if katy + il by i he Ks { ) ( : \ i : » h lw i ‘ ‘ i ’ : } i , tf * | +“ i a ' ‘ ye ¢ #4 : ( bee ’ h 2 i ; ' a3 ’ I ! Boat : ' i : ph * : , ’ ‘ ib bh . { mili> ‘ { i ty heoh . . li ’ hea Al aoe | f 4 H ¢ Ae dy ’ ; } Ny y ‘ ate : an 4 ‘ r wert é ‘ iy 7 “ rf : ’ ‘ ¢ * / * hd a ae ’ aot ; ¢ ‘ : H the + . Pi A ae ne Ti > ’ ryan | 5 Py Pay) ioe me, p i pha , } ps ‘ ty Pan 14 i aE . N 7 MN iy! , sa ; Oia bee et Afi ¥ , melee \ ee Ts ah iW ree A a EN, 7 Fs 33d Conaress, ? SENATE. Ex. Doc. ) 2d Session. REPORTS OF EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS, TO ASCERTAIN THE MOST PRACTICABLE AND ECONOMICAL ROUTE FOR A RAILROAD FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. MADE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR, IN 1853-4, ACCORDING TO ACTS OF CONGRESS OF MARCH 3, 1853, MAY 31, 1854, AND AUGUST 6, 1854. ~ VOLUME I. WASHINGTON: BEVERLEY TUCKER, PRINTER, 1855. I Gir eigienlare « ; 1D ae or Be 3 . iad 4 ip ad - PO cx < : aan i im ds . Th) + y rayne ne ne a i i a ee F 4 Te ine © at / - 9 Toe CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. EXAMINATION OF THE REPORTS OF THE SEVERAL ROUTES EXPLORED. RAILWAY MEMORANDA, LETTER OF MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS 8. JESUP. REPORT OF GOVERNOR I. I. STEVENS. IN SENATE—Fesruary 24, 1855. Resolved, That there be printed, for the use of the Senate, ten thousand copies of the several reports of surveys for a rail- road to the Pacific, made under the direction of the Secretary of War; and also of the report of F. W. Lander, civil engineer, of a survey of a railroad route from Puget’s Sound, by Fort Hall and the Great Salt lake, to the Mississippi river; and the report of John C. Frémont, of a route for a railroad from the head-waters of the Arkansas river into the State of California; together with the maps and plates accompanying said reports, necessary to illustrate the same; and that five hundred copies be printed for the use of the Secretary of War, and fifty copies for each of the commanding oflicers engaged in said service. Attest: ASBURY DICKINS, Secretary. THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION—Cuaprer 98. Sxor. 10. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby authorized, under the direction of the President of the United States, te employ such portion of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, and such other persons as he may deem necessary, to make such explorations and surveys as he may deem advisable, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, and that the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to defray the expense of such explorations and surveys. Approved March 3, 1853. THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION—Cuarrer 60. Appropriation: For deficiencies for the railroad surveys between the Mississippi riyer and the Pacific ocean, forty thousand dollars. Approved May 31, 1854. THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION—Cuarrer 267. Appropriation: For continuing the explorations and surveys to ascertain the best route for a railway to the Pacific, and for completing the reports of surveys already made, the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Approved August 5, 1854. Erratoum.—On page 3, report of Secretary of War, for “March 3L” read March 3. Nore.—In the note to Table A, page 31, report of the Secretary of War, marked thus *, which reads, “These are the esti- mates of the office, those of Governor Stevens having been brought to the same standard of increased cost as the other routes, and his equipment reduced to that of the other routes. His estimates were $117,121,000 and $7,030,000;” the sum of $117,121,000 is the estimate for the whole route from St. Paul to Seattle. From St. Paul to Vancouver the estimate of Governor Stevens is $110,091,000, INDEX TO REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR AND OFFICE REPORTS. Contents of volume I -.---- 2-2. 6c oc cen ne conn on iw as on oe nnn wenn nw ne oon enn ns Resolution authorizing printing of reports .--..----------------- ------+ ------ ---- +--+ - -- 2-02 eos ee eee Acts of Congress of March 3, 1853, May 31, 1854, and August 5, 1854, authorizing the surveys and explorations. --.. Note in reference to Governor Stevens’s estimate of cost of road REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. Provisions under which the explorations and surveys were made-.....--..--------- --+- +--+ +--+ ------ -+-------- General map .----- .----- 2-22 cee n ne ene ee een enn nee nnn nnn cee eee eee cee eee cone eee eens eens General sketch of the country between the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean..-..----.--------------------- General description of the mountain systems, soil, water, &c., between the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean -- Remarks upon the several routes -.-. ---- -- ++ «2-0 2-22 1 - ene eee ene nae cee ce nnn wee nen ns eens eee ene Examination of route near the 47th and 49th parallels of north latitude, explored by Governor I. I. Stevens and Captain G. B. McClellan, Corps of Engineers .....----- ..---- ------ ---- ---- ---- = 222 eee ee ene ween enn eee eee Examination of route near the 41st and 42d parallels of north latitude, explored by Captain J. C. Frémont, Captain H. Stansbury, Corps of Topographical Engineers, and Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, 3d regiment of artillery-.----- Examination of route near the 38th and 39th parallels of north latitude, explored by Captain J. W. Gunnison, Corps of Topographical Engineers; report by Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, 3d regiment artillery.----.---.------------ Examination of route near the 35th parallel of north latitude, explored by Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, Corps of To- pographical Engineers. --- 20.2. o-oo ww eas wen wenn nn wean enw nw wn ane ewe one nne Examination of route near the 32d parallel of north latitude, explored by Captain John Pope, Lieutenant John G. Parke, and Major William H. Emory, Corps of Topographical Engineers-.....----..------------------------- Examination of extension of route of 32d parallel from the mouth of the Gila to San Francisco, explored by Lieute- nant R. §. Williamson, Corps of Topographical Engineers Remarks in regard to estimates of cost and equated lengths; comparison of results; “the most practicable and economical route,” its characteristics and advantages ,..--. .---.----- .----- ------ eee eee oe = oe ee ee Table showing lengths, sums of ascents and descents, equated lengths, cost, &c., of the several routes-.-.---------- Table of distances of the eastern termini of the routes to the Mississippi river and the principal Atlantic and Gulf ports- List of documents accompanying Secretary’s report... ---. 2c one. cee ene een e ween cane www ene enone === enn EXAMINATION OF THE ROUTES BY CAPTAIN A. A. HUMPHREYS AND LIEUTENANT G. K. WARREN, CORPS GRAPHICAL ENGINEERS. : CHAPTER I. Route near the 47th and 49th parallels of north latitude. Considerations determining the general direction of the route ----- Bese COs Cond SSGOU DOSEESOn Emenee cacao eae Examination of route in detail from St. Paul, Mississippi river, to the Missouri river, near Fort Union, (comprising topographical description, grades, character of work, supplies of building material, fuel, water, &c. ) Examination of route in detail from near Fort Union to the eastern base of the Rocky mountains. .-..-------.---- Water from the Red river of the north to Maria’s river Examination of route in detail from the eastern base of the Rocky mountains to the crossing of the Spokane river-- Description of the passes of the Rocky mountains, and continuation of route through them...--.-.--------------- Description of the passes of the Bitter Root mountains, and continuation of route through them -.-..------------- Examination of route in detail from the crossing of the Spokane river to the crossing of the Columbia river.-.----- Exaniination of route in detail from the crossing of the Columbia river to Puget Sound, by the Yakima Pass. ..---. 230-49 OF Page. ill iv TOPO- 39 39, 40 41 AL 41-45 41-43 43-45 45, 46 46 v1 INDEX. Page Snow upon the Yakima Pass. ...--- ---- ------ --- 2-2 eee nee cee ene eee eee ce ene ee ene cee eee eee eens eee wee 46, 47, 48 Examination of route in detail, from the crossing of the Columbia to Puget Sound, by the pass of the Columbia river. 48 Motal length of the TOUtO-=<-s00ccmcejcane cee -orelcee =n maw= =eomnew wee nann ses seeleee-== s=~e= se aeeenmae=e=e=ss 49 1 bd ee ee eee a eee 2 Bo Bs, 4 ree te eR ei a Fo ne yt I nS 49, 50,51 Pel Ct: ee Se et a a a a et a en te es Pe yer = see 55 51, 52, 53 Glidractoriatios OF tlle ZOUtO}=.5-- peceen pact ccec ces cern mop eseenes monn anlenen emn™ ete aaa emma ee een eter 53, 54 General jelevatiOUs> os =~ cac- ose wict essa cee ces chee es osname bch ealebe aan e sea peceinbes none elle n= ann nee nee 53 Sim (of @scente ADC GESCONUE, GoCrec coe oe ce ow eee cee ope ese eee = bo nei sinnele'sle'g= = le == =m en mim se een emme 53, 54 MMP Gleseees eons cecees acco pecs satan eee eee a ae ee eels eae ee alee ee atin el none 54 GL eae oro ccc c Sooo ak ceo acac cutee cus wereas See Deter arc a esen inte mse ae meme eee = a eam ail nl te 54 CHOTA CS ESERIES AIOE ISEES BOSS STS CODD DOOR SECO ER Ig DIOS GEES PSS Oe OHO Te ies ee nas ets elma tN emis meres 55 Estimated cost of road, with remarks.... .--- .-- 2-220 ceo s0 enc eee cocoa BESo On “ha enaoaasooouS soe see ee 55 CHAPTER II. Route near the forty-first and forty-second parallels of north latitude. General description of the route from the Missouri river to Fort Bridger, on a tributary of Green river -----. ------ 56 Examination of route in detail from the Missouri river to Fort Bridger, (comprising topographical description, grades, character of work, supplies of building material, fuel, water, snow, estimate of cost, &c).--..--.-------- 56, 57 Examination of route in detail from Fort Bridger, through the Wahsatch mountains, to the south end of the Great SRA A he cee on Oe HIB ASeSe Sac SOO SESO CSS EE OOOSSe | ARDIESS A poo SECU OS Seco OSS SOS bese aes aS Sass Caco 57,58 General description of the Great Basin near the latitudes of 41° and 42°...-..----. .----- ---- ----- +--+ +----- +--+ 58, 59 Examination of route in detail from the south end of the Great Salt lake to the foot of the eastern slope of the Sierra IEC Re os e585 SOE Deg DOOR EDI SDS SS SISE o SEOs SSCS S00 Se SS ISSO BOSS DOS DOSESO DOSSIEOBSSSNNS pooseasese 59 Plateau of the Sierra Nevada 59, 60 Examination of the Madeliu Pass from the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada to Round Valley, on the Sacramento PIV Olan oe ees eciee eee nee e heme SE an ape ee ae tae aaa a eae ee ee le eae ee le ed eae 5 60 Examination of route in detail along the Sacramento river from Round Valley to 18 miles above Fort Reading.-.-.. 60 Detailed description of the Sacramento river through the mountain district....-.-.---------------------. See 61 Total length of the route... . -... 2-2-2 oe. one ee ese w coe men cow ene mown ane oem wens enn n enemas sone man w nna e= 62 Timber, building materials, &c...--- 20. -2- = cone woe ane one conn e conn we ern en nn wees wenn sews con oe= ences o==s 62 100 CARRS Bs Oe ec Seto SOUS Ee oe BOC DCO ESAS ECO IE CORD OSD OC OOD C55 SI9> OSE oS So Neon pose Sere ose 62 Snow, climate, and 3vater.- <<. oes oo eae omen me biinn- anne == oan SERA 0 aS ADE SC IIIS DORE SOUS OOOO 62, 63, 64 i a= sat cece ceeds cae - eo REISS ODOC SN Gy scne SEECSN ooo oe Sa sane se cose secon rene ee esas one e eee 64, 65 atMALe OL PLODADe CORLIOL TORO naman. amc on - aismnemelaemnite mimes ine ieee lane mean eae la ne =i Seer eee 65, 66 Characteristic features of the voute > ec se anes oem slattee hate ccitecicinceeeninn nm callaen iss wina-lecee==leere= elves 66 Sum of ascents and descents. (See table, page 107.) Supplement to the examination— Description of the Rocky Mountain plateau on the route...--.. .--.---.-----------0+-- ate pore 36 ae 66, 67 Description of the country east of the plateau, to the Mississippi river ....-..----- .--..----- ---+ seen eee 4 67, 68 Description of the route from the Missouri river to Fort Bridger, by the South Pass.......----.- Se) eae 68, 69 Ditto by Bridgotis Pasisos. coos oo one nite oan). oe bee aoe eeeds Joe eceeeek Lone eee * 69, 70 Lengths; sumsjor ascents and: descents; (850... no sctwte ww cos 4 = <ehenlea an wcen lac neue beeees ieee ae 5ieaee 70 Connexion of the South Pass with the head-waters of Green river, and connexion with the Columbia river.... 70 CHAPTER II. Route near the thirty-cighth and thirty-ninth parallels of north latitude. General considerations determining the position of the route..--.. ---. ---. --- 2+ 222 ene wen wen ween ene n nee wee * 71 Features of the country from the Rocky mountains to the Great Basin .,..----.----- e202 222 eens ween eee oe _ 71 [CPE LT Gas se eects Seo Deeigeor oped seec a -eategd tessa oo soda eseecoos scat eae 71 Timber, building materials, &c.-.---..---.--- Stebdcecssahcess ae ee eee Se ee PE ee * file BOi se anysa cow ean sae ebocte nada et dates ta sce ches Duce ten See tie See eRe eres <etee Pilea eee er ene S066 71,72 CORI. 225 oon dinden cote een ose anse BONO a SOI RS PIC Ie AR SOON eens mace cios = 72 Elevations of the Rocky Mountain passes, grades, tunnels, and construction of the road from the Coo-che-to-pa Pass, in the Rocky mountains, to Sevier lake, in the Great Basin. -......---.-------- ---- 200+ --------- Ween abkteoe ces 72 ABU UO OL LOU ecein tee aie na eates akan cieneeleauEemicse seas toate tenons «ee aes Cee e ere spe edieee tock Societe = 72 Sum of ascents and descents........-....----..2---.----- RO ETE eT hee 3 ele Ledeseewarmbesenss cos uses 72 Examination of route in detail from the western foot of the Wahsatch mountains to San Francisco by the Tay-ee- chay-pah Pass, in latitude 35°, and by the Madelin Pass; lengths, sums of ascents and descents, and position and length of the shortest line from St. Louis to San Francisco...... se ccev decnve cnacavavencsndewsecnce cunsus uses 73 INDEX. vil CHAPTER IV. Route near the thirtyfifth parallel of north latitude. Page. Considerations determining the general position of the route ..---. ---.------ ------ 2222 e222 ween e wee eee eee 74 Description of the route, distances and elevations, tunnel in Cajon Pass, &¢ --.------------------0 +--+ +--+ ------ 74,75 (BATE) cope eon On CEC O CE SE SD OSS E SD SEDO SOC E OOS Br CSCO BOROO0 SSC 50e HEC OCD POS ROE EOOUINS=5 OS D200 CSE DOO DCS paar 75 giles ek ee eee eee Lt See ee Rete at Sue chee eee se MNES Ne, bs SSS Sas Mee uae 75, 76 Building material... 2. - 0% 6.205 2205 cone meen e eee s wee nn = ne enn ann = awn nn nnn ce ene mann nnn nee eee nnn 76 LUG -ceceas necdecoupeancoton.pouens cscosechos bdce de 5e50 Sdccosenbcos udetacosdccantasbcnpede nocopedonecebces 77 VWI? o esc enccbocose. conse CHUL ene dodenCOSe 5 Sncody ess acrioSsscoce cecebac 0 cens Hasse DSceacnsocSo soca casos 77 Elevations, sum of ascents and descents, lengths, &¢...----.----. +++ +-----+ e222 + 22-2 eee ee beens ween eee eee 17,78 Estimated cost, with remarks. .--...-.- one ee eee cen nee eee cee cent nee eee eens eens cece ee eee eee 78 CHAPTER V. Route near the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude. 1h 1nnrn May Saye UNE LT) (CRETE) eos ested csOs0d SASSO OSHS DED OSONEIDSSS Soon Sooo reso Cncoss soso nncces 79-81 Examination of route in detail from Fulton to the Llano Estacado, (comprising topographical description, Grades; Dulldmprmavenials;<tWely WaAcels OCs) letra alele sete ala lett ttre alet stearate a ei fe tell 79 Westward extension of fertile soiliin this latitud@=-5. «s< ++ o)-one eae ots een cates cer eeeres eeee cies eee 79 Construction across the Llano Estacado, water, ties, lumber, fuel, &c.-----..-. ..-.------------ eee eee eee 79, 80 Construction from the Pecos river to the Rio Grande, and Guadalupe Pass, water, ties, lumber, fuel.......-- 80 Bnildinoystone tomy eduriver to kioy Gtande, tise ='efasale(leete seis) ecln «lm eniela amine = aie) = tees sete ee ae eee et 80, 81 OEY pores acto toto Siem Cond Heao cnoO OSES can cheb eatin cots wens cosa cea boa ease cabo coon SSSA coeds rane aoas 8L General characteristics of this portion of the route, and elevations .----...-.-.----.----.---------------- 81 Remarks upon the estimated cost of construction...-. ~~... .. 2. os eee. cece we coe eee one n ns anon os === 81 irom) the Rio Grande tothe mouth of the Gila. soo - oo. ce came neces weewes saewe nen ee womens sos secs 81-86 General description of the country between Dona Ana, on the Rio Grande, and the Pimas villages, on the Gila— PROMO! Ue Oe, CleranOn, Hani Gsf CaChoseneseccs Sono Oee OOS BECHOS SEpnSS poSSon CHSeSo eer eacansEces 81, 82 UWRO Gi Rigg; NALIRT GATE cos Bho pono SSSI RSD EEO PSCd SEEC CODE DESC SOOO RBH ESO OODEOS Ere Seossetjoase sees 82 Routesalongy wero) Grand ensestemeectesee sales acsmisn aloes s\mecats reiseeten sail siaiaietesie eels sei ine ieee ayeeiate 82 LEATI EGG GE) o-oo Geibenn poco oenenSneennooScs 6606 orise RSOCUT BOS SCD OOo SES HOS HESIBEHe Sco asad ooSeae 82, 83 \NGIOP 2 osee besSco SS COSO GOB SECBHOS SOS ADSOBHOOS S505 ID ISOSSS boTd HOCOUS aseceo Hd cos Sses HeSsHSsbase 83, 84, 85 LOGI cecocoscosecosce SD SOCO SSS SSS ASC GSS HOSSSO SogtioS SEeSHO SoSoRSoSoO HES TESS oOoHEDS pboSes coeeeSeS neo 85 Peculiar features of the country favoring the cheap construction of a railroad...--....---..---.----------- 85 Examination of the route in detail from the Pimas villages, along the Gila to the Colorado river. 2... .--.---- 86 EEE ——Hromathe mouth oruhe Gila, toiSanMtanciseOs 2\22c0 ence cee =\ecoalecme en eeewcectec cus cicueseeeececeaeeeee 86-94 Examination of the route in detail from the mouth of the Gila to the eastern entrance of the San Gorgonio Pass, passes of the coast range, Colorado desert, construction, water, soil, distances, grades..-- ---.------ 86 San GorgoniovPass—natural crades:—-sdat- sos sacs on seek we ene das Seiceve se oesew wats sseadle secciew Se eniccee 87 Connection with San Diego; with San Pedro; their harbors. ....-<.-.. 222 -06- ---2 onee ee cone cee nne ease 87 Continuation of detailed examination of the route to San Francisco..-.-.---------.---- ------ --- 2 = eee ee 87 Passes through the coast range, by which the Great Basin may be attained from the plains of Los Angeles, and Rel Genomontneen GWrLasBwnsecat ies saeic ies ace aeaie ene mim aes enaigeesac Saas comenmEecisine mew sjeaer 87,88 Continuation of the route from San Gorgonio Pass to the Great Basin........---- ------ eee eee ween ee eens 88 Passes from the Great Basin to the head of the Tulares Valley----.----- ------ e--ene --ne ween ne cen ene enne 88, 89 Superiority of the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass -.-..----. SOBRE C CONS ECE OC ERO DEO EE CoC EE SSS BDECOC EARS RASS anced 89 Continuation of the route in the Great Basin, and to the Tulares Valley..--...---.---------- ---------+ eos 89 Continuation of the route along the Tulares and San Joaquin Valleys, to the Straits of Martinez. ..---..----- 89, 90 More direct route to San Francisco by the San José Valley ---.-----.---.---.----- Postecneceser ase sade 90 Soil, building materials, fuel, water, sum of ascents and descents, lengths, &e 90 Characteristic features of this portion of the route, the mountain passes and their character; use of steep CREGIEE 2 dace: CaSO Sag OOOC TENDS DUO CRE ED RE SO EO NES GOCE CECB REARS ECE rE Ee Cra Reman eae 90, 9L Extract from the report of Allan Campbell, esq., chief engineer of the Valparaiso and Santiago railroad, in win ChiatheylEenbyech On, steep! piad esis dISCURBEd perce ee aeas aaa econ see ee eae scrcececdeerece=seces 91-94 Application of this discussion to the natural grades in the mountain passes of this route near the thirty-second HOLA GM emma emicinices ssc cincc Soe soaestalcac'sice soos Qroseoceo occnsoncence cogase copteceadecac nose 94 Snow and ice on the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, and on the route generally...----. .----. 2020+ s-e--- eeeeee eee 94 General review of the whole route. .....-...----- e222 ----00 ceeeee saigaccvocecsssc cen se casaecoos oes ns ae 94-99 General considerations which determine the position of the route; its characteristics; elevations of its mountain passes, and general elevation; peculiar features of the arid plains favorable to cheap construction of road; water, and cost of carrying it.......-.--. aes Peweusyscesis cas beiewaniesbajesestacmaesanreeas ndamoaCooC! 94,95 Vill INDEX. Ties and lumber for the whole route.-..-.....------ ------ -----+ -----0-- ARS ABnc seni SacBee Fuel for the whole route, and its proportionate yearly cost on railroads-..--...----- ----+. -----+-----+ --- Navication of the: Colorado T1VON~ «0m => nee cecien en monseneg ence + -= sh vonsinennlquveuylea= ==> sae ==—Fieme = Daily inspection of the road and stations -.-.. .----- --- e202 enn eee ee eens nee eens ere wenn eens Solon the wholenronte:-scsenc ee marie ese peeean none oer en oe a Sew ines ee ee eee eee eee General advantages of the route in soil, productiohs, population, surface, mountain passes, and climate....--------- Estimate of cost of construction...--. ..---- ------ 22-2 eee e ne conn ne eee eee won cen ones one wee nne =e soss-t Business of the road; earnings; cost of working; Massachusetts roads; New York roads---.----.-------- aoss55- Comparison of the routes, showing the advantages and disadvantages of each; and explanation of the table of lengths, @istances, &c., LOllOWING-- << 6-65 cow e cone cee ew ene w ew ees se een === wees ==se senses cawel>===s=5= Seana eee Table showing the lengths, sum of ascents and descents, &c., &ce., of routes explored........----.-----+-.------ Table of distances from the eastern termini of the routes to the Mississippi river and the principal Atlantic and Gulf POTTS. «2 ewe we nee eee ene ween eee ee wens teen ween ne ne Ft we ene cee ee wenn cern ween ween e eee cee wee wane CHAPTER VI. Notes on the characteristics of the route from Independence to Santa Fé..... .----- -----+ ---- eee eee eee nn eee ee Notes on the characteristics of the route from Indianola, via San Antonio, to El Paso...-..-.-...---.------------ MEMORANDA ON RAILWAYS BY BREVET CAPTAIN GEORGE B. MC’CLELLAN. Letter to Secretary of War..--.. .-.. ----- 2-2-2 20 - e one come ne een e- =n 00 oe aaancos Seceinooraissace sesose onc Gradients.---- EE es Fe Reece tee (ecco nite ma atemoccalee Rosa Beco bSasee wt Oba wceossoees ae ee 5 Formule. .--.-- ee eee naan oe eoiercinn waleeels ete etnies = =i nia OS SSeees > Sone ceases eee (Chin GS-23 one oc co banesD Does OBOE EOD SURGES SOE CCISONSes Croc Seeemeson fosdosss oe dos eee teee re eee WOnBtIUCHON Sse e eo. ooo mee canna w pec ene wens canaleewaursuves=(o====a\e=—=ssiob= OP Pe oe eee eS Weights, cost, S&0.-- 220 20. sees comm nw cere enn e monn en ce== ena wise ES i Eee es IBYId 208: caer nce es om cnienoelene= ceneictbe me slonevloweeas ces ee als =sim~nleneemelom=le== Sinn oman en == m= == alan eee iWiaterandiiiel Spe: exten ger oe corer oat Cacbe~faee ect s/o Lee Sanne eee oes SRapos OeSe SS cenbass6 a5555 Statistics of various railroads... -...----.------------- Semel otststs elale staf alatetete cia natal tates BoeSonccnc aches Characteristics and cost of six railways... .---2- co0e cee cen nne cower e conn cas ene eens ene ene wenn ne wane we Depots, & 6.2202. cence enn cower cence ween sewer e corn ns nn wen ewes eee Sag dodeoo Sasasoosos soso sesssocesae Repairs and inspection of track.c.--- e-c--0 cone eee ee ene eens enn eee ene n wee ene wee cone none coe e ww cn cnne Wonue Bee seer ce cere tees < acces ch menccns sacees eennine smten= === pene hh em ee eiiee melee aia 4925239. 