El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-11

be lost sight Of-tnaL as RUE the
military road same before the rail-
road survey and that the military and
government scientific escort had good
Ideal to do with the success of the rail-
road surveys.
Among the documents to be reprint
ed soon in The Herald are reports of
Reconnaissance that have to do in
directly with the surveys and subse-
luuent routes of three of our great rail-
ways. the Southern Pacific system, the
Texas and Pacific. and the Ell Paso-
Rock Island. In the reports are sun
dry observations upon the probable
future of Ell Paso that are as true to
facts today as they seemed at the time
they were written. 1t is true that
wherever the name Ell Paso occurs in
the reports it refers to Paso del Norte.
or Ciudad JuareZ, since there was no
town here at that time, only a ranch.
which is referred to again and again
as 1.-The rancho opposite Ell Paso-"
| 1.-The rancho opposite Ell Paso"-
that is what this great and busy me-
tropolis was only half a century ago.
Yet the brilliant officers of our regular
| army, detailed on perilous expeditions,
were able to look into the future and
see a great city arising on the site of
the rancho. Among the officers
whose names appear in the records are
some who became famous on one side
or the other in the civil war. Marcy,
Simpson. French, Johnston, Whiting,
and others-names that old timers will
read again with a sigh for the old
days.
Read what Captain French says
1S49):
Ell Paso. from its geographical posi- |
ton presents itself as a resting place |
on one of the great overland routes |
between the seaports of the Atlantic |
on one side and those of the Pacific on |
the other.
Fourteen miles above. and our ter
ritory crosses to the opposite side of
fore the Gadsden purchased: little
further to the north and west are the
head waters of the ella: and should
the route from Ell Paso to the sea-
board on the west present no more
difficulties than that from the east,
there can easily be established between
the Atlantic states and those that have
so suddenly sprung into existence in
the west-and which are destined to
change, perhaps. the political institu-
tions and commercial relations of half
the world-a connection that will
the bonds of union by free
and constant intercourse. The govern
ment has been a pioneer in the enter
prise, and the little labor bestowed {
may not be lost to the public veal. I
The saving of California and New
Mexico to the union a decade later I
stands forth as striking evidence of s
the wisdom Of that officers conclu-
sions. The little labor bestowed was Il
not lost to the public veal" Ii
Captain r. B. Marcy. of the old Fifth II
infantry, in one of the reports, fore '
sees the construction of a great trans
railroad, from the Missis-
,ippi, westward across the prairie and {
the Staked Plains. to Dona Ana or Las
Cruces, and on to the west. The route e
ne surveyed is not SO very far from c
hat of the Texas and Pacific railroad !.
which came along in due time. a gener- =
alton later. i
Writes Captain Marcy:
From DOna Ana or Ell PaSo to near
where we crossed Red river-distance
If 700 miles-there are probably as
'ew difficulties to encounter as upon
my other road that can be found in
,ur country. Throughout this entire b
distance it would not be necessary to
make a single tunnel. or to use a sta
ionary engine. There would be but Z
ew heavy excavations or embank- e
nents; and, for a great portion of the Z
distance, the surface of the earth is so
firm and smooth that it would
Ippear to have been designed by the d
treat Architect of the Universe for a t
and adapted and fitted by ma G.
ure's handiwork for the reception of
he superstructure. There is an abun- II
ance of building stone, and an mex o
amount of meZquite timber. u
which, for it's durability, is admirably +
dapted for use as sleepers. and for
eul
From Red river it could be carried
o Fort Smith without difficulty. or to
ny other point that might be selected. u
his, united with a railroad from the
Ito Grande to the San Diego, would IL
i've us a great national highway
cross our continent from the Atlantic
o the Pacific, in a very direct line.
nd would enable the traveller to pass
afely and comfortably over a distance ~
4 a week which before required four ~ ~
lonths of toll. hardship. and danger. O.
would afford our government a cheap n
nd rapid transit for troops and NUM-
ons of war, would enable us to COM
lunicate with our far distant terri ,
prizes in a few hours. o,
These considerations in connection