The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-12

In 1S49. So years ago. Capt r. b.
Marcy. 5th U1ited States infantry,
with a military escort, under orders
from the government at Washington
to find and mark the best route for
military and immigration purposes
between Fort Smith, Ark, and Cali
fOrnia. traverSed the same route that
was gone over within the past three
weeks by the E Pasoans investigating
conditions with reference to a pro
posed new railroad out of FL Paso.
II his report Capt. Marcy states:
The advantages which this route
possesses over others adapt it in a
preeminent degree to the construction
of a railroad. From all the examina-
ton and consideration | have been
able to give the subject, 1 cannot re-
sist the strength of my own convic-
tions that any experienced and impair
tial engineer after a thorough and
careful reconnaissance of all the differ
ent routes. would at once give this
the preference over any other between
the Mississippi Valley and California.
From Ell Paso to near where we
crossed the Red River. a distance of
700 miles by road, there are
probably as few difficulties to encOun-
ter as upon any other road that can
AA ~ hAC 1OhhNA
the entire distance it would not be
necessary to make a single tunnel;
there would be but few heavy excava-
tions or entertainments; and for a
great portion O. the distance, the sur
face of the earth is so perfectly
smooth that it would appear to have
been designed by the Great Architect
of the Universe for a railroad.
From Red River the railroad could
he carrier fn Fort Smith nr onu other
point without difficulty. This. united
with a railroad from the Rio Grande
to San Diego, Cal, would give us a
great national highway across our con
tinent from the Atlantic to Pacific, in
a very direct line"
Capt. Marcy. in his very full report
gives reasons for his decision. He
was assured by all the best guides
in New Mexico that north of Mesilla
Valley there was nc point along the
Rio Grande where wagons could pass
westward through the great noun
tain ranges; the old Santa Fe trail
from Independence, Mo-, had to turn
due south 800 miles to Mesilla or
a Ana before it could cutoff west
ward. The route by way of the Hueco
and Guadalupe ranges and across the
southern part of the Staked Plains
10 the Red River, Capt. Marcy declar-
ed to be at least 200 miles shorter
as part of the California trail, than
h Santa Fe route. He also states
that the probability of agricultural
development by this route is far great
er than by the more northerly routes.
He calls attention to the high noun
tains n deep SHOWS of the north
er1 routes, and to other disadvantages
as compared with southern route.
Strangely enough. though railroad
after railroad has been built in the
southwest no one has yet adopted this
particular route, despite it's great adj
vantages. Within the years from the
close of the war with Mexico to the
opening of the civil war. not less than
a dozen army engineers went over the
various routes and decided on this
one by way of the Huecos and the
Guadalupes as the best available, the
shortest and the easiest on man and
beast. One after nothe with mirac-
ulous foresight, they recommended
that this route be chosen for a great
transcontinental railroad.
1t remains for the people of FL Pa
so. more thar half a century after
these men CAV to the nation their
devoted services, to carry out their
wise suggestions. What these men
wrote Is as true today as it was then.
and that the railroad builders have
neglected this most feasible route is
no evidence tina it is not today an op-
ening Of wonderful promise, destined
10 be perhaps the greatest overland
trail" of the age.
In those days the whole region here
abouts was harassed by Apaches, and
further east, by the Comaaches. Inn
migrants were urged to move only in
large bodies and always under mill
tary escort Grizzly bears n other
savage beasts infested the Guadalupe.
Organ, and Hueco mountains. There
was no Ell Paso" on the American