5555055=5 . Table showing comparative lengths of some of the largest tunnels. ---------. ---------------- +----+-----+------ IR hoc S26 Sep en oe tees Oe Se PD ECO SEO SISSIES 59 SS BOSS SSS S09 DOSS Eanes oo SSE OSIOSSS DDR UTE See ce ssenasaneuoeS Sac Gaatoaennsco nace sece Rode oso see os 2085 sSsacseaass Socosos5 8505500 Cattle, &c..---.-... Peouee Ceo smoconece sao SSO 0020 Saponses SSO OF Sossoasss505° REPORT OF GENERAL JESUP. Cost of transporting troops and supplies to California, Oregon, New Mexico, &C..--++ 2200 e0-2ee enn nne eenne wees 97 97,98 98 98, 99 99-104 104-106 107 108 109, 110 110, 111 115 115 116-119 119 119 120 120, 121 121, 122 122, 123 123-125 125, 126 126 126-129 129 130 130 130 183, 134 REPORT OF Pitts ek hb ARY OF WAR ON THE SEVERAL RAILROAD EXPLORATIONS. ‘4 es eT oe ot oi tt6 i | J. ). (ie Siw i | REI | gy! Be ae emeete” Yih i ier . pea jars Te es ~ rs . ‘. ‘, 2. 7 : a. —_ ban - . — 5 7 ai sh 7 “ ate. - 7 “us *~ _ 7 aes. ae REPORT OF°THE SECRETARY OF WAR. War DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 27, 1855. Str: I have the honor, in obedience to the provisions of the 11th section of the army appro- priation act, approved March 31, 1858, to lay before Congress printed reports of the engineers employed under the provisions of that act to make such explorations and surveys as this department might,deem advisable, in order to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean. The great amount of labor required in the preparation of the general map, originally de- signed to accompany this report, and the unfinished condition of the original maps and other data, have delayed its completion beyond the period anticipated, but it is confidently believed that its engraving will be finished in time to accompany the extra copies of the report ordered by the two houses of Congress. It embraces the territory of the United States between the great lakes and the Mississippi river, on the east, and the Pacific ocean on the west. It is based upon the most reliable astronomical data within those limits; and the details having been compiled with care, from all the government explorations and surveys and other reliable authorities, it will present more minute information upon the region embraced by it than has heretofore been exhibited on any general map. It will show the relation to each other of the different railroad routes recently explored, their connexions with prominent points on Lakes Superior and Michigan, the Mississippi river and the Gulf of Mexico, and with the ports of the Pacific ; and, exhibiting only such features as have been determined by reliable observers, it will be of great value in showing what further explorations are necessary, and in determining their direction and extent. I have heretofore reported the nature of the explorations and surveys ordered in compliance with this act ; and by a reference to the statements there made, it will be seen that in order to accomplish as much as possible within the limited period indicated, not only were there as many distinct corps employed as there were routes to be surveyed, but several parties were, in some cases, employed upon different sections of the same route. It appears, therefore, necessary, in submitting these several reports, many of which are quite voluminous and in detached parts, to present a general recapitulation of their results, indicating those distinguishing characteristics, the comparison of which will determine which of the routes surveyed best fulfils the condition of practicability and economy proposed by the act. I will here repeat the general sketch of the country given in my first annual report, but corrected in accordance with the results of the recent explorations. This will serve, in the absence of a more elaborate description, to give some general idea of the nature of the country over which they extended. ‘The western portion of the continent of North America, irrespective of the mountains, is traversed from north to south by a broad, elevated swell or plateau of land, which occupies the greater portion of the whole space between the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean. The crest of this plateau, or the water-shed of the country, is nearly midway between the Pacific coast and the Mississippi. It may be represented on the map by an undulating line traced 4 MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS. between the headwaters of the streams which flow eastward and those which flow westward. It divides the whole area between the Mississippi and the Pacific into two nearly equal portions—that on the east being somewhat the larger. This crest of the water-shed has its greatest elevation in Mexico; and thence declines to its lowest point about the latitude of 32°, where it has a height of about 5,200 feet, between the waters of the Rio Grande and those of the San Pedro, a tributary of the Gila. From this parallel it increases in altitude north- ward, and reaches its maximum near the 38th parallel, where it is about 10,000 feet high. Thence it declines as we pass northward; and, in latitude 42° 24’, it has an elevation of, say, 7,490 feet; and in the latitude of about 47° it is reported to be at least 1,450 feet lower. The heights here given are those of the lowest passes over the crest or water-shed of the great plateau of the country, and not those of the mountain peaks and ridges which have their base upon it, and rise, in some cases, to the height of 17,000 feet into the region of perpetual snow. : The slope of the plateau on the east and south, towards the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico, is comparatively gentle, and in the northern part of Texas, that known by the name of the Llano Estacado, or Staked Plain, is by steps. It is traversed by the Missouri, the Platte, the Arkansas, and other large rivers, which rise among the mountains near the crest, and flow eastward and southward in channels sunk beneath the general surface-level of the — plains. Its crest, and nearly the entire distance thence to the Pacific, is occupied by high plains or basins, differing from each other in elevation from 1,000 to 3,000 feet, and by mountain peaks _ and ridges, varying in direction to almost every point of the compass, though they have a general course north and south. Many of these mountains, including those that bound this system, have obtained the name of chains, and a short classification of them will now be attempted, although it is to be premised that our knowledge of them is most imperfect, and the classification now made, future explorations will probably show to be erroneous. The only proper classification must be made by the geologist, after a thorough exploration for this purpose, which it will require a long period to accomplish. These mountains may be considered as constituting three great systems, extending gen- erally throughout our possessions in a north and south direction; and though this arrange- ment may not be the best or most accurate, yet it will enable us to take a comprehensive view of the whole as regards the construction of a railroad, since any direct line that can be traced from the Mississippi to the Pacific, except near the 48th and 32d parallels, will encounter each of these three systems in some point. Calling the most eastern system No. 1, we find a portion of it, crossing the Rio Grande, and entering Texas at the Great Cation. Its extension south into Mexico forms the east front of the Sierra Madre. Running northward, this system includes all the mountains on either side of the Rio Grande, enclosing its valley and the Salinas Basin. Those on the east form the divide between the Pecos and Salinas Basin, and between the Rio Grande ond Canadian; on the west they divide the waters of the Rio Grande from those that flow to the Gulf of California. Those on the east are sometimes called the Rocky mountains, some- times the Sierra Madre; and this last name is sometimes applied to those on the west. There seems to be a necessity for considering the mountains on both sides of the Rio Grande as one system, ‘These may be said to unite near the headwaters of the Rio Grande and Arkansas, and here the mountains have their greatest development. The Sierra de la Plata extends to the southwest, the Elk mountains to the west, and the various chains forming the Park mountains to the north, The Park mountains, in latitude 41° 80/, sink into the plateau, forming the region of the South Pass; and the only continuation we have of this system is in the Black Hills, which continue to the north, with diminished elevation, till, in latitude 46° 15', they are merggd into the coteau through which the Upper Missouri makes its passage. mong the mountains included in this system are the Sierra Madre, a portion of what is called the Rocky mountains, the Diabolo mountains, the Guadalupe mountains, Hueco mount- 4, MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS, 5 ains, Organ mountains, Sandia mountains, Santa Ie mountains, Sierra Blanea, Sierra Mojada, Sierra San Juan, Sierra de la Plata, Elk mountains, Park mountains, Medicine Bow mount- ains, and Black Hills. System No. 1 is thus but partially gorged by the Rio Grande, whose passage of the Great Caiion is wholly impracticable for any method of communication ; that of El Paso is practi- cable. It is completely cut through by the North Platte and Sweet Water, forming a prac- ticable route; and is turned by the Upper Missouri. Low mountains or hills are known to exist between the Black Hills and the Wind River chain, about the headwaters of the Yellowstone and Missouri; but this region is too little known to be treated of with confidence, and may have a decided effect in modifying this classi- fication. System No. 2. If, from the Great Northern Bend of the Missouri, we travel west for 450 miles, we come again upon what are called the Rocky mountains; and still further west lies the Ceeur d’ Alene, or Bitter Root range, the two enclosing the Bitter Root or St. Mary’s valley; and both are considered as forming a part of this system, Following it to the south, it includes the Wind River chain, the Bear mountains, the Uinta mountains, and the Wahsatch, which last continue as far south as it has been explored, probably forming the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado, till the junction of the latter with the Gila. System No. 3. From the junction of the Gila and Colorado, we find continuous mountains running to the northwest, and terminating at Point Conception, on the Pacific. On the south they are joined by the mountains forming the peninsula of California, the junction being at the San Gorgonio Pass, in latitude 33° 45’. On the north, two chains leave this range in latitude 35°. One, called the Coast range and Coast mountains, lies to the west of the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, the waters of which break through them at the Bay of San Francisco. The other, called the Sierra Nevada, lies to the east of these valleys. A great depression, forming a plateau, is known to exist in the Sierra Nevada in latitude 40° 30’, and another in latitude 42° 45’, near Lake Abert. This chain may, perhaps, be considered as terminating at or in these plateaus, or to find its con- tinuation in the Cascade or Coast range, which extend into the British possessions, being broken through by the Columbia and partly by the Klamath rivers. The Blue mountains, to the south of the Columbia, represented as having a general north- east direction, may be considered, along with the mountains mentioned since leaving the Colorado, as forming system No. 3. The Humboldt River chain, running north and south, (where crossed,) and separating the waters of the Humboldt or Mary’s river from those of the Great Salt Lake Basin, is a marked feature; but as to its connexion, north and south, with other ranges, nothing is certain. There seem good reasons for believing that the east and west ranges, represented as sepa- rating the Columbia River basin from the Great Basin, as well as the range represented as extending west from the Vegas of Santa Clara, are only apparently such, the deception arising from the overlapping of the side spurs to chains, the general direction of which is north and south, The ‘triangular space’ lying between the Rio Grande, Gila, and Colorado, is everywhere, so far as known, exceedingly mountainous; the ranges, such as the Mogollon and San J’ran- cisco mountains, having a general northwest direction, Too broad an interval exists between the explorations of Lieutenant Whipple and those of Captain Gunnison, to enable us to speak with certainty of their relation to the systems already alluded to. In portions of the mountain region, the waters find no outlet to the sea, but drain into — lakes and ponds, or sinks, carrying with them all the impurities of the basins to which they belong, and are there uniformly brackish or very salt. Prominent examples of this are the Salinas Basin, of New Mexico, and the Great Salt Lake Basin in Utah. aa 6 ‘MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS. From most portions of this interior mountain belt, the waters have been able to force their barriers and escape to the ocean. The valleys thus drained are, those of the southern tributaries of the Upper Missouri, that of the North Fork of the Platte, and its tributary the Sweet Water, between the first and second systems; that of the U,per Rio Grande del Norte, in the first system ; that of the Great Colorado of the West and its tributaries, between the first and second systems ; those of the waters of the Bay of San Francisco and of the Klamath river, in the third system; and that of the Columbia river and its tributaries, between the second and third systems. Some of these streams, as well as others in the enclosed basins, have in places worn for themselves, through the solid rock, the most stupendous chasms or cafions, often 2,000 feet in vertical height, many of which it is imposs.ble to follow or to cross. The position of this belt of mountain region, stretching from north to south, gives rise to a peculiarity of climate and soil. Fertility depends principally upon the degree of temperature and amount of moisture, both of which are much affected by increase of elevation; and the latter also depends on the direction of the wind. The upper or return current of the trade- wind, flowing backward towards the northeast, gives a prevalence of westerly winds in the north temperate zone, which tends to spread the moisture from the Pacific over the western portion of our continent. These winds, however, ascending the western slope of the mountain ridges, are deprived of their*moisture by the diminished temperature of the increased elevation ; and hence it is that the plains and valleys on the eastern side of the ridges are generally parched and barren, and that the mountain system, as a whole, presenting, as it were, a screen against the moisture with which the winds from the west come laden, has for its eastern margin a sterile belt, which probably extends along the whole range, with a width varying from 250 to 300 and 400 miles. From the foregoing sketch it will be perceived that the lines of exploration must traverse three different divisions or regions of country lying parallel to each other, and extending north and south through the whole of the western possessions of the United States. The first is that of the country between the Mississippi and the eastern edge of the sterile belt, having a varying width of from 500 to 600 miles. The second is the sterile region, varying in width from 200 to 400 miles ; and the third, the mountain region, having a breadth of from 500 to 900 miles. Explorations show that the surface of the first division, with few exceptions, rises in gentle slopes from the Mississippi to its western boundary, at the rate of about six feet to the mile, and that it offers no material obstacle to the construction of a railroad. It is, therefore, west of this that the difficulties are to be overcome. The concurring testimony uf reliable observers had indicated that the second division, or that called the sterile region, was so inferior in vegetation and character of soil, and so deficient in moisture, that it had received, and probably deserved, the name of the desert. This opinion is confirmed by the results of the recent explorations, which prove that the soil of the greater part of this region is, from its constituent parts, necessarily sterile; and that of the remaining part, although well constituted for fertility, is, from the absence of rains at. certain seasons, except where capable of irrigation, as uncultivable and unproductive as the other. This general character of extreme sterility likewise belongs to the country embraced in the mountain region, From the western slopes of the Rocky mountains to the 112th meridian, or the western limit of the basin of the Colorado, the soil generally is of the same formation as at lying east of that mountain crest, mixed, in the latitudes of 35° and 32°, with igneous rocks; and the region being one of great aridity, especially in the summer, the areas of cultivable land are limited. The western slopes of the highest mountain chains and spurs within this region being of a constitution favorable to fertility, and receiving much larger depositions of rain than the plains, have frequently in their small valleys a luxuriant growth of grasses, which sometimes clothes the mountain-sides; and where the wash is deposited on mountain stream or river-bottom the soil is fertile, and can be cultivated, if the elevations are not too great, and the means of irrigation available. Such mountain-valleys and river-bottoms 4 EXAMINATION OF THE ROUTES. - 7 exist upon all the routes, and the difference in the areas found in the different latitudes is not sufficiently great to be of any considerable weight in determining the question of choice of route. It is probable that all the routes are nearly on an equality in this respect. The cultivable valleys of the Rocky mountain district near the route of the 47th parallel do not probably exceed an area of 1,000 square miles, though there are extensive tracts of fine grazing lands. In this latitude the great sterile basaltic plain of the Columbia, and the barren table-lands, spurs, and mountain masses of the Cascade range, principally occupy the space between the Coeur d’ Alene mountains and the main chain of the Cascade system. In this area, where the rocks are principally of igneous origin, there are likewise occasional valleys of culti- vable soil. The western slopes of the Cascade mountains descend to the borders of Puget sound, On the routes of the 41st and 38th parallels, in the region under consideration, the only large body of soil capable of productive cultivation, by the construction of suitable works for irrigation, is that of the basin of the Great Salt lake, estimated to be 1,108 square miles in extent, about one-tenth part of which, being susceptible of cultivation without the construc- tion of irrigating canals, is now cultivated by the Mormons. Here also are extensive grazing lands. The great elevated plain of the Rocky mountains in latitudes 41° and 42°, and that of latitude 38°, called the San Luis valley, are covered with wild sage, the narrow border of grass found upon the streams being the chief, almost only, production capable of supporting animal life. The slopes of the mountains bounding them are covered with grass. ‘ The plains of the Great Basin, whose greatest width (500 miles) is in latitude 41°, are, with the exception heretofore stated, entirely sterile, and either bare or imperfectly covered with a scattered growth of wild sage. Where a stream or lake is found in this desolate region, its immediate borders generally support a narrow belt of grass and willows; the former being also found on the mountain slopes, where occasionally a scattered growth of stunted cedars is like- wise seen. Water is found on the mountain-side. The predominating rocks, from the Wahsatch mountains to the Sierra Nevada, are of igneous origin. Inthe southern portion of the Basin the granitic rocks are more abundant than the volcanic. On the routes of the parallels of 35° and 32° the valleys of the Pecos, Rio Grande, Gila, and Colorado of the West, contain the largest areas of fertile soil capable of irrigation and cultiva- tion. That in New Mexico is estimated at 700 square miles, exclusive of the regions occupied by Indians, of which 200 square miles are now under cultivation. Here the grazing land is of very great extent, the table-lands, as well as the mountain-sides, being covered with grass. The valley of the Colorado of the West, between its mouth and the 35th parallel, contains 1,600 square miles of fertile soil, which can be irrigated from the river. The plains south of the Gila in its lower course, and that west of the Colorado, extending to the Coast range, called the Colorado desert, as well as the contiguous portion of the Great Basin, are bare and exceedingly sterile in their aspect, and closely resemble each other. The soil of the Colorado desert, and much of this as well as other parts of the Great Basin, is, how- ever, favorably constituted for fertility, but the absence of the essential, quickening element, water, leaves them utterly unproductive. West of the Coast, Sierra Nevada, and Cascade mountains the country is better watered than that just considered; and the soil being mostly well constituted for fertility, is productive in proportion to the yearly amount of precipitation and the means of irrigation. The general position and direction of the four routes to be explored were explained in my report of December 1, 1853, and copies of the instructions given to the parties were appended to it. They were directed to observe and note all the objects and phenomena which have an im- mediate or remote bearing upon the railway, or which might seem to develop the resources, peculiarities, and climate of the country; to determine geographical positions, obtain the topo- graphy, observe the meteorology, including the data for barometric profiles, and two of the 8 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. parties were to determine the direction and intensity of the magnetic foree. They were to make a geological survey of the lines; to collect information upon, and specimens of, the botany and zoology of the country; and to obtain statistics of the Indian tribes which are found in the regions traversed. Thus would be obtained all the information for the general consideration of the question, as well as the data upon which the cost of construction and working a railroad depend. If the results of the explorations made under these instructions do not furnish the data requi- site to solve every question satisfactorily, they at least give a large amount of valuable in- formation, and place the question in a tolerably clear light. We see now, with some precision, the nature and extent of the difficulties to be encountered, and, at the same time, the means of surmounting them, As the readiest mode of communicating the nature and extent of the information contained in.the reports herewith submitted, a brief description of each route, its characteristic features, facilities, difficulties, and probable cost of construction, will be given. For a long distance west of the Mississippi, the enterprise of private companies, acting under State charters, has explored the country, and has projected or is constructing railroads, stretching towards the Pacific. As the examinations made under these auspices, and our general knowledge of that part of the country, afford the information necessary to determine all questions bearing upon the practicability of a railroad, it has been