li the efforts of the nation be put forth to build the road on this route, it's rails will groan under the traffic between Europe and Asia, years before the first through train could pos sibly run over the Denver road. Much of the route proposed has been surveyed by Iieuten- ant (stnce Gcnefal) d. w. hiplae. The statements regarding grades are taken entire ly from his report. Even fl the road through Salt Lake is built, it Is doubtful whether it could be used with any certainty in winter, or. n fact. whether its numerous steep grades aud sharp curves would not unfit 1t to convey the current that wauld certainly flow through this great artery of the worlds commerce. am convinced, that by choosing the north ern ronte the nation Is wasting untold mill ions of money, and the commercial supremacy of San Francisco is being delayed for years. In this statement have endeayored to point out all the worst features oi the route adyo- cated, and to underrate rather than to exag- gcrate its numerous advantages.
 THfRTY-FIvE.
 san Francisco. November 10, 1865.