Arizona miner. [volume] (Fort Whipple, Ariz.) 1864-1868, 1867-06-15
ALBURQUBRQUE AND PRESCOTT.


Albuquerque, next TO Santa Fe, the most
important town in New Mexico, happens TO
be upon line directly, East from Prescott,
and it is a natural starting point, upon the
Rio Grande, for mail aud stage route, as 1t
must be for railroad, 10 the Pacific. The
peculiar advantages Of the 35th parallel for
overland travel, were well shown by the
whipplc and Beale neutrality-suspicious., and
have of late been much and favorably dis
cussed by the press, both Of the East and of
California.
In sos weekly mail service was establish
ed from Albuquerque to Prescott, but after
few months of wrctched Encouragement
by the penurious and inexperienced contract
orS, II was withdrawn, and from that time
the route has not been let. Numerous APP
peals have been made by the Legislature, and
by the Governor, for the establishment OF
service upon this highly important and en-
tirey practicable route, and we now hear ms
we have frequently, within few months
past. that contract will soon be let
\ The Governor recently made fresh appli-
/ cation to the =. o. Department, in letter
! Of which the following is an extract We
will only add, that If the Southern overland
Email is important to Tucson, as we know !.
Is, and we rejoice at its re-starting, an over
iland ria the 35th parallel Is equally impU-
tant to Prescott, aud 20 all Central Arizofss
and if provided, we shall think the Govern
mcnt has at last properly and fully supplied
our postal necessities.
"Weekly service was first put upon thi,
route in 1865, but never properly performed
and finally taken Off, through the represeD
tation of the contractors, or sub-contractors
that the route was impracticable, because o
Indians and OF snow Nothing could b,
more grossly false, and | am surprised that
the =. o. Department has not discovered it
As ono who has been over the route in mid
. winter, undertake to say, that it is one o
r the easiest and most agreeable routes across
the continent avoiding the San Francisc'
mountain country, which is now done b,
leaving the Little Colorado near Leroux'
J fork, and crossing the Verde Tor San Fran
= cisco) directly East Of Prescott, the road j
/ through low and comparatively open re
r glOn IN winch SHOW never lailS, ana y ncNe
an annoyance. As for Indians, those former
ly living ON the route, the Navajos, arc near
c " all upon the great reservation in New
g Mexico, and the wandering bands Of Apache
q are small and not to he feared, by party @
five, or even three, rcsolute men, and vii
s disappear rs soon as the road is travelled. A
z present our mail matter from the Eas
!. either comes 10 Salt Lake, and thence sout
= ria Mohaye, or TO Santa Fe, thence..down tn
Rio Grandc (past Alburquerquc) to Messills
; thence across on the Old Southern oyerlan
u route, and ria Tucson north to Prescott
N Both ways involve great round Of travel an
s. much delay. by the latter our letters ar
"a carried full GOO miles out Of direct line.
!, II is but little more than 400 miles fror
: Albuquerque here, and allowing six days "a
u its travel, and eight from Fort Riley, or th
n Western terminus Of the railroad to Albu
; querque, we could receive our mails in
N days, say lG from 81 Louis Now they ar
= seldom less than IS and usually a. days i
. coming.