deemed unnecessary to incur the expense and delay of continuing the explorations directed by the act, eastward of the points reached, to which railroads are already projected, and consequently but one of the routes, the most northern, has its starting-point on the Mississippi. The connexion of the others with that river, as well as with the seaports of Atlantic and Gulf States, is shown by a table (B) hereto annexed, compiled from the best railroad maps. j ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS OF NORTH LATITUDE. Taking the routes in their geographical order, that near the 47th parallel, the general direction of the exploration of which was intrusted to Governor Stevens, of Washington Territory, will be the first discussed. The route was to cross the Rocky mountains at the sources of the tributaries of the Missouri and Columbia rivers, and, in approaching and leaving the mountains, to follow as far as prac- ticable the valleys of these rivers and their tributaries. The general direction of the Missouri from the Rocky mountains to the Great Bend, in lati- tude 48° 30’, is from west to east, and thence to latitude 43° 30’ southeast. The point where the direction changes is reached from St. Paul,.on the Mississippi, by a line passimg up on the east side of that river to Little Falls, 109 miles, and there crossing it; thence gaining the divide between the waters of Hudson’s bay and those of the Missouri, keeping on this divide, and approaching, in longitude 103°, within a few miles of the 49th parallel; then passing southerly, between the 104th and 105th meridians, and entering the valley of the Missouri river. The route then follows this valley to the mouth of Milk river. The ground near the Missouri here becoming rough and broken, the route is obliged to leave it and follow the valley of Milk river 187 miles; then entering the prairies, which near the mountains are more favorable for location than near the Missouri river, it continues in a line nearly parallel to the river, across its tributaries, the Marias, Teton, and Sun rivers, and enters either Clark’s or Cadotte’s Pass. As far as the crossing of Sun river, 1,093 miles from St. Paul, the route is over river bottom or prairie, the usual expense of construction over such ground being increased by the necessity of guarding against freshets by embankment on the river bottoms, of ballasting in the soft, sticky soil of Milk river, of providing supplies of water during the dry season, over certain portions of the route, by reservoirs and aqueducts, estimated to cost, with planting trees for supply of fuel, $3,000,000, and of transporting ties and lumber for distances of from 100 to ‘ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS, 9 470 miles—forest-growth suitable for ties and lumber not being found at closer intervals on the route. These, in connexion with the uninhabited and uncultivable condition of the country for 740 miles, form the difficulties of this portion of the route, and will materially increase the cost of its construction. ait most difficult portion of the whole route is, however, that which is now entered upon, : from Sun river to the Spokane, a distance of 365 salen embracing the Rocky mountains proper, and a secondary chain lying west of them, called Coeur d’Alene and the Bitter Root mountains, Through the Rocky mountains seven passes were explored; but the only ones among them, upon which the information obtained was sufficiently thorough and complete to enable projects to be made, are two (Clark’s and Cadotte’s) lying near each other in latitude 47°, and connecting the headwaters of Dearborn river, a tributary of the Missouri, with the Black- foot, a head branch of the Columbia. The summit ridge of Clark’s Pass has an elevation of 6,323 feet, and requires a tunnel 21 miles long, at an elevation of 5,300 feet. Its connexion with the main line of survey along the valley of the Blackfoot river was not made, though ‘‘believed’’ practicable, with grades of 50 feet per mile. The interyal unexamined is 4} miles long. This pass has been adopted by Governor Stevens in the railroad estimate, and is probably practicable. The approach to the other pass (Cadotte’s) is difficult, owing to the numerous deep ravines of the tributaries of a branch of Dearborn river, which the road must cross. The summit of the pass has an elevation of 6,044 feet; requires a tunnel 44 miles long, at an elevation of 5,000 feet, with grades of approach of 60 feet, and of departure of 40 feet, per mile. A tunnel 44 or even 24 miles in length, in rock or part rock, at a depth below the summit of 1,000 feet, in a severely-cold climate, 800 or 1,000 miles distant from a thickly-inhabited district, is a work of vast difficulty; and the necessity of the construction of one of these two tunnels, in connexion with the character of the approach, and the difficult nature of the work required, continuing westward as far as the crossing of the Spokane river, in all a distance of 365 miles, is one of the most serious objections to the route. From either pass the route seeks the Blackfoot river, with the view of reaching Clark’s fork, which opens the only pass through the Bitter Root mountains, the practicability of which was determined. Ip order to reach Clark’s fork, two routes were examined. The first fol- lows the Blackfoot river to its junction with Hell-Gate, a distance of 93 miles. The valley is narrow and wooded, the stream winding, and for twenty miles there is a narrow gorge. Numerous’ bridges will be required. The Hell-Gate, a few miles after being joined by the Blackfoot, empties into the St. Mary’s, called below this junction the Bitter Root. The con- struction of the road along this stream to its junction with Clark’s fork will be a work of . great difficulty and expense, requiring short curves, steep gradients, numerous bridges, heavy side-cutting, and high embankments, in consequence of the spring freshets, (from twenty to thirty feet of vertical rise.) From the nature of the examination, its practicability cannot be considered as established. The other route, (shorter, and probably less difficult,) having followed the Blackfoot but a short distance, crosses to the Jocko, descends this to the Flathead, and descends the latter to its junction with the Bitter Root, forming Clark’s fork, bounded closely by high, rocky mountains. Having reached Clark’s fork, the route continues along this river as far as Lake Pend d’Oreille, between rugged, rocky mountains, which at several points crowd upon the river. The valley of this river is heavily timbered, principally with pine, and, with the lake, it is subject to freshets fifteen feet in height. Leaving Lake Pend d Oreille at its lower extremity, the route crosses to the Spokane without difficulty. At the Spokane river the continuous mountain region and the forest terminate, and ‘‘all great difficulties of location upon the route cease.’ The earth-excavation and embankment throughout this section (from the east base of the Rocky mountains tu the Spokane river, 365 miles) will be large in 2a 10 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. amount, and expensive; there will be frequent rock-excavation, and the bulk of the rock- excavation in the entire route will be in this section. It is evident that the difficulties of con- struction will be great, and the cost excessive. Upon the passes of the Rocky mountains, Governor Stevens says: ‘‘It is not doubted there are other passes in this portion of the Rocky mountain range, even better than those explored ; they are indicated by the general depression of the mountain range, with the greater fre- quency of the streams stretching out to meet each other from the opposite slopes of the mount- ains ; and I consider it important that, in future operations, a whole season should be devoted to their thorough examination, and that instrumental surveys should be made of the pass found to be the most practicable.’’ Leaving the Spokane, the route enters the Great Plain of the Columbia, a table-land stretch- ing from the Ceeur d’Alene to the Cascade mountains, a distance of 200 miles. Its central and western portions are of trap formation, and are described on the map as sandy, rocky, and sterile. Its summit, 800 feet above the Spokane river, is readily attained, the treeless plain is crossed in a distance of 110 miles, and a suitable point for crossing the Columbia river, 400 or 450 yards wide, reached, 140 miles distant from the Spokane. This point is about Giaaliy distant from the cayiednle waters of the Pacific in Puget sound and in the Columbia river. The whole intermediate space is occupied by the Cascade mountains, with their secondary chains, spurs, and high, broken table-lands, through which there are but two passes reported practicable for a railroad—that of the Columbia river and that of the Yakima, sometimes erroneously called the Snoqualme. The Yakima Pass gives the most direct route to Puget sound, the distance by it being 150 or 160 miles shorter than by the Columbia River Pass. It requires a tunnel through rock, (siliceous conglomerate,) either 4,000 yards long, 3,000 feet above the sea, or a tunnel 11,840 yards long, 2,400 feet above the sea. The reconnaissance did not extend westward from the summit more than three miles. The evidence respecting the amount of snow found on the summit of the pass at the close of winter, makes it probable that it is then 20 feet deep there. This question should be satisfactorily settled, and the reconnaissance completed, before the practicability of the pass can be considered established. In the opinion of the officer making the reconnaissance—Captain McClellan, Corps of Engineers—the pass is barely practicable, and only at a great cost of time, labor, and money. Under every favorable condition of position the construction of either of the proposed tunnels would be seriously objectionable ; but where the position itself is so unfavorable, the final advantages should be very great to determine the selection of this route. The information now possessed is sufficient to decide against this route. The route by the pass of the Columbia follows that river from the Great Plain, being gen- erally located, as far as the Dalles, in bottom-lands which present no difficulties. From the Dalles to near Vancouver, 90 miles, the rocky bluffs close upon the river, and the work required will be similar to that of the Hudson River railroad along the mountain region, In the opinion of Mr. Lander, ‘‘the high floods to which the Columbia river is subject, are serious obstacles to obtaining the best location for cheap construction offered by its valley.’’ In 1854, the rise of the river during the flood was 10 feet above spring level, and 17 feet above summer level. The Columbia river is navigable for sea-going vessels to Vancouver, the point now reached ; but the unfavorable character of the entrance to that river, and the great superiority of the ports on Puget sound, seemed to render it expedient to adopt some one of the latter as the Pacific terminus of this route. Continuing down the Columbia, therefore, through bottom- lands, to the mouth of the Cowlitz, the route enters the wide and comparatively flat and wooded valley of that river, ascends it, and, crossing over the wooded and prairie plains, which, “though not fully explored, are sufficiently well known to insure the unusually favorable character of the country for the construction of a railway,’’ reaches Seattle, the best port on the east side of Puget sound. ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. WL From the Rocky mountains to Seattle, wood, stone, and other building materials, are found along the line of the route, or at points so accessible to it, that it may be considered well sup- plied with them throughout. The information upon the character of the soil upon the route does not admit of satisfactory conclusions to be deduced. It is sufficient, however, to show that in this latitude, as in that of the Arkansas, the uncultivable region begins about the 99th meridian. Immediately under the Rocky mountains the soil improves, probably from the mountain wash. The tertiary and cretaceous formations extend, in these latitudes, from about the 97th meridian to the eastern base of the Rocky mountains, and, under the meteorological conditions found in this space, are unsuitable for agricultural purposes. There are some very limited exceptions to this gen- eral character in portions of river bottoms. These tertiary formations in the arid regions of Asia and Africa form the great deserts of those countries. The country west of the Rocky mountains to the Pacific slopes may likewise be described as one of general sterility. The eastern portion of the Great Plain of the Columbia is represented to be grassed; its middle and western parts almost entirely sandy, rocky, and sterile. The mountain masses, spurs, and table-lands of the Cascade chain, east of the main crest, are sterile. There are exceptions to this general sterility in the mountain valleys, where the soil is better constituted for fertility, and the rains more abundant; but, although portions of these are suitable for agricultural purposes, they are better adapted to grazing. The sum of the areas of cultivable soil in the Rocky mountain region does not exceed, if it equals, 1,000 square miles. West of the Cascade mountains there are rich river bottoms, clay formations that are arable, and prairies offering good grazing. The principal favorable characteristics of this route are its low profile, low grades, and the low elevation of the mountain passes, and its connexion with the Missouri and Columbia rivers. The reported sum of the ascents and descents is the least of all the routes; this proportion may, however, be changed when the minor undulations are measured. The principal unfavor- able features are, in construction, the tunnel required on the Rocky mountains, and the difficulty and expense of construction from the eastern approach of the Rocky mountains to the Spokane river, and the expense of the construction along the Columbia river, from the Dalles to near Vancouver. These, when considered carefully, are serious objections to the route, not only in the money, but the time, they will consume. In thickly-populated countries their construction would be difficult and costly; situated as they are—the Rocky mountain region especially—the difficulties, cost, and time required, are greatly increased. The severely-cold character of the climate throughout the whole route, except the portion west of the Cascade mountains, is one of its unfavorable features; and, for national considera- tions, its proximity to the dominions of a powerful foreign sovereignty must be a serious objection to it as a military road. Its cost has been estimated by Governor Stevens, by the Columbia River valley and the Cow- litz, at $117,121,000; the cost of work at eastern prices having had 25 per cent. added to it from the Bois des Sioux to the Rocky mountains, and 40 per cent. thence to the Pacific. It has been thought safer to add 100 per cent. to the cost at eastern prices from the eastern slope of the Rocky mountains to the Pacific. This would swell the estimate to $150,871,000. Should Governor Stevens have included a full equipment in his estimate, $10,000,000 should be subtracted from this sum to bring the estimate in accordance with those of the other routes, and the cost then becomes $140,871,000. The length of the route from St. Paul to Vancouver is 1,864 miles. The sum of ascents and descents, as far as reported, is 18,100 feet, which will be equivalent, in the cost of working the road, to an increased horizontal distance of 343 miles: this added to the length of the line of location, gives for equated length 2,207 miles. From St. Paul to Seattle, by the Columbia route, is 2,025 miles, which the sum of ascents and descents increases to an equated distance of 2,387 miles. 12 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. The work upon this route, under Governor Stevens, embraced a wider field of exploration than that upon any other explored, and a great amount of topographical and general inform- ation was collected in relation to the country traversed. The necessary astronomical observa- tions were not made to determine accurately the longitudes of the several stations, and the loss of his barometrical observations, after the completion of the field-work, left no means of revising and verifying the profile of the route. The examination of the approaches and passes of the Cascade mountains, made by Captain McClellan, of the Corps of Engineers, presents a reconnaissance of great value, and though performed under adverse circumstances, exhibits all the information necessary to determine the practicability of this portion of the route, and reflects the highest credit on the capacity and resources of that officer. ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS OF NORTH LATITUDE. About one-half of the route in this latitude, extending from the Missouri river to Fort Bridger, on a tributary of Green river, has not been explored with a special reference to the practicability of constructing a railroad, and the reports do not contain all the details neces- sary to the elucidation of the subject. The information respecting it is to be found in the reports of Col. Fremont and Capt. Stansbury. From Fort Bridger to Fort Reading, on the Sacramento river, the exploration has been made by Lieut. HE. G. Beckwith, under the appropriation for that purpose. The route may commence on the Missouri, either at Fort Leavenworth, about 245 miles from the Mississippi at St. Louis, or at Council Bluffs, about 267 miles from the Mississippi at Rock Island, ascend the Platte and enter the eastern chain of the Rocky mountains (the Black Hills) by the North fork and its tributary, the Sweet Water. Another route, by the South fork and a tributary called Lodge Pole creek, has been suggested by Capt. Stansbury as shorter and less expensive; but the information respecting it is not sufficiently full to make further mention of it necessary. From the Missouri river to the entrance of the Black Hills, 30 miles above Fort Laramie, 520 miles from Council Bluffs, and 755 miles from Fort Leavenworth, the route resembles others from the Mississippi to the Rocky mountains, and needs no special mention. Its cost per mile will be about the same. The route west of this point crosses many lateral streams that have cut deep ravines into the soil, and leaves the Platte just below the Hot Spring Gap, above which it is walled in by cafions. To avoid these, the route crosses a range of hills 800 feet above the river, and descend- ing to the Sweet Water, a branch of the Platte, follows that stream to its source, where the summit of the plateau of the South Pass (elevation 7,490 feet) is attained. The valley of the Sweet Water is generally rather open, but occasionally it cuts through mountain spurs, forming cajions. From the first gorge in the Black Hills to the summit of the pass, 291 miles, the work will be difficult and expensive, and is assimilated in amount to that of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, From the South Pass the route follows down Sandy creek, a tributary of Green river, to the crossing of the latter, and thence to Fort Bridger, (elevation 7,254 feet,) on Black’s fork, likewise a tributary of Green river. The amount of work on this section would be consid- erably less than on the preceding. From Council Bluffs to Fort Bridger the distance is 942 miles; from Fort Leavenworth 1,072 miles. The route now ascends the divide between the waters of Green river and those of the Great Salt lake, by the valley of Black’s fork, or of one of its tributaries, with grades of 69.5 and 40.3 feet per mile. The summit is a broad terrace at the foot of the Uinta mountains, and has an elevation of 8,373 feet. From this point the line descends over the undulating country ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 13 separating the Uinta and Bear River mountains, crossing the head of Bear river, and, entering the valley of White Clay creek at its head, follows down that stream to its junction with Weber river. The Wahsatch mountains now intervene between this plateau country ‘and the Great Salt lake, and the passage through them may be effected by following Weber river, or by ascend- ing to near the sources of the Timpanogos; and descending that stream—both nate affluents, directly or indirectly, of the Great Salt lake—the distances are about the same to their common point on thaf lake. There are canons upon both these streams. That of the Timpanogos is 10 miles in length, and narrow, being from 100 to 300 yards in width. It is direct in its general course, but must be bridged at several points, to avoid short curves. The sides are of blue limestone, and will require rock-blasting at some points. The river, 30 yards wide, descends with a powerful current, and, when most swollen, is six feet above its ordinary level. On Weber river there are two cations. The upper is rather a gorge or defile, 84 miles long. The mountains rise to a great height above it, and are rocky and precipitous, and much broken by ravines. The river is winding, and it “i be necessary to cross it frequently. The lower canon, near the borders of the valley of Great Salt lake, is four miles long, direct, with an average width of 175 yards, the stream being 30 yards wide, and impinging frequently with great force against the base of the mountains, which, however, are sufficiently retreating to admit of the practicable passage of a railway. Entering the valley of Great Salt lake from either this or the Timpanogos cafion, there is no obstacle to the construction of a railway passing by the south end of the lake, and crossing the Jordan, Tuilla valley, and Spring or Lone Rock valley, to its west side. By the valley of the Timpanogos, the distance from near Fort Bridger to the south end of the Great Salt lake, on the western side of the valley of the Jordan, is 182.55 miles; the greatest grade required, 84 feet to the mile. The amount of work required on this section, excepting that along the canon, will not, in the opinion of Lieutenant Beckwith, be great. From the western shore of Great Salt lake to the valley of Humboldt river, the country con- sists alternately of mountains, in more or less isolated ridges, and of open level plains, rising gradually from the level of the lake on the east, to the base of the Humboldt mountains on the west; that is, from 4,200 feet to 6,000 feet above the sea. West of the Humboldt mount- ains the country is of the same character, the plains declining until, at the west shore of Mud lake, usually called the foot of the Sierra Nevada, the elevation is 4,100 feet. The mountains in this space of 500 miles, (by the route travelled 600 miles,) between the Great Salt lake and the foot of the Sierra Nevada, have a general north and south course. Occasionally cross-spurs close in the valleys to the north and south, but more frequently this isolation is only apparent. The mountains are sharp, rocky, and inaccessible in many parts, but are low and easily passed in others. Their general elevation varies from 1,500 to 3,000 feet above the valleys, and but few of them retain snow upon their highest peaks during the summer. They are liberally supplied with springs and small streams, but the latter seldom extend far into the plains. At the time of melting snows there are many small ponds and lakes, but at other seasons the waters are absorbed by the soil near the base of the mountains. Grass is found in abundance upon nearly every range, but timber 1s very scarce—a small scat- tered growth of cedar only being seen upon afew ranges. Hast of the Humboldt mountains