Atlantic and Pacific Railroad [pp. 595-597]

596
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC RAILROAD.
South, and are but about five miles aeross; and what is remarkable, there are, at
the dryer seasons of the year, thousands of little lakes or pools of pure and
cool water resting at the base of these hillocks, showing very plainly that this
sandy region is based upon an impervious clay, and that water may be had by
digging but a short distance through the sand. From the Pecos river, where
the sand district ends, to E1 Paso, the grade is not difficult, the soil good, and
the scenery sublime, the sun rising and setting on the green and waving ocean
of grass upon the South, while the jagged peaks and the sky-wandering ranges
of the Rocky Mountains are viewed in the distance to the North.
At E1 Paso the thrift of vegetation is remarkable, the onions, for which that
locality is celebrated, comparing in size with our turnips in this country, while
her wines are well known throughout the United States to be superior to any
produced in it. Beyond E1 Paso, the road runs through a country rich in the
precious metals, and by no means deficient in soil. Nor is Texas itself in want
of mineral interest; the beds of plaster of Paris being inexhaustible, while the
encrusted salt upon the lakes near E1 Paso, from which Mexico is furnished
with her salt, may become valuable. A dark and beautifully variegated marble,
in smooth slabs, from two to four inches thick, is found near the line of the
road, and sulphur is said to be abundant in the same vicinity.
But we will return to the Great Southern depot, and see whether the road, if
only carried through to E1 Paso, would not make a Southern New-York of NewOrleans. All the goods that supply E1 Paso and the Northern cities and states
of Mexico, are landed in some of the ports of Texas, and then taken in wagons
through San Antonio, and on to E1 Paso, thence to be conveyed to the various
parts of Mexico. I not long since travelled from E1 Paso to the city of Chihuahua with a train of twenty-three wagons, six mules in each, all heavily
loaded with goods; and from Chihuahua I also went with other trains on to the
city of Durango, making a distance from the ports of Texas of near two thousand miles. From Durango to Mazatlan, on the Pacific, no wheeled vehicle
ever did, or ever can possibly pass, there being but a single mule track of some
three hundred miles, through the wildest and most chaotic region on earth, the
road being so narrow in places that the mules' feet have worn deep pits in the
solid rock, rendering it difficult for these faithful creatures to keep theirbalance, and when precipitated, as they often are, I am sure that the breath must
quit the body before it is crushed to atoms in the dark and dismal depths beneath. So it will be seen that no supplies for this vast country can be procured
from the Pacific side, while the road from Durango to E1 Paso runs through
the most level, rich and beautiful country I ever beheld, not a mountain to be
crossed in the whole extent of near nine hundred miles; the mountains being
detached and standing. like stacks upon a level meadow, afford passes in every
direction. And, by-the-by, this is the character of the whole country between
Guyamas, on the Gulf of California, to a gap in the Rocky Mountains, some
eighty miles of E1 Paso, from which gap to E1 Paso the country is well known
to be almost a level. These facts I mention, because a branch road to Guyamas
has been suggested. The whole country from E1 Paso to Durango abounds in
rich silver and copper mines, many of which, notwithstanding the distracted
condition of the country, aire now in operation; and Humboldt records the fact
in 1802, that the exportation of silver from the cities of Chihuahua a;d Durango
was greater during those quiet days than was sent from any other part of the
known world. And now, I simply ask the question, whether, if New-Orleans had
her road through only to E1 Paso, she might not expect a rich return of silver for
her goods. True, some may say, may not the ports of Texas come into competition in this great market; which, if admitted, only adds interest to the roadfor, should there be a branch road to every port in Texas, they will be feeders
to the great trunk, and consequently profitable to the owners
Having gazed with delight upon the novel scenery upon this route, I am well
assured that, when the road shall be finished, hunting parties and pleasure ex,cursions will be as common to California, and other parts upon the way, as they
now are to the Northwest and to the Eastern seaboard. But let us look at the
great undertaking in a national point of view. Suppose a war with any of the
great maritime powers of Europe. How quickly would all intercourse by water