December 15, 2011

Nevada's Online State News Journal

.

Nevada History:

 [Lander's Explorations Upon the Great Plains, New York Times article reprinted in the Sacramento Union, May 26, 1860]

[Correspondence of the New York Times.]

LANDER'S EXPLORATIONS UPON THE GREAT PLAINS.

__________

WASHINGTON, Thursday, April 19th.

            Colonel F. W. Lander, the well known Pacific Railroad explorer, took it into his head, after having been connected with the Government explorations, in 1853, to examine a greater breadth or country along the Northern route to California upon a line which he believed had not been done justice under the programme of the War Department of Pierce's Administration. He has made two reports to Congress upon the subject in years past, which were printed as public documents. His route was adopted by the Pacific Railroad Convention of California, and has just become the choice of the Select Railroad Committee of the House of Representatives. Colonel Lander offered a bill this session, in which he proposed to construct a railroad on the first four hundred miles of his route for a remarkably small sum of money. He is a distinguished engineer, and undoubtedly has reasons for making the offer. The objection to the bill is that he does not ask for money enough. He has just constructed the Overland Wagon Road on the route he advocates.

            A few months since the press was teeming with accounts of the vigor and energy with which this work was conducted, and the amount of money he returned to the Treasury on its completion. This sum it was proposed the present season to apply to the erection of tanks for, or creating supplies of water on the desert near the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It was also designed by the Secretary of the Interior to have an excellent map made of the country near the yet unfixed boundary of California, on the eastern slope.

            But while Secretary Thompson, who had secured the efficient services of Lander, by paying him an extra price, was laying out the plan of operations, the following peculiar circumstance occurred : Senators Gwin and Latham, and Representatives Burch and Scott addressed Colonel Lander a letter, requesting him to give his aid to have one of their constituents appointed to the Superintendency, stating that the services of an engineer were not required. Lander's answer to this communication, to which the gentlemen have never yet replied, is as follows:

WASHINGTON, D. C., April 12, 1860.

To the Senators and Representatives of the State of the State of California, Wm. M. Gwin, Milton S. Latham, Charles L. Scott, John C. Burch :

            GENTLEMEN : Although Hon. Milton S. Latham, after presenting me, in the presence of Hon. J. C. Burch, your joint letter of April 4th, requested me to let the matter lie until further notice, circumstances compel this communication.

            I have learned that you based your opinion that I had expressed a willingness to give up the Superintendency of the Overland Wagon Road upon the statements of my report and the remarks of J. C. Campbell. I have the honor to lay before you the particular extracts from the report itself, which refer to future work and the employment of Engineers and Superintendents:

[Extracts from F. W. Lander's Report of March 1, 1860.]

            "In reference to any further expenditures, we cannot fail to note the sufferings of the emigrants between the head of the Humboldt river and the settlements at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The law of Congress directs the construction or this road to Honey Lake. The emigration usually breaks up at Lassen's Meadows, whence there are no less than three routes to California. All of them pass over a desert upon which money will be of very great service in developing supplies of pure water. Under the law, it is plain that the improvements must be made upon the northernmost route, but Campbell, who has passed over all these lines of travel, and who was entrusted with the important duty of obtaining further information in regard to them, reports to me that the Truckee river line, which is the central, is that best adapted to emigrant travel. If either of these works are attempted, I would suggest the employment of F. A. Bishop, Esq., Chief Engineer of the Kirk Expedition, who studied these roads with great care, and is well known as an efficient and accomplished engineer. With such service as J. C. Campbell could render him, I have no doubt that any expenditures made upon the Western Division would be conducted with energy and economy.

            While it is not expedient to build the western division from the Missouri border, the citizens of California and Nevada claim that some portion of this Government work shall be allotted to them, and although I have never heard that they would object to my supervision of it, I should cheerfully defer to any new arrangement of the sort proposed.

            "In view of the false reports made by Mormon traders, I think it advisable that a small party should be placed at the South Pass, at the commencement of the present season. In fact, it is indispensably necessary that emigrants should be correctly informed as to the character of the new road on reaching that important point. For the purpose of carrying out the views herewith submitted, and those of my report on the Indian affairs, made to Hon. Commissioner Greenwood, it may seem expedient to you to once more send a small expedition over the road. If instructions were immediately given, a party could start from the border to the 20th of April, carry out the suggestions of my Indian report, bridge Green river and the smaller streams, and, going on to California, unite with that of the Western Division the same season, passing the last of the emigration over the desert, as improved by Bishop and Campbell."

            I am not responsible for the remarks of J. C. Campbell.

            You will perceive that, in deference to the claims of the State of California, I recommend the employment of a scientific engineer of that State, with J. C. Campbell, as his assistant, on the Western Division. These individuals would necessarily employ the labor of California and Nevada. But this would not imply that I surrendered my own claims to service, there being three divisions of the Wagon Road, all of which were then, and are now, under my charge. Neither could it imply that I did other than state my willingness to "cheerfully defer to any new arrangement of the sort proposed," for such is my exact language.

            The whole affair was in the bands of the honorable Secretary of Interior, who has thought it proper to omit the work on the Central Division, and to use the remaining balance of money on the western portions or the road, sending me there both as engineer and superintendent to expend it. He had already, prior to your application to me, given me verbal instructions, permitting me to retain a portion of my best subordinates, among them my assistant engineers, required for the important service of completing the mapping of the Western Division and other purposes. Indeed, my agent had gone to California on the 5th of April steamer, to arrange for the field work. How can I, knowing these facts, and the necessity for engineering labor, especially after having recommended an engineer as a suitable person to take my place on the western end of the road, how can I use my influence for your constituent? I can only make way for him, and that only at your request that I should, because neither the Secretary, nor I believe, the members from Oregon and Washington, desire me to give up the superintendency.

            The steamer leaves on the 20th. If a party goes out it must start at that time. This matter, therefore, resolves itself into explicit statements. Your note is in some respects vague. Exact expressions are what is now required. Let me ask you, therefore, gentlemen, upon the receipt of this letter, to address me at once, and plainly state whether you wish me to resign my place. I will then refer your letter to the members from Oregon, and, the Delegate from Washington. If, on receiving their answers, a majority of the Pacific delegates have desired me to resign, I shall most cheerfully do so.

            I am, most respectfully your ob't. servant,

(Signed) F. W. LANDER.

            Colonel Lander refused to allow me to examine or publish the letter of the California delegation to him, as it was a private letter, and there was no personal difficulty between himself and these gentlemen. As his reply contains much of information with regard to this great work, he has consented to its use.