the growth of cedars is more abundant, and the grass better, than to the west. The valleys rarely have a width east and west of more than five or ten miles, but often have a large extent north and south. They are irregular in form, frequently extending around the ends of mount- ains, or uniting to succeeding valleys by level passages. The greater part of the surface of these valleys is merely sprinkled by several varieties of sombre artemisia, (wild sage,) pre- senting the aspect of a dreary waste. Though there are spots more thickly covered with this vegetation, yet the soil is seldom half covered with it, even for a few acres, and is nowhere 14 ROUTE NEAR THD FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. suitable for settlement and cultivation. Immediately west of Great Salt lake there is a plain of mud, clay, and sand, impregnated with salt, seventy miles in width from east to west by its longest line, and forty at a narrower part further south, thirty miles of which must be piled for the passage of a railroad across it. A railroad may be carried over this series of valleys and around the mountain masses, at nearly the general level of the valleys. The route in this manner reaches the foot of the Humboldt mountains, a narrow but elevated ridge, containing much snow during most of the year, and crosses them by a pass nine miles long, about three of which are occupied by a narrow, rocky ravine, above which the road should be carried on the sloping spurs of the mountains on the western descent; elevation of summit 6,579 feet above the sea. At the time when passed, 21st May, snow covered the high peaks above it, and a few drifts extended into the ravines down to the level of its summit. The descent is now made to the open valley of Humboldt river, which is followed for about 190 miles. The steepest grade proposed in the pass of Humboldt mountain is 89 feet per mile for eight miles, but this can be reduced by gaining distance to any desirable extent. The Humboldt river, as described by Colonel Fremont, is formed by two streams rising in mountains west of the Great Salt lake. Its general direction is from east to west, coursing among broken ranges of mountains; its length about three hundred miles. It is without affluents, and terminates near the foot of the Sierra Nevada in a marshy lake. It has a moderate current—is from two to six feet deep in the dry season, and probably not fordable anywhere below the junction of the two streams during the melting of the snows. The valley varies in width from a few miles to twenty, and, excepting the immediate river-banks, is a dry, sandy plain, without grass, wood, or arable soil. Its own immediate valley (bottom) is a rich alluvion, covered with blue grass, herds-grass, clover, and other nutritious grasses, and its course is marked through the plain by a line of willow. Of the three lines from the Humboldt river to the foot of the Sierra Nevada, the best is that by the Noble’s Pass road, as it avoids the principal range of mountains crossed on the line followed a few miles south. The line followed crosses two ranges of the general character of the Basin mountains, and reaches the foot of the Madelin Pass of the Sierra Nevada, on the west shore of Mud lake, in a distance of 119 miles, and at an elevation of 4,079 feet above the sea. In this latitude the Sierra Nevada was found to be a plateau about 5,200 feet above the sea, 40 miles in width from east to west, enclosed at these limits by low mountains, the summits of the passes through which are 400 and 500 feet above the base. The plain is covered with irregular spurs, ridges, and isolated peaks, rising a few hundred feet, limiting it in a north and south direction sometimes to a space of a few hundred yards, and at others to that of ten miles. These spurs, &c., on the eastern portion of the plateau, are sparsely covered with cedar ; on the western, heavily covered with pine. There is no drainage from this plain, the waters of a few small streams and springs forming grassy ponds upon its surface. In its general features it is similar to the Great Basin, excepting that as more rain falls upon it, the vegetation is comparatively luxuriant. There are two routes by which this plain may be reached from the Great Basin, and the descent made to the Sacramento river. That by the Madelin Pass, the more northern, is most probably the better of the two, and is the only one necessary to be considered. Leaving Mud lake, it ascends by the valley of Smoky creek for three miles, through a narrow gorge (from 100 to 150 yards wide) in an outlying spur of the Sierra Nevada. After this the route is over more open ground, varying, in degree, to the summit of the pas- sage through the eastern ridge bounding the Sierra Nevada plateau. The pass is thus far of a very favorable character—the length of the ascent is 22.89 miles; the difference of elevation, 1,172 feet; the altitude of the summit, 5,667 feet; and the steepest slope is 75 feet per mile. The plateau being gained, is crossed by a nearly level line to the low ridge bounding it on the west, the summit elevation of which, 5,736 feet, is attained by following a ravine valley. The descent to the Sacramento along one of its tributaries is now commenced, and is at ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 15 first rapid. A cut is proposed at the summit, 120 feet deep, running out to the surface at either end, making a length of four miles, ana a grade of 124 feet to the mile for 2.4 miles. It may be preferable to tunnel or to cut only one-half the depth proposed. The open plain of Round valley, on the Sacramento, is reached 15 miles from the summit, (difference of eleva- tion 1,300 feet,) located for one-half that distance on the mountain side, which is broken by ravines, The route now lies over the smooth plain of Round valley for 15 miles, to the head of the first cation on the Sacramento. This cation is a formidable obstacle to be overcome. Its entire length is nearly 14 miles, succeeded by an open valley of similar extent, which is followed by a second cation, nine miles in length, of the same character as the first. From the mouth of Canoe creek, four miles below the foot of the second canon, for the space of 96 miles the course of the Sacramento lies entirely through heavily-timbered mountains, which rise precipi- tously from the river-banks to the height of from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the stream. Its course is very sinuous, with all varieties of curves greater than a right-angle, and is seldom entirely straight for two miles consecutively. The construction of this portion of the route, 136 miles in length, would be one of no ordinary difficulty or expense under the most favorable circumstances of dense population, and the facilities of railroad construction which it would afford. It is impossible, with the data presented, to form a reliable opinion of its probable cost. Seventeen miles above Fort Reading the open valley of the Sacramento is attained, over which a railroad may be carried to the bay of San Francisco, 250 or 300 miles distant. The distance from Fort Bridger to Fort Reading by the line of Lieutenant Beckwith’s profile is 1,012 miles; from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Bridger, 1,072 distance from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Reading, on the eam 4084 es and to Benicia 2,264 miles. The distance from Council Bluffs to Benicia by the above route is 2,134 miles. Using the line along which the route can be located in the Great Basin, about 103 miles shorter than that travelled, the distances become, from Fort Bridger to Fort Reading, 909 miles; from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Reading, 1,980 miles; and to Benicia, 2,161 miles. The distance from Council Bluffs to Benicia becomes 2,031 miles. The points of supply for ties, lumber, &c., are at distances apart of 500, 300, 200, and 700 miles, as timber is only found at the eastern extremity of the route, on the Black Hills, Wind River mountains, the Uinta and Wahsatch mountains, and on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The scattered growth of cedar upon the Basin mountains may, perhaps, be found available for ties. Should the coal-beds of Green river prove to be of such quality and extent as to admit of being profitably mined, the points of supply of fuel—the same as those just designated for lumber—will be importantly increased. Coal may then be had for nearly the cost of mining it at the eastern terminus of the road, for cost of mining near its middle, and at its western terminus for the cost of mining, and freight to that point from Puget sound. Fuel for working-parties will generally be found contiguous to the route. The winter climate is known to be severe on the plains east of the Rocky mountains in this latitude. That it is more severe, and of long duration, upon the great table-land of the Rocky mountains, is to be inferred. Lieut. Beckwith found the sun had not yet begun to melt the snow upon the terrace divide on the western border of the plateau, and about 1,000 feet above it, when he crossed the former, on the 10th April. The snow was here from twelve to sixteen ieee deep, and had oduinnuictechs in deep drifts on the northeast slopes of the hills and ravines. Captain Stansbury found the Uinta mountains covered with snow for a considerable distance from their summits on the 19th August. The quantity of snow that falls upon the great undulating plain between Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger is not exactly known. It ig probable that no unusual difficulty may be apprehended from it on this plain, 16 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. or on the terrace divide, where crossed by Lieut. Beckwith; but the fall of snow in the Wah- satch and other mountains is very much greater, and accumulates in their gorges, ravines, and cafons, to great depths. Apparently, Lieut. Beckwith does not apprehend unusual difficulties from this cause along the proposed railroad route in this region, or in that of the Madelin Pass. The supply of water upon the Rocky mountain plateau must be very limited at certain seasons of the year: the distances apart of these supplies are not given. Abundant supplies of water were found by Lieut. Beckwith on the mountains of the Great Basin. The season of the year when he crossed it—the spring—was the most favorable in this respect. On this route, as on others, from the 98th or 99th meridian to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, a distance of 1,400 miles, the soil is uncultivable, excepting the compara- tively limited area of the Mormon settlement, and an occasional river-bottom and mountain valley of small extent. West of the Black Hills the plains are covered with artemisia, rarely furnishing any grazing except along the water-courses—the mountains being generally clothed, to a greater or less extent, with grass. The barren aspect of the Great Basin has been already described. In that desolate region there are but few and very limited areas where the conditions of soil, water, and temperature requisite for cultivation, are found. The features of this route, favorable to the economical construction of a railroad, are apparent from the description of it which has just been given. Its unfavorable features may be briefly described: as the costly construction, for nearly three hundred miles along the Platte and Sweet Water, in ascending to the summit of the South Pass; in the cajion otf the Timpanogos; in the two canons of the Sacramento, fourteen and nine miles in length; and in the very sinuous course of the river, for the space of ninety-six miles, through heavily- timbered mountains rising precipitously from the stream—the cost of constructing a railroad along which cannot be properly estimated until minute surveys are made. Although the route passes over elevated regions, the sum of ascents and descents is the next least after that of the 47th parallel, which is to be attributed to the table-land character of the mountain districts. It partakes of the character of the route near the 47th parallel, in the long and severe winters on the plains east of the Rocky mountains and westward to the Great Basin. The cost, as estimated in the office, from Council Bluffs to Benicia, a distance of 2,031 miles, is $116,095,000. The statistics of the route will be found in the table appended. The survey of the western portion of this route by Lieutenant Beckwith, has resulted in the discovery of a more direct and practicable route than was believed to exist from the Great Salt lake to the valley of the Sacramento. Since his report was made, a brief communication from Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Steptoe, commanding the troops in Utah, has announced the discovery of a still more direct route from Great Salt lake to San Francisco. The new portion of this route passes to the south of Humboldt or Mary’s river, and, entirely avoiding the difficulties. experienced by travellers along that stream, proceeds to the valley of Carson river, being well supplied with water and grass. From Carson river it crosses the Sierra Nevada by the passes at the head of that river, and descends to the valley of the Sacramento, being practicable throughout for wagons. In the absence of instrumental surveys affording data for the construction of profiles, no opinion can be formed as to the practicability of this route for a railroad. Should it be found practicable, however, it will lessen the length of the route of the 41st parallel, and still further diminish its difficulties, already known to be less than on any other route except that of the 32d parallel. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS. Mi ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS OF NORTH LATITUDE. The general consideration that determined the position of the route to be examined near the 38th and 39th parallels of latitude, was its central position geographically, it being about midway between the northern and southern boundary lines of the United States, which is like- wise the position, nearly, of the Bay of San Francisco; the two termini of the route, St. Louis and San Francisco, being respectively in latitudes 39° and 38°, nearly. Moreover, a route near these parallels would probably give the shortest road from the Bay of San Francisco to the navigable waters of the Mississippi. The exploration of the route conducted by Captain J. W. Gunnison, corps of Topographical Engineers, commenced on the Missouri at the mouth of the Kansas, about 245 miles from the Mississippi at St. Louis. The Kansas, and its branch called the Smoky Hill fork, were followed to a convenient point for crossing to the Arkansas, the valley of this latter river having been entered west of the Great Bend and near the meridian of 99°. The route then ascended the valley of the Arkansas to the mouth of Apishpa creek, fifty miles above Bent’s Fort; leaving it here, and crossing to the entrance of the Rocky mountains, here called the Sierra Blanca, at the Huerfano Butte, on the river of that name, a tributary of the Arkansas. The elevation at this point is 6,099 feet ; its distance from Westport, mouth of the Kansas river, by the rail- road route, 654 miles. Of the several passes through the Rocky mountains connecting the tributaries of the Huerfano with those of the Rio del Norte, but one, the Sangre de Cristo, was found practicable for a railroad, the new and only practicable approach to this pass being explored by Capt. Gunnison. By side location the summit, 9,219 feet above the sea, 692 miles from Westport, was attained, and the descent made to the valley of the Rio Grande with practicable though heavy grades; and thence the grades were favorable to the vicinity of Fort Massachusetts. The western chain of the Rocky mountains is now to be crossed in order to gain and traverse the basins of the two great tributaries of the Colorado of the West, Grand and Green rivers. For this purpose the valley of San Luis, an extensive, uncultivable plain, covered for the most part with wild sage, was ascended with easy grades to Sahwatch creek, one of whose affluents rises ina pass of the Rocky mountains, here called the Sahwatch mountains, known by the name of the Coo-che-to-pa Pass. The approach to the summit of the pass, 10,032 feet above the sea, 816 miles from Westport, is not favorable, the pass in this part having a defile character, overhung occasionally by walls of igneous rock. ‘To cross the summit, a grade of 124 feet per mile for several miles, and a tunnel nearly two miles long, are required. The descent, with grades varying from 41 to 108 feet per mile, is by the valley of Pass creek, along which much cutting and filling will be necessary, as the hills are cut by numerous ravines. For 16 miles before the junction of Pass ereek with Coo-che-to-pa creek, the former passes through a broken cation. After following Coo-che-to-pa creek seven miles, the valley of Grand river is attained. The route follows the valley of this river 173 miles, then crosses the divide to Green river, 68 miles, and by the tributaries of the latter approaches the pass through the Wahsatch mount- ains. A tunnel three-quarters of a mile long is here required, the eastern approach to which is by means of a grade of 125 feet per mile for 6} miles, and a descent to the west for 5 miles of 131 feet per mile. Thence westward along the valley of Salt creek for 18 miles the grade is 95 feet per mile, 16 miles of which is through a rocky cafion, intersected by lateral streams. The route then enters the valley of the Sevier, the exploration terminating on this river, 86 miles further on, and 1,348 miles from Westport. From the western border of the State of Missouri to the Rocky mountains, 650 miles, no timber suitable for railroad purposes will be found, upon which reliance can be placed. From the Coo-che-to-pa Pass to the Great Basin, 500 miles, there is none available on the route, and the nearest supplies on the mountains bordering the Great Basin are in latitudes 40° and 41°. 3a 18 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS, With building-stone it is about as well supplied as the other routes. Of water there is a sufficient supply, except between Grand and Green rivers, a distance of 70 miles, where, at certain seasons of the year, little or none is found. The soil west of the meridian of 99° is, under the present meteorological conditions, unculti- vable, except in limited portions of river-bottoms and small mountain valleys; these latter, from their great elevation, being better adapted to grazing than agricultural pnrposes. This description is completely in accordance with the geological formation and meteorological con- dition; the former, from the meridian of 99° west, being apparently tertiary, excepting in the high mountain passes. This route may be considered to possess, in common with that of the 41st parallel, the large body of fertile soil in Utah Territory occupied by the Mormons, the area of which is about 1,108 square miles. The coal field of Missouri lies at the eastern extremity of this route; the indications of coal in the Grand and Green River basins make it highly probable that seams sufficiently thick for profitable mining exist there. In regard to grade and construction, it is unnecessary to enter into any discussion of that portion of the route from Westport to the Sangre de Cristo Pass. It presents no peculiar diffi- culties or advantages, but is similar to the routes of the 47th and 41st parallels. It would appear that the Sangre de Cristo and Coo-che-to-pa Passes are practicable in grade; but the construction of the road through the Coo-che-to-pa Pass, and the western approach to it, would be costly under favourable circumstances of population, &c., not only on account of the tunnel, but of the numerous ravines that are crossed west of the pass, and the cation that follows. The following brief enumeration of the character and extent of the difficulties to be encountered between the Coo-che-to-pa Pass and the Great Basin, make it evident that the route must be considered impracticable. From the head of the cafion on Grand river, not far below the mouth of Coo-che-to-pa creek, to the Uncompahgra river, a distance of 70 miles, the ground is cut up with deep, wide, pre- cipitous ravines, the largest several hundred feet deep. These ravines cannot be turned near the mountains without entountering similar difficulties, and at a cost greater than that of a route along the river. Thus the route is forced upon Grand river, and along its cafion, 60 miles in length, broken and interrupted by the deep ravines already mentioned and numerous smaller gullies. The roadway throughout the greater part of this distance must be blasted out ut solid rock, and these wide ravines, from 100 to 200 feet deep, where they cut through the cation, crossed by viaducts or filling. Then follow 50 miles to the mouth of Blue river, the construction still of a difficult and costly character, from the caiions of the river and broken nature of the ground. From Blue to Green river is 100 miles, over which the road will require numerous bridges and culverts, and a costly road-bed foundation of broken stone or piling over a clayey soil, which in wet weather is almost impassable. From Green river to the Wahsatch Pass, about 80 miles, the construction would still be of a costly character, the country being of the same ravine and chasm-like nature as that between the mouth of Coo-che-to-pa creek and Uncompahgra river, though on a smaller scale. Next follows the Wahsatch Pass, the work in which is difficult and expensive. The greatest grade is 131 feet per mile; a tunnel not quite three-quarters of a mile long is requisite; and finally, a cafion 16 miles long on Salt creek, the walls of which are frequently broken by lateral streams, gives the only route along which the road ‘can be brought, by cutting in solid rock at very great expense. The difficulties of engineering and the cost of construction of this portion of the route from the Coo-che-to-pa Pass to Sevier river, in the Great Basin, a distance of about 500 miles, would be so great that it may be pronounced impracticable; and it is evident, from the report ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 19 of Lieutenant Beckwith, that, to use his own language, ‘‘no other line exists in the imme- diate vicinity of this, worthy of any attention in connexion with the construction of a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Great Basin.’’ It is unnecessary, therefore, to consider the route further, or to enter into any discussion connected with the probable practicability and cost of constructing and working a railroad over other portions of the route where counterbalancing advantages are not found to compensate, in any degree, for the enormous cost of that under consideration. Laying aside the utterly impracticable nature of this route, the following considerations will show its disadvantages as regards expenses of working, supposing it constructed : From Westport to the west base of the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains is 1,323 miles; sum of ascents, 23,190 feet; of descents, 19,052 feet; length of equivalent horizontal line for the route, 2,123 miles. Of the direct route from the point at the western base of the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains, near where the survey under Capt. Gunnison terminated, to the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, there is no survey or positive information. There is every reason to belive that it is, for the most part, a desert of the same general character as other portions of the Great Basin. Supposing the route to be a.straight line, with uniform descent from the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains to the entrance of the Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass, in latitude 35° 5’, (no pass being known to be prac- ticable to the north of it in this portion of the Sierra Nevada,) the distance will be 430 miles, and the descent 1,830 feet; the equated horizontal distance, 464 miles. From the entrance of the Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass to San Francisco is 326 miles; sum of ascents, 1,308 feet; sum of descents, 4,608 feet; equated length, 440 miles. Adding these together, with the equated distance from the mouth of the Kansas to the west base of the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains, we have the total equated distance from Westport to San Francisco, 3,027 miles—the length of the straight horizontal line, which supposes no obstacle to be avoided, being only 1,500 miles. The distance from Sevier river to Great Salt lake is 120 miles; sum of ascents and descents, 1,600 feet; equated distance, 150 miles; thence to Benicia, by the route near the 41st parallel, explored by Lieut. Beckwith, is 872 miles; sum of ascents and descents, 15,200 feet: making the.equivalent horizontal line 1,160 miles; which added to the equated distance from West- port to Sevier river, 2,050 miles, we have a total of 3,360 miles, as the equated distance by this route from Westport to Benicia. ; Neither in soil, climate, productions, population, nor in any other respect, does it possess advantages superior to other routes favoring the construction and working of a railroad. _ The exploration of this route, conducted by Capt. Gunnison, of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, exhibits the high professional skill and sound judgment which characterized that officer. The extensive and reliable information which he collected, and the exact manner in which his operations were conducted, up to the period when he lost his life in the discharge of his duty, show how thoroughly he would have completed the task he had commenced, and how great a loss the service sustained in his untimely death. Several of his civil assistants fell with him, and the charge of the survey devolved upon Lieut. Beckwith, of the artillery, who has made, from the field-notes left by Capt. Gunnison, a thorough report of his explora- tions. Satisfied of the impracticability of the line he had traversed, Lieut. Beckwith com- , menced an exploration eastward from the Great Salt lake, to connect that position with the line of the 41st parallel, and then returning to Salt lake, continued the survey westward to the waters of the Pacific. This work, in all its parts, has been well done, and the topography well represented. More than ordinary credit is due to this officer, as the task performed by him was not in the line of his usual duties, and was executed without the aid of assistants, and with the means left to the party after a season of field operations. 20 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL OF NORTH LATITUDE. The general features which have determined the position of this route, the exploration of which was conducted by Lieut. A. W. Whipple, Topographical Engineers, are the exten- sion, west and east, of the interlocking tributaries of the Mississippi, the Rio Grande, and the Colorado of the West. It would appear to possess also a greater yearly amount of rain than the regions immediately north and south of it—and, as a consequence, a better supply of fuel and timber. Commencing at Fort Smith, on the Arkansas river, about 270 miles from the Mississippi at Memphis, the route, as far as the Antelope Hills on the Canadian, a distance of 400 miles, may follow either the valleys of the Arkansas and Canadian, or a shorter line perhaps, but over more ground, south of the Canadian, this latter route branching again, and following either the valley of the Washita, or the dividing ridge between it and the Canadian. From the Antelope Hills the route continues along the bottom of the Canadian, on the right bank, to the mouth of Tucumcari creek, about 250 miles, and ascends by the valley of Tucumeari, or by that of Pajarito creek, to the dividing-ridge between the Canadian and the Pecos rivers, elevation about 5,543 feet, and enters the valley of the latter. It follows this valley until, by means of a tributary, it rises to the high table-land, or basin, lying east of the Rocky mountains, elevation about 7,000 feet, crosses the elevated Salinas basin, 30 miles wide, the lowest point being 6,471 feet, and gains the divide in the Rocky mountains, eleva- tion about 7,000 feet; from which point it descends to Albuquerque, or Isleta, on the Rio Grande, through the San Pedro Pass; or it may descend to the Rio Grande by the valley of the Galisteo river, north of Sandia mountain. A third route is indicated along the valley of the Pecos to its headwaters; thence to an affluent of the Galisteo ; and thence, as before, to the Rio Grande. Isleta, on the Rio Grande, is 854 miles from Fort Smith, and 4,945 feet above the sea. Crossing the ridge separating the Rio Grande from the Puerco, the route follows the valley © of its tributary, the San José, to one of its sources in a pass of the Sierra Madre, called the Camino del Obispo; at the summit, (elevation 8,250 feet,) a tunnel three-fourths of a mile long, at an elevation not less than 8,000 feet, is required, when the descent is made to the Zuni river and near the Pueblo of Zuni; the route then crosses, over undulating ground, to the Puerco of the West, at the Navajo spring. Another route across the Sierra Madre, about twenty miles further north, was examined by Mr. Campbell, which is apparently far more favorable. The profile, however, is not from reliable instrumental examination. The height of the summit is about 7,750 feet above the sea. The Puerco of the West heads in this pass, and the route follows the valley of this stream, (intersecting the other line at Navajo spring,) to its junction with the Colorado Chiquito; then the valley of that stream to the foot of the southeastern slopes of the San Francisco mountains, elevation 4,775 feet; distance from Fort Smith 1,182 miles, and from the crossing of the Rio Grande 328 miles. Here it ascends to the dividing ridge between the waters of the Gila on the south, and of the Colorado of the West on the north, and continues (or nearly so) upon it for about 200 miles, to the Aztec Pass, elevation 6,281 feet ; distance from Fort Smith 1,350 miles. The highest point reached upon this undulating ridge is 7,472 feet, at Leroux’s spring, at the foot of the San Francisco mountain. From the Aztec Pass, the descent to the Colorado of the West is made by a circuitous route northward along valleys of its tribu- taries, the largest and last being Bill Williams’s fork, the mouth of which, on the Colorado, is 1,522 miles from Fort Smith, and at an elevation above the sea of about 208 feet. The Colorado is now ascended 34 miles, when the route, leaving it at the Needles, follows what was erroneously supposed to be the valley of the Mohave river, but which proved to be the valley of a stream, dry at the time, whose source was in an elevated ridge, which probably divides the Great Basin from the waters of the Colorado. The summit having been attained, ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. 21 at an elevation of 5,262 feet above the sea, the descent is made to Soda lake, the recipient at some seasons of the waters of the Mohave river, 1,117 feet above the sea, with an average grade of 100 feet to the mile for 41 miles—the steepest grade yet required on this route. From Soda lake the ascent to the summit of the Cajon Pass, elevation 4,179 feet, in the Sierra Nevada, is made by following the valley of the Mohave river. The summit of this pass, by the line of location, is 1,798 miles from Fort Smith, and 242 from the point of crossing the Colorado, Here a tunnel of 23 or 3;4 miles through white conglomerate sandstone is required, descending to the west with an inclination of 100 feet to the mile, which grade will be the average for 22 miles into the valley of Los Angeles, if the broken character of the hills should be found, upon careful examination, to admit of such side location as would reduce to that degree the natural grades varying between 90 and 171 feet per mile. Thence to the port of San Pedro the ground is favorable for location. The principal characteristics of this route, in comparison with others, are, probably, its passing through or near more numerous cultivable areas, its more abundant natural supply of water as far west as the Colorado, and the greater frequency and extent of forest growth on the route between the Rio Grande and the Colorado. These two latter characteristics entail a third, however, of an unfavorable nature—the large sum of ascents and descents. Near the meridian of 99° the change from fertile land to uncultivable is complete, excepting in the river bottoms, which are more or less fertile. Some portions of the upper valley of the Canadian, the upper valley of the Pecos, the valleys of the Rio Grande, Zuiii, Colorado Chiquito, San Francisco, Colorado of the West, and its tributaries, possess a fertile soil, requiring generally irrigation to make it productive. That portion of the southwest corner of the Great Basin traversed by this route, and over which the explorations of Lieut. Williamson also extended, is well constituted for fertility, its barrenness resulting from the absence of rain. Generally the uncultivable plains have an abundance of nutritious grass, though there are extensive tracts where little or none is found. The route may be considered sufficiently well supplied with good building-stone, since sand- stones suitable for the bridge-building required are reported to exist in the generally soft trias formation, extending from Delaware mountain, on the Canadian, to the Rocky mountains, a distance of 600 miles. Forest growth, furnishing timber of size suitable for ties and lumber for railroad uses, is found in the following localities: continuously on the route east of longitude 97°; in or near the Pecos valley; in the Rocky mountains and Sierra Madre; in the Mogollon mountains, (south of the route,) in which the Colorado Chiquito and some of its tributaries rise; on the slopes of the San Francisco mountain; and continuously, with short intervals, for more than 120 miles; and on the Sierra Nevada. The distances apart of these points of supply are respectively 540 miles, 100 miles, 150 miles; from the Sierra Madre to San Francisco mountain, 250 miles; then for a space of about 120 miles the supply may be considered continuous; thence to the Sierra Nevada, 420 miles. If the road be built from the two termini, the greatest spaces over which ties, lumber, &c., must be brought by it are 400 and 500 miles. The route, therefore, in comparison with others, is favorably circumstanced in this respect. The same localities will supply fuel; and, in addition, the coal-fields of Delaware mountain will furnish the eastern portion of the route where wood cannot be economically used. It is reported that coal exists in severa! localities in the Rocky mountains, both east and west of the Rio Grande, near this route, but there is no positive and reliable information that it has been found in sufficient quantities for profitable mining. The route for 540 miles east of the Sierra Nevada must receive its fuel from the ports of the Pacific. Over portions of this route, as upon all others, no fuel whatever, not even sufficient for working parties, will be found. The greatest distance over which this total absence of fuel exists, is between the Colorado and Mohave rivers, 115 miles. 22 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. The exact distances over which water is not found at certain seasons are not stated. Between the 100th meridian and the Pacific there are spaces destitute of it, where, from the known character of the geological structure, there is no doubt that sufficient supplies can be obtained either by deep common wells, artesian wells, or reservoirs. These more abundant supplies of timber and water, west of the Rio Grande, are attained at the expense of great elevation and somewhat rugged ground. The Galisteo Pass in the Rocky mountains, and the passes in the Sierra Madre, being wide openings, or valleys, rather than mountain passes, no difficulty need be apprehended from snow, even if it fell to greater depths than those known; over the remainder of the route no difficulty from this cause is to be met with. The sum of the ascents from San Pedro to Fort Smith is 24,641 feet; of descents, 21,171 feet; equivalent, in the cost of working the road, to an increased horizontal distance of 924.5, - which added to the length of the line of location, 1,892 miles, gives for length of equated dis- tance 2,816 miles. The general features of the country indicated lines for examination at more than one point, which will probably greatly improve the route by reducing the ascents and, shortening distances. The party was, however, unable to examine them. The heaviest grades that will probably be required on the route from Fort Smith to San Pedro, do not equal those in use on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. The description of the topographical features of the route is not sufficiently minute to enable one to form a satisfactory opinion of the difficulties of ground to be encountered, and, con- sequently, of the probable cost of the formation of the road-bed. Lieut. Whipple assimilates the several portions of the route to roads already built, possessing, as nearly as possible, similar features and difficulties. Four hundred and eighty (480) miles of the route are assimilated to the Hudson River rail- road, 151 miles to the Worcester and Albany railroad, (Western railroad,) and 374 miles to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad—making 1,005 miles assimilated to railroads among the most costly that have been constructed in the United States. The impression given by the description of the route in the report induces the opinion that the ground is more favorable than the comparison of Lieut. Whipple supposes. Assuming this assimilation to be correct, and bringing the estimate to a uniform standard of increased cost over eastern prices and of equipment, the estimated cost of the route from Fort Smith to San Pedro becomes $169,210,265. This estimate is believed to be, as above stated, in excess; but the data for reducing it have not yet been reported to the department. Should it be desired to reach San Francisco by the Tulares and San Joaquin valleys, the route should leave the Mohave valley some 30 miles before reaching the entrance to the Cajon Pass, 1,768 miles from Fort Smith—elevation about 2,555 feet—and proceed across the south- west corner of the Great Basin towards the Tah-ee- ranean Pass, reaching its entrance at an elevation of 3,300 feet, in a distance of about 80 miles. The route from this point is coincident with that Berenice ceened for the 32d parallel. The sum of ascents from San Francisco to Fort Smith, by the route from Mohave river to Tayee-chay-pah Pass, is 25,570 feet; of descents, 25,100 feet; the equivalent in miles of hori- zontal road is 963 miles, which added to the location-distance between those two points, 2,174 miles, gives for equated length of road 3,137 miles. The exploration of the route by Lieut. Whipple, and his report thereon, are entitled to the highest commendation, for the completion of the work in all its parts, the full and exact observations which he made for the determination of longitudes and latitudes, and the wide range of scientific research which he instituted into all the collateral branches connected with .the question which his exploration was designed to solve. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 23 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL OF NORTH LATITUDE. Among the considerations which determine the general position of the route near the 32d parallel, are the low elevation of the mountain passes in this latitude, and their favorable topographical features, as well as those of the table-lands, extending over more than 1,000 miles of the route; the favorable character of the surface generally, on the route, by which the most costly item of construction in railroads, the formation of the road-bed, is, in a great measure, avoided ; the shortness of the line, 1,600 miles, from the navigable waters of the Mis- sissippi to the Pacific, and the temperate climate on the elevated portions in this southern latitude. The explorations made upon this route are, from Preston, on Red river, to the Rio Grande, by Capt. John Pope, Topographical Engineers; from the Rio Grande, near Fort Fillmore, to the Pimas villages, on the Gila, by Lieut. John G. Parke, Topographical Engineers. From the Pimas villages to the mouth of the Gila, the reconnaissance in New Mexico and California of Major W. H. Emory, Topographical Engineers, in 1846, has been used; and from the mouth of the Gila to San Francisco, the exploration of Lieut. R. 8. Williamson, Topographical Engineers, has furnished the data. Fulton, on the Red river, about 150 miles from the Mississippi, may be considered the eastern terminus of the route, although the examination of Capt. Pope extends only to Pres- ton, 133 miles further west. A direct line from Fulton to the point on the eastern border of the Llano Estacado selected by Capt. Pope for crossing it, would give more favorable ground than that traversed by him between Preston and this point; the latter in a distance of 352 miles gives generally easy grades and cheap construction through a country alternately wooded and open, abundantly supplied with water and fuel, and with forest growth suitable for ties and lumber for two-thirds of the length. From Fulton to the eastern border of the Llano Esta- cado is 485 miles, 370 of which are wooded. The exploration of Capt. Pope comprised three distinct belts of country, the first of which has been just described above. The second is the Llano Estacado, whose mean elevation is 4,500 feet, the smooth surface of which along the route proposed, 125 miles from the eastern border to the Pecos river, presents in this respect great facilities for the construction of a railroad. It is, however, at certain seasons of the year destitute of water, is scantily supplied with grass, and not a single tree is to be seen upon it. Its geological formation is such as to render the success of obtaining water by artesian wells, at moderate depths, highly probable. During, and for some time subsequent to the rainy season, there are here, as on most other arid plains, numerous ponds, the contents of which might be collected in reservoirs; but the distance from the Colorado Springs to the Pecos, 125 miles, is not so great as to form a serious obstacle to the working of a railroad. Between the Pecos and the Rio Grande, 163 miles, three mountain chains rise from the table-lands, the Guadalupe, Hueco, and Organ mountains. The Guadalupe mountain is crossed without a tunnel, elevation of summit 5,717 feet, and with a grade of 108 feet to the mile for 22 miles. A high viaduct and heavy cutting and filling for three miles near the summit, form the costly and difficult part of the pass. The Waco Pass is still more favora- ble, the greatest grade being about 80 feet to the mile; the elevation of the summit, 4,812 feet. The Organ mountain is turned just before reaching the Rio Grande at Molino and El Paso. A peculiarity of the mountains in the western part of the continent, in this and other lati- tudes, is, that they have no intervening deep secondary valleys between the main chain and the plains. Over the usually uniform and smooth surface of these last, the general elevation of which, between the Pecos and the Rio Grande, is from 4,000 to 4,500 feet, the valley of the Rio Grande is attained near Molino, at an elevation of 3,830 feet, and at a distance of 787 miles from Fulton. 24 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. The region between the Rio Grande and the Pimas villages on the Gila, just above which point the latter leaves the mountain region, may be described as a great plain, interrupted irregularly and confusedly by bare, rugged, abrupt, isolated mountains or short ranges, around or through the passes in which a railroad may be constructed with quite practicable grades. The mean elevation of this plain, or series of basins into which the ridges divide it, is about 4,100 feet; the mean elevation of the summits of the passes through the ridges is 4,700 feet, the highest, through the Chiricahui range, being 5,180 feet. Except through the passes, the surface is so smooth as to require but little preparation to receive the superstructure of a rail- road; and even in the two most difficult of the passes, the natural slope of the ground may be used for a railroad until the construction of the road reduces the cost of materials and supplies to the lowest rates. In one of these two passes (the Chiricahui) the steepest natural slope is 194 feet per mile for 2} miles. In the second pass the steepest natural slope is 240 feet per mile for three-fourths of a mile. Both these grades are within the power of a thirty-ton engine, carrying 200 passengers and baggage. In one case deep cutting in rock, or a tunnel near the surface, at the summit, with heavy side cutting and high embankments for short distances; and, in the other, a short cut of 60 feet, probably through rock, are proposed by Lieut. Parke, to attain grades of 46 feet and 90 feet per mile, or less by increasing distance. The great difficulty experienced in crossing this district is in the long distances over which no water is found at certain seasons. The survey by Lieut. Parke was made during the dryest season of the year, and, irrespective of the springs found at intermediate points, the whole distance between the two rivers, Rio Grande and Gila, may be divided into five spaces, varying from 80 to 53 miles in length, at the termination of which large permanent supplies of water are found at the most unfavorable season of the year. These spaces and points are— Kromithe Rio'Grande to the Rio Mimbres:...:c-cccccesssssceee sneak aanctinanicenenctnteie aetebienttos 71 miles. From the Rio Mimbres to the stream of the Valle de Sauz................0seceseeeeseeeeeees 72 es Hromithe Valledewauz-to the San Pedrotsceet es peeeceseens eae etaes ecm sepecesseeeciess decid 800 He Hromithe SaniPedrorto "Lnezomaisach.cs.sedecwe sce eceebocten derteanen cine totem tesoe ste Ge wcbuteG: onebre bot ak from’ /Tuezonmtoythe Gila: {82.0 0c ts ceeseee chmeeeree cnn cee ne chow cme eee eee aatbaceecensmmcen’s [ene (Ge Not counting the stream of the Valle de Sauz, the distance from the Rio Mimbres to the San Pedro is 152 miles; which distance is not so great that railroad trains could not cross it without water, special arrangements having been made for the purpose. But this is the worst aspect of the case. At other seasons the supply of water is more abundant, and lakes and ponds are formed upon the plains, which may be drained into tanks; and the geological formation is such as to indicate the existence of sufficient supplies of water beneath the surface, which may be brought to it by artesian wells. The line proposed by Lieut. Parke leaves the Rio Grande near Fort Fillmore, 35 miles from Molino, between which points the river, where confined to one channel, is about 300 yards wide, crosses the district just described, and enters the valley of the Gila near the Pimas villages, the elevation above the sea being 1,365 feet. The route then follows this river to its junction with the Colorado, a distance of 223 miles, with