_Extracts from letters received from Colonel Ramsey, in Mexico, of the
dates following._
“AUGUST 29, 1853.
“I have received a letter from Mr. Markoe, an agent at Vera Cruz, dated
August 22, in which he says: ‘The Texas left this morning at 8 o’clock
a. m. The express arrived last night at 8. It left Acapulco on the 17th
at 4 p. m.’ Mr. Tyler writes me: ‘The riders have done nobly in getting
through in the time they did, considering the state of the roads, (in
the height of the rainy season.)’ Mr. Denman, at Acapulco, writes me
from Acapulco, August 23: ‘Your express which left Vera Cruz on the 17th
instant at 4 p. m., arrived here on the 22d at 4½ a. m.’”
* * * * *
“SEPTEMBER 15, 1853.
“I only returned last evening from a trip I have been making over some
distance of our route. The express mail is not working to my entire
satisfaction, as too much time (80 hours) is too long, and I am anxious
to improve this important service.”
“By the time that the rains are over, all our animals will be in prime
condition—say by the 1st November—and then our agents assure me they
can easily make the distance under 60 hours. This season has been
unprecedented for heavy rains and bad roads. We have now passed through
the worst of it, making the experiment under every possible disadvantage,
and proving that we can always run from port to port in 80 hours at the
farthest.”
“I have a letter from Señor Gernez, the Secretary of State of Guerrero,
dated the 7th instant, in which he says: ‘The courier left Acapulco on
the 4th instant, at 4 p. m., and arrived here, (Tixtla,) in this city, on
the 5th, at 2 o’clock p. m.’ Now, by looking at the distance, you will
perceive that it is over the worst part of the road, and more than one
hundred[1] miles, at the very worst season of the year.”
[1] The distance has since been reduced.
* * * * *
“OCTOBER 3, 1853.
“I have been informed by the agent of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company
at Acapulco that the steamers will not hereafter touch at that port. If
this be the fact, it will be grave matter for the consideration of our
company. In that event, we will be cut off from receiving or forwarding
any California mails until we establish a connexion of our own.”
“The careful examination I have directed to be made recently of the whole
length of our route, has dispelled many of the obstacles and difficulties
which we had supposed would have to be encountered. I always supposed
that, as we became more familiar with the route, and with the country on
both sides of it, difficulties would vanish.”
“Our express mail has not only demonstrated the time in which we can run
over the route, but also the obstacles in the very worst season of the
very worst year.”
“My last reports received of the time of the couriers from Vera Cruz, on
the 17th September, 4 p. m., were as follows: Arrived at Puebla 4 p. m.
on the 18th; arrived at Mitapec 11 a. m. on the 19th; arrived at Draper
3½ p. m. on the 19th; arrived at Papagallos river 10 a. m. of the 20th;
arrived at Acapulco at 6 p. m. of the 20th—the whole time three days and
two hours. At least four hours were lost by the courier going through
Chilpanzingo, which was out of the way.”
* * * * *
“OCTOBER 15, 1853.
“Since writing the above, I have thought it best to finish the subject of
the gold-placers on the Mescala river. The existence of these mines have
long been known. You will find them mentioned in my notes on this valley,
under the article on ‘Mines;’ but recently gold has been found in such
abundance as to cause a sensation; people rush in crowds.
“Since then other more extensive placers have been discovered on the
Papagallos river, in the line of our route. These have created a still
greater sensation, as you will see by the papers. My notes on the mines
are almost incredible; but it is gratifying to find every day new
confirmation of all that I described of the astonishing mineral wealth of
that country.
“If I can leave the city in order to attend more closely to this express
line, I could soon convince you that eighty hours is slow travelling. The
last reports I sent you show an improvement on this, by reducing the time
to seventy hours. My orders will now, I trust, be obeyed, as it is pretty
evident I will take no excuses. I have now ordered the mail to be carried
in sixty hours, which is only a beginning. If my orders are carried
out, in six weeks time _I will have it done in forty-eight hours, which
will be at about seven miles per hour. This is no great feat in such a
country, in such a climate, and on such roads._ Were the horses now in
the proper condition, which they would be, had they been properly fed and
attended to, I could now perform it in forty-eight hours. You remark,
‘the route being feasible for an express mail under all the difficulties
incident to such an enterprise, why not feasible for heavy mails and
passengers?’ To this let me answer that the route, beyond all question,
is feasible for heavy mails, as much so as for light mails; we will gain
vastly in time as soon as we can put on our stages.
