The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 37, July 1933 - April, 1934 Page: 125
330 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Opening Routes Across West Texas, 1848-1850
quite destitute of water; otherwise the road was quite practicable.30
The explorations of the government officers supplemented by the
travels of the "Forty-Niners" had definitely established the south-
ern route as a means of travel and transportation. A small portion
of the Missouri-Santa F6-Chihuahua trade was diverted to Texas
and largely by the southern route."
While Major Van Horn was testing the practicability of the
southern route, Lieutenant Francis T. Bryan did the same for the
northern route. On June 14 that officer left San Antonio with
a party of thirty men for El Paso via Fredericksburg, the San Saba
and Concho Rivers, and Guadalupe Mountains. The trip took
about six weeks. El Paso was reached on July 29. In his report
of December 1 to Colonel Joseph E. Johnston, Bryan concluded
that the route pursued offered no obstacles to the easy passage of
wagons. With the exception of the dry region between the head
of the Concho and Pecos Rivers, about sixty-eight miles, grass and
water were found daily within twenty-five miles.8
Thus within a few months two new, important roads from San
Antonio to El Paso had been opened. Government trains, troops,
and supplies, and emigrants could now travel between those points
with greater ease and safety.
The Organ and Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico39 proved
a great obstacle to the passage of military and emigrant wagon
trains. In order to find a pass practicable for the passage of
wagons, Lieutenant William F. Smith explored these mountains.
The reconnaissance was made between September 21 and October
11 while recruiting the teams for the return march to San
Antonio.40
Leaving camp Las Crucitas on the Rio Grande, Smith and
'Johnston to Brooke, December 28, 1849. MS., L. R., C. T. E.
"San Antonio Ledger, April 14, 1853.
"SBryan was of the opinion that the northern route would be shortened
by at least fifty miles. To effect such a saving it would be necessary
to sink artesian wells between Fredericksburg and the San Saba, be-
tween the San Saba and Brady's Creek, and between the Pecos and
Guadalupe Mountains. Bryan recommended the sinking of these wells.
F. T. Bryan to Johnston, December 1, 1849. MS., L. R., C. T. E.;
Sen. Ex. Does., 31 Cong., 1 Sess., No. 64, pp. 14, 23, 25; Sen. EB. Does.,
33 Cong., 2 Sess., No. 78, p. 60.
"Until 1850 the Sacramento and Organ mountains were within the
boundaries of Texas.
40Sen. Ex. Does., 31 Cong., 1 Sess., No. 64, pp. 13, 23.125
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Texas State Historical Association & Barker, Eugene C. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 37, July 1933 - April, 1934, periodical, 1934; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101094/m1/139/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.