a general slope of 5.6 feet per mile. The Gila, in this distance, flows through a plain with occasional mountains, ridges, and peaks; its valley is highly favorable to cheap construction from its generally smooth surface, and from not being liable to freshets. From the point now attained, the nearest port in our territory is San Diego, but the passes of the intervening Coast range are very difficult, if not impracticable, and the route is forced northward to the San Gorgonio Pass, which is much the most favorable of the passes in the Coast range explored by Lieut. Williamson for this route. It is an open valley, from two to five miles wide, the surface smooth and unbroken, affording, in its form and inclination, every facility to the building of a railroad. The entrance of this pass is 133 miles from the mouth ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 25 of the Gila, in a straight line over the Colorado desert, a smooth and nearly horizontal plain, requiring but little preparation for the superstructure of a railroad. Thirty-five miles of this is a gravel plain; the remainder is alluvial soil, which only needs irrigation to be highly productive. On this latter soil, water is found at a depth of 30 feet. The steepest natural slope, in ascending to the summit of this valley pass, (elevation 2,808 feet,) is 132 feet per mile for two miles. San Diego and San Pedro can be reached by lines of about equal length from the San Gorgonio Pass. To the former, the first section of the route to San Luis Rey (about 75 miles long) would pass through a country generally favorable to the construction of a railroad, being a plain with numerous hills from 500 to 1,000 feet high, irregularly distributed on its surface, between and around which a road may be carried with favorable grades. Between San Luis Rey and San Diego, however, about 40 or 45 miles, the coast is cut into numerous deep intricate gullies by the drainage of the plain. To San Pedro, about 125 miles, the route lies almost wholly over the same description of ground as that constituting the first section of the San Diego route, and avoids the obstacles presented by the second. It is, therefore, assumed that the terminus of this route should be at San Pedro, the point which it has now reached. It may, however, be proper to remark that San Pedro is an open roadstead, and would require the construction of a breakwater to constitute it a safe harbor. From the report of Capt. Pope, it would appear that the belt of fertile land which lies on the west side of the Mississippi throughout its length, extends on this route nearly to the headwaters of the Colorado of Texas, in about longitude 102°—that is, about three degrees further west than on the more northern routes. The evidence adduced in support of this opinion is not, however, conclusive; and, until it is rendered more complete, the fertile soil must be considered in this, as in other latitudes, to terminate about the 99th meridian. Thence to the Pacific slopes the route is over uncultivable soil, though generally grassed, the exceptions being, as on the route of the 35th parallel, in aan of the valleys of the Pecos, Rio Grande, Gila, and Colorado of the West. The table-lands and mountain slopes are usually well covered with grama-grass, and in New Mexico have supported immense herds of cattle. There are excep- tions to this, however, on the greater portion of the Llano Estacado, on portions of the plains between the Rio Grande and the Gila; and (comprised in that space) from Tuczon to the Gila, 80 miles, there is no grass on the route travelled, nor is it to be found on the Lower Gila valley; occasional patches of bunch-grass only being found on the plain, and a species of grama-grass sometimes upon the mountain sides. No grass is found on the Colorado desert, 135 miles along the line of location. = The length of the route through this generally uncultivable soil is 1,210 miles. Upon descending from the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass, on the route to San Pedro, the soil is fertile, and either well watered or can be irrigated. The climate throughout the route is salubrious, the heat due its southern latitude being moderated by the elevation of the table-lands. On the Colorado desert it is torrid, but not unhealthy, and much of the country west of the Sierra Nevada and Coast range is celebrated for health and agreeableness. The principal characteristic of this route is the great extent of high, arid, smooth, and nearly horizontal table-lands which it traverses, reaching an elevation of 4,000 feet upon the dividing ridge between the Brazos and Colorado rivers of Texas, near which elevation it continues until it descends from the pass of the Sierra de Santa Catarina to the Gila river, a space of nearly 600 miles. The elevation at the summit of the Llano Estacado is 4,700 feet, and in the passes of the Guadalupe and Hueco mountains, east of the Rio Grande, 5,700 and 4,800 feet, respectively. Between the Rio Grande and the Gila, the greatest elevation, which is twice attained, is 5,200 feet; the mean elevation, before the descent to the Gila is com- -menced, being 4,100 feet. From the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado to the pass of San ; 4a 26 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. Gorgonio, 1,052 miles, the route crosses three rivers, the Pecos, the Rio Grande, and the Great Colorado of the West. The peculiar features of the arid region over which the route lies from the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado to the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass, prove, when closely examined, to be most favorable to the construction of a railroad, since they obviate to a great degree the necessity of the most costly item of railroad construction, the prepara- tion of the road-bed for the superstructure; this preparation, with few and limited excep- tions, throughout a distance of about 1,000 miles, having been already made by nature. This item amounts to from one-half to three-fourths of the whole cost of a railroad. Draining and ballasting are also dispensed with at the same time. Over the remaining portions of the route, the ground is generally favorable to the construction of the road-bed. The mountain passes are, of their kind, highly favorable, those west of the Rio Grande requiring no difficult engineering for location through them, and but little rock excavation or expensive embankment and side- cutting. The Guadalupe and Hueco Passes are more difficult. The most unfavorable supposition for supplies of ties and lumber for the construction of that portion of the route between the eastern limit of the Llano Estacado and the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass, 1,052 miles, is that they are to come from either end of the road, from 300 miles east of the Llano Estacado, and from the port of San Pedro on the Pacific, 1,400 miles apart. It is supposed that the road is to be built from both ends, in sections not greater than 50 miles each, and made to aid in building itself, transporting its own material, &c., so far as the proper adjustment of economy of time and means will admit; this would bring the mean cost of lumber over this distance of 1,052 miles to $524 per 1,000 feet, and the mean cost of ties to $1,760 per mile. The worst case having been examined, it remains to be said that ties and lumber can be obtained on and near this portion of the route from the Guadalupe and Hueco mountains, from the headwaters of the Rio Mimbres, from the Pinal Lleno, from the Salinas river (tribu- tary of the Gila) and headwaters of the San Francisco, and from the San Bernardino mount- ains of the Coast range; which sources of supply, the length apart of the most distant being 500 miles, may be found to materially obviate the necessity of transporting lumber from the two ends of the road. The coal of the Brazos and that from Puget sound may be used over the 1,200 miles from San Pedro, to within 200 miles of the Brazos, at a mean cost per ton of $16. The portions of the route where unusual means must be resorted to for supplies of water, have already been pointed out. Under the most unfavorable suppositions, the cost per mile, over these portions, of obtaining water by artesian wells, will not probably exceed $1,000, an expenditure greatly overbalanced by the saving in road-bed formation, from the regu- larity and smoothness of surface of the arid regions. The mode and probable cost of obtaining water at short distances in these dry regions, by artesian wells, reservoirs, and deep common wells, are discussed in the accompanying detailed reports. The practicability of the method by artesian wells is now being sub- jected to trials. If these should fail, of which, however, in the Llano Estacado, there is little probability, the permanent streams and large springs are sufficiently near for the purposes of a railroad ; and since its construction over these districts will require small working parties, the expense of supplying them with water and fuel, when necessary, will not largely increase the cost of con- struction. It is probable that the region between the Rio Grande and the Gila, 350 miles by the route explored, is more arid than corresponding regions on the more northern routes, but the construction of works of an unusual kind on railroads for supplies of water, are as essential on all these routes as upon that now under consideration. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 27 The length of this route from Fulton to San Pedro is.......csseeseereeeneeeeeeeesenerees 1,618 miles. Mhe sum Of the ascents and GesceMmts........... cree cece secicraieojnesase scores aseseceessnescs 32,784 feet ; To overcome which is equivalent, in the cost of working the road, to traversing a horizontal distance of 621 miles; and the equated length of the road is......... 2,239 miles. BEM SCs SiUET) Ad CSL OO Hams ots te he crate ors Te me leo etc atcte ers eval in]e ciebloira es oiis/ms ta sispeleicigie delas'ate $68,970,000 EXTENSION OF THE ROUTE OF THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL TO SAN FRANCISCO. For a connexion with the Bay of San Francisco, the most direct route from the San Gor- gonio Pass would be through one of the passes leading irom the plain of Los Angeles to the valley of Salinas river. The practicability of these passes is yet to be determined, and an exploration is now being made for this purpose. With the information now possessed, the Bay of San Francisco must be reached by crossing the Coast range to the Great Basin, passing over its southwestern extremity, then crossing the Sierra Nevada and descending to the Tulares valley. The best pass by which to reach the Great Basin is the ‘‘ New Pass,’’ made known by Lieut. Williamson’s explorations. Descending from the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass to the town of San Bernardino, 24 or 25 miles distant, with natural slopes less than 80 feet per mile, excepting for 1.3 mile, where the slope is 127 feet per mile, the route to the Mission and Low Pass of San Fernando (about 100 miles from the summit of San Gorgonio) is over a country giving gently undulating grades, and in other respects favorable to construction, in fertile soil, building-stone, water, and fuel. The San Fernando Pass is about eight miles through. Its summit has an elevation of 1,949 feet. A tunnel is required one-third of a mile long, through soft sandstone, 203 feet below the summit. An ascent of 620 feet is made on the south side, with grades of 155 feet per mile for four miles along the natural slopes, which cannot be reduced by side location without great expense, and a descent of four miles of 115 feet per mile, with heavy side-cutting in earth on the north side. The ascent to the New Pass in the valley of Santa Clara is now begun, and with a cut of 50 feet for a short distance at the summit in drift, the summit is attained in 29 miles over natural slopes without side location, and with grades varying from 55 to 105 feet per mile. For the space of one mile on the ascent, the mountains close in precipitously, and the streams wind abruptly ; and it may be necessary here to cut two or perhaps three short tunnels, from 100 to 300 feet long, through slaty granite. The elevation of the summit is 3,164 feet. Descending to the Great Basin, cutting and filling will be required for two or three miles to adjust the natural slope to the grade west of the summit. After that, and until descending into the Tulares valley by the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, a distance of about 70 miles, the ground will require little preparation for the superstructure. The lowest level descended to in the Great Basin is about 2,900 feet. The Tah-ce-chay-pah Pass, first explored throughout by Lieut. R. 8. Williamson, is the most favorable in this part of the Sierra Nevada. Its summit is a nearly horizontal prairie for 7 miles. The elevation of its entrance from the Great Basin is 3,300 feet, from which the natural slope ascends at the rate of 22 feet to the mile for 12 miles, then at 80 feet per mile for 9 miles, to the prairie summit. The descent to the Tulares valley is 15} miles by the natural slopes, which vary from 153 to 192 feet per mile, a side location in earth-cutting giving an average grade of 144 feet per mile for 17 miles, which may be reduced still further by an extension to 21 miles—the Tulares valley being entered at an elevation of 1,489 feet. There are two intervals of 13 and 17 miles in the Great Basin where there is no water. Artesian wells here, as in the similar formations between the Rio Grande and the Gila, will probably reach supplies at moderate depths. Deep common wells may be successfully resorted to. 28 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. The natural slopes of the three passes just considered are within the power of a 30-ton engine witha load of 200 passengers, each with 100 pounds of baggage. Supposing 20-ton engines used, and that they carried the maximum loads adapted to the other portions of the road, where the greatest grades are 40 feet to the mile, it would be necessary to divide this load into three parts to pass a grade of 150 feet per mile; and the grades being brought to that, its disadvantage consists in the expense of two additional engines worked through the passes. From the head of the Tulares valley, the navigable waters of the Bay of San Francisco may be reached in several ways. The eastern side of the Tulares and San Joaquin valleys is intersected by numerous streams from the Sierra Nevada. The western is bounded by the Coast chain, and has few streams. That part of the Tulares valley between Kern and San Joaquin rivers, a space of 150 miles, having a soft alluvial soil, is, at certain seasons, miry; a road, therefore, extending through it, should keep near the foot-slopes of the mountains. From the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass to the best point of crossing Kern river, 214 miles, the route passes over a dry, dusty plain, destitute of water and fuel, the soil of which is not well constituted for fertility. From the crossing of Kern river to the second crossing of the San Joaquin, near Grayson’s, the numerous river-beds or bottoms should be crossed on piles, the spaces varying from 50 to 300 feet—the greatest width to be spanned not exceeding 100 feet. From Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass to the Straits of Martinez, the location distance would be 288 miles. The most direct route to San Francisco from the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass will be found through one of the passes known to exist inthe mountain range separating the Tulares and San Joaquin valleys from those of the Salinas and San José rivers. The distance through it is about 10 miles; the elevation of the passes about 600 feet. From Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass the route should cross to the western side of the Tulares valley, around the head of the lakes, and enter the Salinas valley as soon as practicable. The soil of the Tulares valley, north of Kern river, and of the San Joaquin valley, is well constituted for fertility, and needs merely the proper amount of water to be highly productive. Sufficient water and fuel for working parties can be found at convenient distances on this section, (excepting where it crosses the Great Basin, and approaching Kern river; the amount of deficiency on these portions having been already given.) Lumber and good building-stone are found at various points in the mountains, accessible from their foot-slopes. For fuel for locomotives, the coal of Puget sound and Vancouver’s island must probably be depended upon. The topographical features of this extension of the route are, with the exception of the mount- ains, favorable to cheap construction. The mountain passes are likewise of a favorable character, their only objectionable feature being their high grades. The nature and extent of this objection has been already stated, and, it is seen, 1s not serious. From Fulton to San Francisco the distance is 2,039 miles; the sum of the ascents and descents 42,008 feet, which is equivalent to 795 miles; and the equated length of the road is 2,834 miles; the estimated cost is $93,120,000. To Lieut. Williamson, assisted by Lieut. Parke, was intrusted the survey of a route from the Bay of San Francisco to the junction of the Gila and Colorado rivers, connecting with the ports of San Pedro and San Diego on the one side, and on the other with the most practicable mountain passes. His work has been thoroughly and handsomely executed, presenting much new and valuable information of the mountain passes on the southern portion of the Sierra Nevada and Coast range. The geological examination, made under his orders, is highly creditable and instructive. The examination of the middle section of the route of the 32d parallel, by Lieut. Parke, was very thorough, and highly creditable, though executed with small means; and his report very satisfactorily exhibits the character and essential features of the country over which he passed. The scientific labors of the boundary survey, which had been previously performed in CONCLUSION. 29 this region, rendered it unnecessary to do more than make what may be strictly called a railroad exploration. The examination of the eastern portion by Capt. Pope, assisted by Lieut. Garrard, of the dragoons, was made under the most disadvantageous circumstances, the party having been organized at a remote point, where neither instruments, nor assistants specially instructed in the scientific branches connected with the survey, could be procured. It was, however, creditably performed, and satisfactorily exhibits the topography and general character of the country along the line surveyed. , CONCLUSION. To aid in a comparison of the several routes, reference is made to a table prepared by Capt. A. A. Humphreys, and hereto appended. With regard to the estimates of cost, although lelieved to be as accurate as can be made under present circumstances, they are to be considered as intended not so much to show the absolute sums of money which would build the several roads, as to represent the relative quantities of materials and labor required for the purpose. If now tested in the actual con- struction of any one of the roads, they will doubtless be found to contain many errors; but as the same data have been assumed on all the routes, the same amount of error will probably be found in each, and the actual expense will thus preserve the same proportion. With regard to the equated lengths of the seycral roads, or, in other words, the influence of ascents and descents upon the expense of working, it is proper to direct attention to the remarks of the engineer, appended to the tables, in which he states that, on all the routes, the amount reported will be subject to increase when the minor undulations of the ground shall be measured ; and this increase will be greatest on those routes and in those portions where the features of the country are less regular—that is, where there are most of such minor undula- tions to be measured. The equated distances also affect the cost of working a road only under certain circumstances, which may or may not exist on the contemplated route. A comparison of the results stated above, and of those exhibited in the tables referred to, conclusively shows that the route of the 32d parallel is, of those surveyed, ‘‘the most prac- ticable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean.’’ This is the shortest route; and not only is its estimated cost less by a third than that of any other of the lines, but the character of the work required is such that it could be executed in a vastly shorter period. It is obvious that a road on any of these routes, with the exception perhaps of the 47th parallel, must be built continuously from the two extremities, and an obstacle that arrests its progress at any point defers the commencement of all the work in advance. The tunnels and much of the other work on the more northerly routes in the most desolate regions are such as could not be commenced until a road was constructed up to those points, and would then require a long period for their completion. On the southernmost route, on the contrary, the progress of the work will be regulated chiefly by the speed with which cross-ties and rails can be delivered and laid, the nature of the country being such that throughout the whole line the road-bed can easily be prepared in advance of the superstructure. The few difficult points, such as the Pass of the Guadalupe and Hueco mountains, and the passes between the Rio Grande and Gila, would delay the work but an inconsiderable period. This peculiarity of the ground presents another advantage in the fact that temporary tracks could be laid upon the natural surface of the earth to almost any extent, to serve for the trans- portation ot materials and supplies. ¥ The climate on this route is such as to cause less interruption to the work than on any other route. Not only is this the shortest and least costly route to the Pacific, but it is the shortest and cheapest route to San Francisco, the greatest commercial city on our western coast: while the aggregate length of railroad lines connecting it at its eastern terminus with the Atlantic 30 CONCLUSION. and Gulf seaports is less than the aggregate connexion with any other route, as will be seen by reference to the appended table B. With regard to the circumstances which affect the cost of working and maintaining the road, they are more favorable than on any other route. In this dry climate the decay of cross-ties and other timber would be very slow, and the absence of severe frost would have a most important influence upon the permanence of the road-bed, and heavier grades could be adopted than in a climate where ice and snow prevail. The snows on all the other routes, except that of the 35th parallel, could not fail at certain seasons to suspend the working of the road, for on all, such snows are known to have fallen as would interpose an effectual barrier to the passage of trains. Such an occurrence in this desolate region would be attended with more serious consequences than in inhabited districts. In only one important respect is this route supposed to be less favorable than some of the others, and that is, in the supply of fuel. The difference, however, in favor of the others is not great, unless the existence of coal at certain points along those routes where it is indicated should be verified by further examination. The cost of fuel is about one-fifth of the whole expense of maintaining and working a railroad. The grades of the several routes, and other similar information, will be found upon the sheets of profiles compiled in the office. In the determination of the explorations proper to be made—in the examination of the reports of the suveying parties, the preparation of the profiles, and of a general map to exhibit, in their geographical relation to each, all the routes of which an instrumental examination had been made—I am greatly indebted to the assistance which has been rendered by the officers of the corps of topographical engineers employed in the office established here in connexion with the explorations directed by the act; and I will here especially acknowledge my obliga- tions to Major W. H. Emory, whose extensive knowledge of the western regions of our country, no small part of which he had actually explored, and whose sound judgment in all things con- nected with topographical reconnaissances and field operations, gave me important aid in the or- ganization of the work and the subsequent office examinations necessary to systematize its results. When, in August, 1854, Major Emory’s duties as commissioner to run the boundary- line between Mexico and the United States separated him from further connexion with these explorations, he was succeeded by Capt. A. A. Humphreys, whose high scientific attainments and power of exact analysis had been manifested in several important positions which he had held, and are further shown in the able and comprehensive examination, herewith sub- mitted, of the reports of the several parties of exploration. Lieut. G. K. Warren, first under Major Emory, and subsequently under Captain Humphreys, has been specially intrusted with the preparation of the material and the construction of the general map, together with the compilation of profiles of all the routes which had been instru- mentally surveyed, and the collection of all general information which would aid in the determination of the question before the department. In these duties he has recently had the zealous and efficient aid of Lieut. H. L. Abbott. These laborious and important duties have been performed by the officers above named with the most commendable diligence and intelligence, and much of whatever success belongs to the preparation and presentation of the matter collected is due to these ofticers. Capt. McClellan, of the corps of enginers, after the completion of his field operations, was directed to visit various railroads, and to collect information of facts established in the con- struction and working of existing roads, to serve as data in determining the practicability of constructing and working roads over the several routes explored. The results of his inquiries will be found in a very valuable memoir herewith submitted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JEFEF’N DAVIS, Secretary of War. Hon. Linn Boyp, Speaker of the House of Representatives. TABLE OF LENGTHS, ETO. 31 A. Table showing the lengths, sums of ascents and descents, equated lengths, cost, &e., of the several routes explored for a railroad from the Mississippi to the Pacific. (For the grades, see the profiles accompanying the report.) Sterile region. : J a S 2 Me = “ oO =D = oe z 5 Sirois 2 58 3 =! a La q =] Ssiho = Ss cA =z 2 = esi-e 3 = = 5 5 = \ Se |E= = o a 2 = len =e lsolea a . = i Dike o = ../2 S ESiz5 S ol) Sh alse = ESlE 2 |Sa|58 ra Sere ee Slee 5S [else 85 = a = sm ° @}2 s jegle2 = Sb Se a ma 3 SVE = jasiad | ws €|/¢| 8 |se 3 |zelé Peleelszlsleleleleleissls= Se ers & SE = 35/7 s\e=|8 18 (SSIS (SS 2 | 2 2 = be poe ee eeissltsolale|eolol|alale| EN ees B15 ea o Im SESsleSls ls lslclsls isle] & 5 $ P § Si ols Ao VS sha halsl els slsia = g coe en S a fe Sse st] ee |] se lelalalalajal se a 3 = | = a | PLS" 1S 1s |o lelelelelele| = 3 = & =| § 5 : te : -S1S/S l/eisisisieis) & 2 a =] 5) So Ss ° Ss ° Ss1eare isis /sle isis) 2 a i=} n 4 S) Zz 12 2 |2 ala l|rldiloiK je | 2 Miles.| Miles.| Feet. | Miles. Feet. Route near 47th and 49th | 1,445] 1,864/18, 100) 2,207/*#130,781,000| 374! 1,490} || 1,000) 470} 580) 720) 130) 97) 28)...|... .| 6,044) Tunnel at ele- purallels, from St. Paul van of 5,219 to Vancouver. feet. Extension thence to Seattle|...... 161] 1,000} 180) *10,090,000} 161],... ...] ....... 161 Route nearthe 41st and 42d | 1,410] 2, 032/29, 120) 2,583! 116,095,000) 632} 1,400) |j 1,100} 180) 170) 210) 160/580/2=5/270) 107/20). .| 8,373) parallels, via South Pass trom Council Bluffs to Benicia. y Route near the 38th and| 1,740) 2,080/49, 986] 3,125\Cost so great) 620) 1,460} || 1,100) 340) 276) 165) 348)466)170) 60/155,80/2010, 032) Tunnel at ele- 39th parallels,from West- that the road vat'n of 9,540 port to San Francisco by is impracti- feet. the Coo-che-to-pa and cable. Tah-ee-chay-pah Passes. The same, from Westport} 1,740) 2,290|56,514] 3,360)..,..do.....| 670) 1,620] 1,100) 275) 308) 190} 143)725)284)110/155 80 20:10, 032) Tunnel at ele- to San Francisco by the vat?n of 9,540 Coo-che-to-pa and Ma- feet. delin Passes. Route near the 35th paral-| 1,360) 1,892/48, 819] 2,816) + 169,210,265| 416] 1,476} 2,300) 305) 347) 260) 185/160)305/235) 95 ..)..| 7,472 jel, from Fort Smith to San Pedro. Branch road to San Fran-}......] 406] 7,500) 506) 19,935,000) 322) 84)........| 290] 10) 72) 35) ~ e1seo, from the Mohave river. Route near the 32d paral-| 1,400] 1,618|32,784] 2,239] 68,970,000] 408} 1,210) 2,300) 485) 300) 100) 170/503) 60}...)...)..)..| 5,717, Jel, from Fulton to San Pedro. Extensionto San Francisco}......| 440/10,150) 632) 25,100,000) 376; 70) ..00e20/9290) 50) 65) 35 REE EEE Eee *These are the estimates of the office, those of Gov. Stevens having been brought to the same standard of increased cost as the other routes, and his equipment reduced to that of the other routes. His estimates were $117,121,000 and $7,030,000. + Supposing the route to be a straight line, with uniform descent from the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains (near Sevier river) to the entrance of the Tah-ee- chay-pah Pass, the most favorable supposition. < t This estimate for the route near the 35th parallel is thought to be largely in excess. || These sums do not include the areas of cultivable soil as far west as the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains, The sum of the minor undulations (not included in the sum of ascents and descents here given) will probably be greater for the route of the 47th parallel than for the other routes ; that for the route near the 32d parallel will probably be the least of all. With the amount of work estimated for the roads in this report, the equated lengths corresp nding to the sum of ascents and descents has but little practical value. With a full equipment and heavy freight business, the sum of ascents and descents becomes important. A comparison of the degree of curvature of the routes cannot be made. NOTE TO TABLE A. The sum of the ascents and descents given for the various routes, does not take into con- sideration those minor undulations which sometimes largely increase the aggregate. I think it probable that when detailed surveys are made, it will be found that this sum for the route near the 47th parallel will be more increased than those for the other routes, and that the sum for the route near the 32d parallel will be less increased than the others. The equated lengths corresponding to these sums, may give erroneous impressions. If the loads to be habitually carried over the roads are within the power of the engines over the greatest grades proposed, then the sums of ascents and descents really have little meaning or value. The wear and tear of rail and machinery, and consumption of fuel, would be some- what greater on the road having the largest sum; but the difference would not be worth taking into account, unless there was an equality in all other respects between the routes. If there are some grades so steep as to require the division of the loads habitually carried over other portions, the cost of the extra locomotives, and of working them over those portions, will show the extent of the disadvantage and yearly cost. 32 TABLE OF DISTANCES, ETC. So far as any estimate has been made by me of the amount of work to be done on the roads, these sums of ascents and descents have little practical value, since those portions of the routes have been indicated where it may be considered advisable to use steep natural slopes with extra engines, to expedite the completion of the road, and save expensive road-bed pre- paration. With a full equipment and heavy freight business, the sum of ascents and descents becomes important. The nature of the surveys does not admit of a comparison of the degree of curvature on the several routes. B. Distances of the eastern termini of the several Pacific railroad routes to the Mississippi river, Boston, New York, Charleston, and New Orleans, by railroads built, building, and projected, as measured on the “* Railroad Maps.”’ Miles. PENSt. eeaMleto DOStOne. ....ccecscccsoose sdede jag cbse oles baeseisascceuscietnees Caeser eee tere ceceaceeaae 1,316 COMNEW, VOT. 2. 0chsccheaele sass ocanismmancecemoeeeoabeeeseetcroae ste eaee ber aeroe eee Feeeeostiods 1,190 to Charleston. «scai iwcsco denser teneee cere eee een hone oe eestor osteo eee eeeee L193 to New, Orleans} obec eckceen. csp seca hen ean ctiec ste sideaes oNeetiested cuaeocanteessoreenee 1,198 FREER EO BUG, Gee nch onisbicnesessescestnaetteeitGetanen idee daceeshesecdh ce teneetaeameees 4,897 2. JOounel Biatiscto Rock Islands.( Miss: rivier)s. sits 5aas<acwasvaneesh dalleeenees Satebun ARREECe ae 267 DOMBOS COD sd devs coe autosedsaecccehinn dese tioceaee ahaa eer ck set eee eR Dee Ene See 1,374 GO SNe we WiOrki Mic. Scsistciite «abicice sun Seks See SAR eRe Emre ee aoe le SERIO GARE Scere 1,252 Go Charleston tactics danwncwoct avs oke Moneta swank th eee drone teencanec etme omens 1,195 to New Orleans. 5.55.20 VGoeis sess tvsetecccnce segue nose ane cep soeedccnseneteeeeeeee 1,075 PIG STOPBLOH sce ncchocsepocmmsh ya seaippesmmenees S500 JUnd EdaodonocsacoasqongaR0bN seers LOalGs 3. Westport, mouth of Kansas, (near Fort Leavenworth,) to St. Louis, (Miss. river)... 245 EO VOBCON.: 01e 0.0. sininisvetoeror & oceretetaye ofale Tetote ale iov olete ss ators eal sTois wlalclerejeeletacs vietelclore Satsieialsererais eR RInSTS 1,415 LOVING W VOLK iv ces cnc cece sotees veuis nepreisice dots etees an'in''sis(os «(os conntaepiinenths tee ee meh aie 1,220 to Charleston. scestecsasaduanntecnwts ots ancad cectiecn se aedecscens duslsccece teenies Nene e eels 1,045 to New Orleansycr xa.wereast vc ateanip Vanaetunins Ken Aeeedto av ceeee ner stite detetad aceee ence 875 NOON CO ALC tome amsnctedastercese teenctees IOSO00S000G02 00 0odo Te Sa oncaCooURSCOGKIC Sposooee 4,800 4, Fort Smith, on the Arkansas, to Memphis, (Miss. river) ..........ssssscesscesececeeeeeees 270 HOMBOSCOMS « siaid sects o8iattd Stes SRA Rs TENN so taR ee BO Oa w ee rene ee tee 1,540 tooNew. Lorkssccoccccincelaceveak wenseislertlan « deelaents Sagan ates eeaae va tena ee ae Cate se 1,345 GONCWarLEStON A g6 ci ase bist. alate ae eee dees atdeleatuele ta dtsten Sen ceeiane sekhireeeseeenintece 960 to NWewi Orleans... ccd. \rweeetlsate lle Steehe. cede edanee aces dndente deters memnmene 655 AP RVO PALO. .idnsnsinand%sspanesas dnimanftctans outs tig ad aeea tien eee 4,770 Bb. Fulton’ to. Gaines, : (Miss. TVET). ....aisspnsexsensnceaspaepdesussaanesusn gunn tasces ene 150 £0 DOStOU mess smewsosisoseoaas epieusace snanep aes sincpote tease hh eRn chee geccan tena s MTceeeaReEaener es 1,530 TO NEW WIOLK. . .sccsesiceesn canvases naneniceepalsioeasaes anecik saihces abe tea tan naan maaan araneh fc 1,335 £0 Ch aTlestOn wcsstprcscssencuchoserncseeteaes ew sas Sais aaera aA Agen ReaRmecat cap seo s5¢ 950 £0 New, Orleans. ...n.yccsce dazues'sp eet teeeesaaetiss saeateuep ane Meat aera de cn sasecc ns 402 Aggregate....... Ba Be Sdrakeatcats chs sPReaNTS RAN CaPERERARVEN AAR ave toesccanss ase) a LIST OF DOCUMENTS. ; 33 LIST OF DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. I,—Examination by Captain A. A. Humphreys, Topographical Engineers, of the reports of the explorations to determine the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean. II.—Memoranda by Captain George B. McClellan, Corps of Engineers, upon some practical points connected with the construction and working of railways. II.—Letter of Major General Jesup, Quartermaster General U.S. A., upon the cost of trans- porting troops and supplies to California, Oregon, New Mexico, &c. IV.—Report of Governor I. I. Stevens upon the route near the 47th parallel. V.—Reports of Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, 3d Regiment of Artillery, upon the routes near the 41st and 38th parallels. VI.—Report of Lieutenant A. W. Whipple, Topographical Engineers, upon the route near the 35th parallel. VII.—Report of Captain John Pope, Topographical Engineers, upon that portion of the route near the 32d parallel from Preston to the Rio Grande. VIII.—Report of Lieutenant John G. Parke, Topographical Engineers, upon that portion of the route near the 32d parallel from the Rio Grande to the Gila IX.—Extract from the report of Major W. H. Emory, Topographical Engineers, of a military reconnaissance made in 1846 and 1847. X.—Report of Lieutenant R. 8. Williamson, Topographical Engineers, of explorations in California in connexion with the routes near the 35th and 32d parallels, 5a AN EXAMINATION BY DIRECTION OF THE HON. JEFFERSON DAVIS, SECRETARY OF WAR, OF THE REPORTS OF EXPLORATIONS FOR RAILROAD ROUTES FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO THE PACIFIC, MADE UNDER THE ORDERS OF THE WAR DEPART-— MENT IN 1853-54, AND OF THE EXPLORATIONS MADE PREVIOUS TO THAT TIME, WHICH HAVE A BEARING UPON THE SUBJECT: BY CAPT. A. A. HUMPHREYS & LIEUT. G. K. WARREN, CORPS TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Route of forty-seventh and forty-ninth parallels, from surveys under Gov. StOVONE In ebo—4 ee cece scenes come CHAPTER I. Route of forty-first and forty-second parallels, from surveys of Lieut. E. G. Beckwith, 3d artillery, 1852—Brevet Capt. J. C. Frémont, topographical engineers, in 1842-3—and Capt. Stansbury, in 1849 .....-.. SoS ASomesco sete CHAPTER III. Route of thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth parallels, from surveys under Capt. Gunnison, topographical engineers, and i Gity REL RO hi atie Btilrntl GaAs CER Rep snariqndss co sso™ Soocoa DOSES SOOO DAS RASOSS OOH Roe oscar E Saco sonsS CHAPTER IY. Route of thirty-fifth parallel, surveyed by Lieut. Whipple, topographical engineers, in 1853....-----.--.-..------- CHAPTER YV. Route of thirty-second parallel, surveyed by Capt. J. Pope, topographical engineers, from Preston to Dona Ana, 1853—Lieut. Parke, topographical engineers, from Dona Ana to Pimas Villages, 1853—Major Emory, topo- graphical engineers, from Pimas Villages to mouth of Gila, 1848—Lieut. Williamson, topographical engineers, in California, 1853 .......-.-.- SORE CHOC BOSS BES ORIN ie ea a= SSIS IRS Sn SEO Sem oe OTE op os aSecsc cones CHAPTER VI. Notes from Dr. Wislizenus’s report on the Cimarron route from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fé, and from the reports of Col. Johnston, topographical engineers, Lieut. Smith, topographical engineers, Capt. S. G. French, United States artillery, and others, of the route from San Antonio to E] Paso....--....-..----- «-2------+ Roar tase 71 74 79 109 AN EXAMINATION OF THE REPORTS AND EXPLORATIONS FOR RAILROAD ROUTES FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO THE PACIFIC. War DEPARTMENT, Office of Pacific Railroad Surveys, Washington, February 5, 1855. Srr: In accordance with your instructions, I submit the following result of the examination of the reports of the explorations, made under the orders of the War Department, to determine the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi to the Pacific; as well as of the explorations and surveys previously made which have a bearing upon this subject. It has been found impossible to complete the general map of the country embracing these and former explorations, owing to the great amount of labor required in its preparation, the unfinished condition of the original maps and other data upon which it is to be founded; and the heavy duties imposed upon the officer having it in charge. This map should be accompanied by a report giving the authorities and data upon which it rests, with explanations of the adjustment of discrepant authorities; and also a brief memoir upon the physical geography of the regions embraced within its limits. Such a memoir neces- sarily formed a preliminary to a report upon the most practicable and economical route for a rail- road from the Mississippi to the Pacific; but the unfinished condition of the maps and material collected in the departments of science necessary to elucidate the subject, and the insufficiency of the material, when prepared, for so comprehensive a subject, precluded the possibility of its being undertaken at the present time, more especially as the labors of all in the office were required in the preparation of the details necessary to discuss the greater or less degree of practicability and economy of each route separately. The report herewith submitted partakes more of the character of memoranda upon the differ- ent routes, than of a report upon the whole subject; and, in fact, it was prepared as such, with the intention, principally, of aiding your examination of the reports of the officers charged with the explorations, rather than as a general report upon all the routes. These memoranda would have served as the basis of a general report, but time does not admit of their being placed in that shape, and they are consequently submitted in their present condition, with this explanation of the cause of their deficiency in comprehensiveness of matter, and in arrangement. Upon relieving Major Emory, in August last, from the charge of the Pacific Railroad office, I found that the preparation of the material for the general map, a work of great labor, and the superintendence of its construction and drawing, had been intrusted to Lieut. G. K. Warren, topographical engineers, whose zeal and ability in the performance of this and the general office duty, Major Emory acknowledged in warm terms. Lieut. Warren has continued in charge of the office duties, which include the critical examination of the reports, maps, profiles, and all original data submitted by the exploring parties and others, and reports upon 38 REPORT. the result; the preparation of the general map and its engraving; the compilation of profiles of all the routes recently explored and previously examined barometrically; the preparation of all the maps, profiles, and other drawings made in the office, comprising the duplication of the originals received from the exploring parties; the preparation of reports upon those routes and portions of routes and lines formerly explored, but not with a special view to the railroad question. In addition to this, he has likewise largely aided me in making this report. This laborious service has been executed by him with great intelligence, zeal, and energy, Lieut. H. L. Abbot, topographical engineers, was assigned to duty in this office in October last, and has most zealously aided Lieut. Warren in the compilation of the office profiles, and assisted me in investigations connected with this report. I would especially call your attention to the admirable arrangement of the profiles which have been compiled in the office, by Lieuts. Warren and Abbot, exhibiting so well all the in- formation upon, and the data and statistics of the routes, (as far as it is possible to compress them into so small a space,) as to serve the purpose of a brief report. In making this examination I have had the advantage of frequent personal conferences with the chiefs of the exploring parties, and with Dr. John Evans and W. P. Blake, esq., geologists. I have also availed myself of the information contained in the memoranda upon various practical points connected with the construction and working of railroads; prepared in the office by Byt. Capt. George B. McClellan, corps of engineers, as suggested by my letter to the department of the 7th October last. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. A. HUMPHREYS, Captain Topographical Engineers. Hon. Jerrerson Davis, Secretary of War. CERAVE Tekike at ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS OF NORTH LATITUDE. Although the report of Governor I. I. Stevens of his exploration of the northern route is clearly and forcibly written, yet, as all the facts bearing upon a particular portion of the route are not always to be found in one place, I have thought that it would facilitate the review to recapitulate the leading characteristics of the railroad route proposed, with such additional investigations and opinions as appeared to be necessary. The great extent of ground examined, the number of subjects treated, and the voluminous character of the report, seemed to require this somewhat laborious process. The general direction and position of the extreme northern route is mainly determined by the following considerations: 1. From the great northern bend of the Missouri, (lat. 48° 30’, about,) near the mouth of White-earth river, to Council Bluffs, (lat. 43° 30’,) the river flows in a general southeast direc- tion. Throughout this portion of its course the country on either side is generally rough and broken; to the east lies the Coteau du Missouri, a high, rolling prairie, and to the west a rough and rugged country (including the ‘‘ Mauvaises Terres,’’ and excepting the smooth table-land divide between the Yellow Stone and Missouri) extends to the base of the mountains. ‘To the east and north, the Coteau du Missouri sinks into the prairie, and near the parallel of 49° can be completely turned. The northern route should, therefore, seek the shortest practicable line between this point and the navigable waters of the Mississippi. St. Paul, at the head of navigation of the Mississippi, appears the most suitable eastern terminus of the road. The manner in which these two points are connected will be discussed hereafter. 