“You must have been in mind that between Rincon and the crossing of the
Papagallos there are no mountains; and, to make the road practicable for
stages, it only requires some widening at the most trifling expense. Our
Concord wagons will suit admirably for this purpose.
“I am ashamed of our contract to carry the California mail to New Orleans
in sixteen days, when I know we can carry it even to New York in a less
number of days. It has actually placed us in a false position, from which
we ought to relieve ourselves by a practical demonstration.
“I regret extremely that the steamers have not joined us at the ends of
our route, so that we could demonstrate the few hours in which we can
make the distance across Mexico. All that I may report to you—all the
certificates of speed—will not satisfy the public; they must have the
letters and news from California. It is your affair to require them to
make the connexion.”
* * * * *
ACAPULCO, _September 23, 1853_.
DEAR SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 16th
September. In reference to your metallic-boat, it is in good order,
excepting that the air-chambers have been cut open for the purpose of
stowing baggage.
It is with much gratification that I received correspondence from New
Orleans in six days, by your last mail, which arrived here on the 20th
instant at 7¼ o’clock p. m.; and I am now satisfied that, at present,
this route presents facilities for the most rapid mail communication
between California and the United States.
Yours, truly,
S. TYLER, _Agent_.
ALBERT C. RAMSEY, Esq., _Vice President and Agent, Mexico_.
* * * * *
OFFICE P. M. S. S. CO.,
_Acapulco, September 21, 1853_.
DEAR SIR: Your mail was received last night at 6 o’clock, bringing dates
from New Orleans to the 14th inst., which is very satisfactory, being as
yet, I think, the quickest time from the United States.
The down boat from San Francisco I have advised you will not touch, for
which I am very sorry; but your mail matter will receive quick despatch
for San Francisco.
Yours, truly,
S. TYLER, _Agent_.
ALBERT C. RAMSEY, Esq., _Mexico_.
* * * * *
[From the Universal, September 19, 1853.]
_Improvements in the State of Puebla._
The Eco del Comercio of Vera Cruz, in its number of the 14th inst.,
(September, 1853,) has the following paragraphs:
“The Prefectura of Matamoras, in the State of Puebla, have under their
charge the repairing of the road which connects that State with the State
of Guerrero, and the work has been under the direction of Señor José
Maria Pavon since last January, with 70 presidential soldiers, afterwards
increased 80, provided with plenty of tools, rations, and clothes from
the municipal funds. In the first three months of that year, 15,000 yards
of road were opened near Mitapec to the State line of Guerrero; and
to the last dates, the 31st July last, 3,563 yards were repaired near
Chietta; and near Tepeojiema, (S. Juan Espanthan,) 8,529 yards.”
* * * * *
_Order of the Mexican government to facilitate our mails.—General direction
of mails._
MEXICO, _July 18, 1853_.
In a supreme order of the 6th inst., which I received on the 16th, his
excellency the Minister of Hacienda (Treasury) writes to me as follows:
“His excellency the President is informed, by your official despatch
No. 95, dated the 22d of June last, of the improvements introduced by
Mr. Albert C. Ramsey in the line of steamers between Acapulco and San
Francisco, in California, and between New Orleans and Vera Cruz, and
in that of mails from that port to Acapulco, whose days of arrival and
departure are stated in the copy which accompanies yours; and you ask to
be authorized to publish the same. His excellency has been pleased to
accord this permission, which I communicate to you in answer for that
purpose. To the same effect, their excellencies the governors of the
States of Vera Cruz, Puebla, Mexico, and Guerrero have been written to,
to place no obstacle in the way of the fixing the posts of Señor Ramsey,
but, on the contrary, to afford every facility in placing these very
useful establishments.”
I have the honor of transmitting this to you for your information, and in
answer to your communications of the 16th June last and the 12th inst.,
assuring you of my consideration and particular esteem.
God and liberty.