The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-01-05
rhs Hail Service 70 The Aerth-Adraatases Of
the Elko Route

Il
ais for carrying the r all from Elko to Cope.
The proposition 20 establish more perfect
mail communication between these two places
naturally suggests the exPediency of thus linn
iting the new mail service to Elko county. 1t
raises the question whether it would not be
advisable for the Department to reorganize the
1 entire system Of mail routes in this section Of
| the country, and thus adapt them TO the pres
emf and prospective necessities Of the p0pula-
| ton. .H.."
1t is well known that at the time the present
mail routes were established. the entire coun-
| Try between the Sierra Sevadns and Salt Lake,
both to the north and south Of the line Of rail-
road, was an unsettled and almost unknown
waste, constituting, in fact, large portion OF
| the Great American Desert. There were no
mails to distribute at any intermediate points
between the termini of the routes. Way mail
bags and way postofflces had not beeL created
| even in the widest of imaginations.
| All this is now changed. Population. bu-
siness and settlements have taken new posi-
/ tons; and the question arises. ought not the
uiailservice to follow suit Cannot system be
devised more economical for the Department.
and more convenient and expeditions for the
people?
There are two routes leading from the rail
road to the country north Of the State of Ne
vada, over which most of the mail matter Of
Idaho, Washington Territory and Oregon is
conveyed. One of these leaves the railroad at
kelton, extending thence westward through
Boise City to the Columbia river; the other
starts from Winnemucca, running north to
Boise City.
Both of these mail routes ought to be abol-
| ished, and new one established capable Of
| performing the service now done by two.
That new route should be located on the line
of the proposed service between Elko and
Cope, north, and from Elko south. forming
one main line of mail communication from
the Columbia river to the Colorado.
Neither of the two routes now travelled sup
ply any local necessity, as far as mails are
concerned. On Haley's line, from Kelton TO
Boise City, there is not single postoffice; and
on Beachey's line, between Winnemucca and
Silver City, there is but one-Camp McDer-
mitt. There is no population to be served
along those routes, and there is no probability
that there ever will be any. We have person
ally travelled over both those roads and know
them to pass through barren waste of desert
! sagebrush, rock, and alkali, with few tritiing
exceptions. They have been open for settlement
for years, yet but few have found inducements
enough to drive their stakes and make a home
4 So far as local necessities ire concerned, shey
are almost entirely wanting.
Why, then, continue mail service over those
two routes, If Il better. more convenient. and
cheaper route can be selected? Consolidate
the two; stop the service both from Kelton
and Winnemucca, and open q route that is
adapted to the needs Of the age we live in. in
stead of those of five or ten years ago, before
the Pacific Railroad revolntionized the lines
of travel. The completion of this railroad.
and the extraordinary development Of this in
terror basin during the past year. has created
n state of things. which demand an entirely
new system Of mail routes. No one familiar
with the geography of the country can mistake
the natural. main trunk line; the Almighty
has marked it ont by a line of towns and
fourishing mining districts, along which
nearly the whole population of the interior are
collected. These towns are strung, like dried
apples upon a string, along the 10th parallel.
Idaho City, Boise City, Silver, Cope, Elko,
Eureka, Hamilton, Treasure Hill, Sherman
town, Patterson, and Grant, down to Hike and
Tem-Piute, in the south, are all located within
twenty miles of that degree Of Longitude.
Here is distance of over five hundred
miles, the present and future empire Of the in
terror, girdled by good wagon road from end
to end. The Idaho Central Road Company
have constructed a good wagon road from
Boise City to the boundary line of Nevada;
and this road was connected last Summer by
the Elko and Idaho Road Company, forming
junction at Duck Valley. This road passes
through series Of valleys, fertile and grazing
country, copiously watercd, and open at all
seasons of the year. 1t is section now filling
up with permanent population. On the
sonth, two roads, Beachey's and Denver's, con-
meet Elko with Hamilton, and another extends
thence south toward the Colorado.
As for speed and economy, the advantage
is decidedly with the Elko road Consider the
distance From Keton TO Boise City ia 2l5
miles; from Winnemucca TO Boise City, 2Gs;
total running distance, 5l3 miles. On the
contrary, the distance from Elko to Boise City
is 200 miles; gain of 3l3 miles. The reduction
Of expense alone should be sufficient to induce
a.