2. After passing the Coteau du Missouri, the valley of the Missouri and its tributaries, in direction and acclivity, furnish the best approach to the Rocky mountains, the passes of which, near the sources of the Missouri, in latitude 47°, have an elevation of about 6,000 feet, being nearly 1,500 feet lower than the Great South Pass. 3. The Rocky mountains once crossed, the route to the Pacific is then determined by the course of the tributaries of the Columbia. Finally, the navigable character of the Missouri, of the Columbia, and of the great lakes, as well as the Mississippi—all of which can be made to aid in the construction of this road— gives to it, at first glance, a character of great importance. Its objectionable features are also apparent in its high northern latitude, and consequent severity of climate, which greatly detracts from the importance of the aid from navigation by obstructing the rivers with ice, and in the long intervals through which labor in the open air must be suspended, and, finally, in its contiguity to the soil of a powerful foreign sovereignty. The northern railroad route may be said to commence at St. Paul, in about latitude 45°, at the head of steamboat navigation of the Mississippi. The road ascends the left bank of the Mississippi, passing over fertile prairies or oak uplands to Little Falls, the best point for crossing the river, a distance of 109 miles, without rock-cutting, and with light grades, seldom exceed- ing ten feet per mile. For structures, both of wood and stone, the material is good, and near at hand, Crossing the Mississippi river with 325 feet of bridge, the line is directed to the prairie of the Bois des Sioux, an extensive flat plain. Between this and the Mississippi is a high, rolling prairie, forming part of the divide between the waters of Hudson’s bay and those of the Mis- 40 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. sissippi. The road passes successively through a wooded and fertile prairie country, and crosses the tributaries of the Minnesota river at their sources. From the Mississippi to the Bois des Sioux the distance is 110 miles; the rise is about 750 feet; the grades generally ten feet per mile, though occasionally thirty feet. Lumber and stone are to be supplied from the Mississippi and west of it; the excavation and embankments are light. The line passes for 40 miles over the almost absolute plain of the Bois des Sioux, leaving its western edge near and north of Dead Colt Hillock, here entering the rolling prairie, keep- ing south of the Shayenne river, whose valley is 150 to 200 feet below the general level of the prairie, and along the dividing ridge between it and the Riviére 4 Jacques; then crossing the latter river at a width of 120 feet, it is directed towards the valley of Mouse river, bounded on the south by the high plateau of the Coteau du Missouri. Keeping along the base of the coteau, to avoid the deep coulées of Mouse river,* and its tributary, Riviére des Lacs, the coteau is turned, near the head of the latter river, by the Grande Coulée, and with a grade not exceed- ing 40 feet per mile, the line passes to the bottom lands of the Missouri, near the mouth of Big Muddy river, about 30 miles west of Fort Union. Steamboats of two-feet draught can at all times, when not obstructed by ice, ascend the Missouri to Fort Union, the trip up from St. Louis occupying 42 days, and back 17 days. The total rise in this distance (about 400 miles) from the prairie of the Bois des Sioux to the Missouri is 700 feet. From Dead Colt Hillock to the valley of Mouse river, 200 miles, the country is in part undulating, rising gradually. The earth-work from the Mississippi to the Missouri will be neither heavy nor expensive, and no rock excavation, except in crossing the ‘‘divide into the valley of the Missouri. The grades need not exceed 30 feet per mile, and will rarely be so great.” For 400 miles of this portion of the route, wood for building and fuel (if wood be used for, it) must be obtained from the Red River of the North, and from the bottom lands of Mouse river. But little stone for masonry is needed. Excellent sandstone can be obtained in the vicinity of the Butte de Maison du Chien, near which the line enters the valley of Mouse river. Materials for good bricks are to be obtained on Red, Bois des Sioux, Shayenne, and Mouse rivers. From Camp Guthrie, on the Shayenne, to the Mouse River valley, (about 150 miles,) nearly one-half the small ponds and lakes are brackish and salt. The fresh-water ponds are, however, constantly interspersed and more abundant, and “occur quite as often as is desirable either for travelling or railroad purposes. With this abundant supply, no unusual construe- tion or expense will be required in establishing watering places.’’—Governor Stevens’s report. Mr. Lander, the estimating engineer, says, ‘‘the portion extending through the salt-water region—the one under consideration—will need particular attention regarding a supply of pure water for the use of engines. The proper mode of overcoming this difficulty will be by extending an aqueduct along the line of the road from the lakes upon the Grand Coteau du Missouri.’’ An estimate for this purpose is made, and, including the cost of planting 640 acres of trees every 20 miles over — miles of the route, amounts to $2,000,000. Should supplies of water be needed at points where it could not be furnished by the usual means, because of the small quantity of rain that falls, artesian wells might prove more economical, if the geological formations indicate their feasibility. The position of the northern part of the Grande Coulée, by which the route leaves the valley of Riviére des Lacs and enters that of the Missouri, has been determined from an estimated distance of twenty miles from the odometer line. As represented upon the map, it approaches so close to the 49th parallel (about two miles from it) that, without more accurate determination, it cannot be known whether the route, as here projected, may not pass over British territory. * Mouse river, next to the Red River of the North, is the most important river on the route between the Mississippi and Missouri. It flows in a deep, wide valley 200 feet below the prairie-level, with a wooded bottom from one-half to two miles wide, its high and steep banks being cut by deep coulées extending ten and fifteen miles into the prairie. ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS, 41 After reaching the Missouri, the line follows the valley of this stream to the mouth of Milk river, 120 miles from Fort Union, then ascends the valley of Milk river, 187 miles, the erades rarely exceeding the river-slopes, (the Missouri being one foot per mile, the Milk three feet per mile,) with an average embankment of eight feet, and with but little rock excavation, and that in soft sandstone. The river bottoms, composed of clay and sand, are soft and sloppy in wet weather, and parched and cracked during the dry season. As the Rocky mount- ains are approached, the country bordering the Missouri river is rough and broken; nearer the mountains, prairies afford more favorable ground for location. Having turned the Bear’s Paw mountains, lying between the Milk and Missouri rivers, the line leaves the valley of Milk river and rises to the prairie, with a grade of thirty-five feet per mile, taking a southwest direction towards the passes in the Rocky mountains, which lie near the 47th parallel of latitude, crossing in its course the Maria’s and Teton rivers with grades of forty feet per mile, and the Sun river without difficulty, the whole distance being about 440 miles. The cotton-wood of the Missouri and Milk rivers not being suitable for building material, except for a temporary road, by which to build the permanent one, this portion of the route is dependent upon the pine of the Trois Buttes mountain, (sleepers for 300 miles single track from this source,) of the Rocky mountains, and of the mountains south of Fort Benton. Good sandstone is to be found near Fort Union, at the crossing of Milk river, and at the Trois Buttes; lime near Fort Union, the Trois Buttes, and the Rocky mountains; clay, for brick, on the Missouri and Milk rivers; and sand in the beds of the rivers, though not abundant, in a clean state. If cotton-wood cannot be used as fuel, we have on this route spaces of 100, 200, and 400, or 500 miles between the points of supply; that is, 200 miles from the Red river supply to that of the Mouse river; 400 miles from the Mouse river supply to that of the Bear’s Paw, or 500 to that of the Trois Buttes; and from the Trois Buttes to the Rocky mountain supply, not less than 100 miles. The supplies of lumber are the same as for fuel. At what distances apart large supplies of water can be had from the Red River of the North to Maria’s river is not stated. The rivers along which the road runs cannot alwaye be relied upon for it, since the road is immediately under the bluffs of the valley, and the small streams are dry in summer, and so of the ponds on the prairies; both in extreme dry and hot seasons, and in the winter, there would be deticieucies. The high plateaux making back from these rivers, it is thought, will afford the means of securing, by reservoirs, ample supplies. The precise data upon which this opinion is formed are not given; the number, capacity, and posi- tion of the ponds or small lakes proposed to be used are not stated, nor the distances at which the reservoirs can be made. Between the Maria’s and Sun rivers, Grizzly Bear lake is indicated as a point of supply. From the Bois des Sioux to Riviére 4 Jacques is about 120 miles. From Riviére a Jacques to Butte de Maison, where probably the ponds of the Coteau du Missouri could give a large supply of water, is 115 miles. Thence to head of Riviere des Lacs, 120 miles. Thence to mouth of Big Muddy, on the Missouri, 120, &c. There can be no doubt that supplies of water at these distances can be got during all seasons, which may be made to answer for rail- road purposes, though not sufficient for working parties. The line has now reached the base of the Rocky mountains, and an elevation, where it may enter the passes through them, of 4,700 feet above the sea. In deciding upon the route by which the road should cross this mountain chain, regard must be had, not only to the difficulties of approach to the passes and the difficulties in the passes, but also to the best pass (from every consideration) of the Bitter Root mountains. This last is a secondary mountain chain lying west of the principal, separating from it in about latitude 45° 30’, and running northward and westward into the British possessions. Flowing in the valley, between these two chains, are the Flathead and St. Mary’s or Bitter 64 42 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. Root rivers; the former rising in about latitude 48° 30’, and running south, and the latter rising in about latitude 45° 30’, and running north. As these two streams approach each other a spur from the Rocky mountains turns them towards the west. Their junction forms Clark’s fork of the Columbia, a clear, rapid river, from 150 to 200 yards wide, rarely fordable, which has forced a passage through the Bitter Root mountains; this pass was adopted for the railroad route. Seven passes in the Rocky mountains were examined ; they lie between latitude 48° 30’ and latitude 45° 30’. Beginning at the north, in about latitude 48° 30/, is the Maria’s Pass, leading from the Maria’s river to the Flathead river. It is not desirable in direction, unless a route leading westward be found north of Clark’s fork. The tunnel, at its summit, would be at an elevation of 8,000 or 8,500 feet; about the limit of perpetual snow in that latitude. On the west, the fall in seventeen miles would be 2,170 feet. The great severity of the climate would of itself render this pass almost impracticable. About the 20th of October, Mr. Tinkham found the snow-banks of the previous winter still lying upon the shaded borders of the small lakes or ponds on the eastern slopes at an elevation of about 5,600 feet. The instruments used by Mr. Tinkham were a barometer and pocket-compass. The next pass is that of Lewis and Clark, connecting the head-waters of Dearborn and Black- foot rivers—the former a tributary of the Missouri, the latter of the St. Mary’s. The summit ridge has an elevation of 6,323 feet, which must be pierced by a tunnel two and a half miles long, through rock, at an elevation of 5,300 feet; grades of approach from the east forty feet to the mile, and of descent to the valley of Blackfoot river, ‘‘it is believed,’ will not exceed fifty feet per mile. The examination of this pass was made by Mr. Lander; his instruments were a barometer and pocket-compass. He abandoned the examination (the reasons for it are not, to my appre- hension, contained in the extracts from his report) seven and a half miles west of the summit, and four and a half miles before reaching the route of the main party that entered the valley of Blackfoot river by Cadotte’s Pass. The connexion of Lewis and Clark’s Pass with the valley of the Blackfoot river has not, then, been made, though ‘¢ believed practicable at grades not exceeding fifty feet per mile.’’ This pass should be gone over instrumentally before its practicability can be considered demoustrated, Tt has been adopted in the railroad estimate, and is probably practicable. The next pass is Cadotte’s, connecting a tributary of Dearborn river with a tributary of the Blackfoot river. The approach to this pass is practicable, though difficult, owing to the numerous deep ravines of the tributaries of Beaver creek, a northern branch of Dearborn river, over which the road must cross in approaching the pass from Sun river. The summit of the pass has an elevation of 6,044 feet; will require a tunnel 4} miles long (fifty per cent. of cutting in clay slate,) at an elevation of 5,000 feet, with grades of sixty feet approaching from the east, and forty feet per mile from the west. The pass itself is difficult. The main train of the exploring party passed over this route, the instruments used being a barometer, odometer, and Schmalkalder compass. It follows the valley of Blackfoot river, generally narrow and wooded, to its junction with the Hell-Gate, a distance from the summit of ninety-three miles. For twenty miles before this junction there is a narrow gorge ending in Hell-Gate. From the narrowness of the valley and winding of the stream, it will be necessary to cross frequently from side to side, and the bridging will be expensive from the absence of stone suitable for building material, the nearest point of supply known being in Flathead River valley, seventy miles distant from Hell-Gate. The grades will vary from thirty-five to forty- five feet per mile. The Blackfoot river joins the Hell-Gate river just before the latter makes the passage of the gorge from which it derives its name, the Hell-Gate river itself being a tributary of the St. Mary’s. At the head of the Liddle Blackfoot (another tributary of the Hell-Gate, coming from ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 43 the east,) two passes in the Rocky mountains, in latitude 46° 30’, were explored. They are sometimes called the Northern and Southern Little Blackfoot Passes, but named in Governor Stevens’s map as the Hell-Gate Passes. They connect between the waters of the Little Black- foot and Prickly-Pear creeks. South of these, in latitude 45° 45’, another pass was examined, called the Hell-Gate Pass. It connects the south fork of Hell-Gate with a branch of Wisdom river. And still further south, in latitude 45° 38’, another pass, called the Big Hole Mountain or St. Mary’s Pass, was explored, connecting the waters of St. Mary’s river with a fork of Wisdom river. These last four passes are all reported as probably practicable; but as the southern Little Blackfoot, Hell- Gate, and St. Mary’s Passes received no instrumental examination, as the last-named is out of direction, and the two former involve a considerable detour from the route of the Missouri, are approached with difficulty, and will only become important should a good route or routes be found through the Black Hills to the Mississippi, it is unnecessary to note them further. The profiles of the northern Little Blackfoot with its approaches from the Missouri, of the valleys of the Little Blackfoot and of part of the Hell-Gate river, were determined by Mr. Tinkham, his instruments consisting of a barometer and pocket-compass. The approach by this route is over a broken region of country, and a better approach, it is thought, will be found north of the Missouri, nearer the base of the mountains, along the line examined by Lieutenant Mullan. The elevation of the summit is 6,250 feet; a tunnel of two miles will be required. The eastern approach is estimated practicable with grades of fifty or sixty feet per mile, and the western descent with a grade of thirty feet to the mile. A thorough examination of this route is recommended in connexion with the other passes in this vicinity. It is unnecessary, therefore, to consider it further, since the data are still too imperfect to enable us to form certain conclusions. Three passes through the Bitter Root mountains were explored; a fourth was subsequently examined, but has not yet been reported upon; a fifth pass, the northern Nez Percés, it was not considered necessary to examine. The passes reported upon are that of Clark’s fork, which has been adopted as being the least difficult; the Coeur d’ Alene Pass, by the Coeur d’Alene Mission, and the southern Nez Percés trail. Beginning at the south, the southern Nez Percés trail, leading from the head of St. Mary’s river to the head of a tributary of the Snake river, (the southern fork of the Columbia) was examined by Mr. Tinkham, in the latter part of November and first half of December ; his instruments were a barometer and pocket-compass until the former was cached. From the great height of the summit, 8,000 feet, and the great depth of snow so early in the season, it is not necessary to consider this pass. It is probably impracticable. The northern Nez Percés trail is reported to be of the same character. The Cceur d’ Alene Pass, leading from the Bitter Root near its junction with the Flathead to the Spokane river, if found to be practicable, would give a route to Wallah-Wallah seventy miles shorter than that by Clark’s fork; but as no instruments for measuring vertical or hori- zontal distances were carried with the party that examined this route, its practicability cannot be considered established, but merely such information gained as serves to show that it is probably practicable, and that an instrumental profile should be taken. : The pass of Clark’s fork formed by the passage of the river through the Bitter Root mount- ains, along which the main party travelled, is practicable. It will be noticed that the passes of Lewis and Clark, and Cadotte, give the most direct route from the line east of the Rocky mountains to this pass. We will now return to the line of the main party at Hell-Gate, the termination of the Black- foot valley. From this point two lines were examined to Clark’s fork. One follows the valley of the Bitter Root to Clark’s fork; the other crosses a dividing ridge to the valley of Jocko river, keeping along this stream to its junction with the Flathead, which it then follows to Clark’s fork, a 44 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. Of the first, Governor Stevens says: ‘‘The route will be long, in consequence of the curves of the river, “and will involve curves of the minimum radius, numerous bridge-crossings, con- siderable side-cutting, and high embankments on the prairie portions, in consequence of the spring freshets (twenty to thirty feet vertical rise.) The rock, in side-cuttings, can be easily quarried. The greater portion of this route has been personally examined by me, and I am satisfied of its practicability, though at great expense.’’ Mr. Lander, in whose judgment and experience Governor Stevens placed great confidence, says of this portion of the route: ‘* The*descent of the Bitter Root is very severe. The general grade of the river-valley for that distance is not great (11,1, feet per mile,) but the changes in level are abrupt, the valley extremely narrow and crooked; sharp curvature and steep gradients will be needed under any system of location, and, by the best mode of conquering these difficulties, the line will be extreme in cost and nearly impracticable.’’ The only instrument used on this examination was a pocket-compass. Governor Stevens’s party left the Bitter Root at the debouche of the Coeur d’ Alene Pass, and Mr. Lander ata point several miles before reaching Clark’s fork. The topographer of the expedition, Mr. Lambert, describes this unexamined portion of the Bitter Root as a cation, but in conversation I find that his description was inferred from partial information, and was not intended to mean that the mountain-sides closing in upon the river were vertical walls. Dr. Suckley makes no special mention of it. In respect to this portion of the route, he says: ‘‘ The numer- ous very short curves, obliging frequent crossings by strong bridges, the great length of the route if the river is followed, the steep banks, and the high-raised work necessary to prevent the encroachinents of the freshets, (which in many places rise from twenty to thirty feet above the common level,) will all render this part of the road exceedingly expensive.’’ In view of the difficulties to be encountered on this line, and of the nature of the reconnaissance of it, it should not be considered practicable until more exact data are obtained upon which to form a correct opinion. By the second line to Clark’s fork: To overcome the summit of the Jocko divide, 852 feet above Hell-Gate, the approach will require a grade of sixty feet, and the descent to the valley of the Jocko a grade of sixty feet, both for short distances, with heavy embankments, and prob- ably a lofty bridge. Lieutenant Donelson is of opinion that these grades may be reduced to forty-five and forty feet. Along the valley of .the Jocko and Flathead rivers, on their left banks to Clark’s fork, the grade will be twenty feet per mile. Ten or twelve miles before reaching Clark’s fork, the mountains close in upon the river with steep slopes and rough pro- jecting rocks. The heavy growth of timber obliged the party to leave the river, returning to it again at Horse Plain on Clark’s fork, a few miles below the junction of the Bitter Root and Flathead. This portion of the Flathead, like that of the Bitter Root, is described by Mr. Lambert asacaton. The distance to Horse Plain from Hell-Gate by the Jocko is 70 miles, by the Bitter Root 95 miles. A better connection with the Flathead can probably be made by leaving the Blackfoot valley above the defile ; further examination is necessary to establish this, however. Lieutenant Donelson says the average fall of Clark’s fork is eleven feet per mile, and he estimates that the railroad could descend with gradients of from fifteen to twenty feet per mile. With the exception of occasional small prairies, marked on the map, ‘its valley throughout is heavily timbered, mainly with pine. At several points on the route the rocky hill-sides crowd upon the river, and all deep-cutting will probably expose the rock, appa- rently, in general, a species of limestone or trap. The line crosses the Flathead some miles above its junction with Clark’s fork, (or Bitter Root?) continues on the right bank as far as Big Rock; then crosses Clark’s fork, following the left bank, and recrosses at the Cabinet mountain. Tunnelling the Cabinet mountain 300 yards through 50 per cent. basaltic rock, it would continue on the right bank of the river to ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 45 Lake Pend d’Oreille, and on the western side of the lake to its lower extremity. The river and lake are subject to freshets fifteen feet in height. The summit separating Clark’s fork and Spokane river is about 800 feet above the level at which these two rivers are crossed. The transit could be made, Lieutenant Donelson reports, with gradients not exceeding twenty-five feet per mile, though Governor Stevens says forty feet. The mountain region ends near the crossing of Spokane river. Mr. Lander, in continuation, after reporting upon the Bitter Root, says: ‘‘ From the junction of the Bitter Root with Clark’s fork to the crossing of Clark’s fork, below Lake Pend d’Oreille, the line assumes a more favorable character; and, although still severe, may be readily adjusted to reasonable rate of curvature and grade. The crossing of the summit section, between Lake Pend d’ Oreille and the valley of the Spokane, is very favorable, and can be made upon gradients of forty feet per mile. All great difficulties of location upon the route cease at the valley of the Spo- kane.’’ Regarding the subject of construction west of the Rocky mountain summit, the line passes, in nearly its whole extent, through forests which could furnish an abundance of pine and cedar of fine quality, and of fir and larch. The rafting of lumber cannot be carried on above Horse Plain, though it is probable that logs can be run in the freshets from the heads of the tribu- taries of Clark’s fork. Lieutenant Donelson saw no good stone for building over this space. A locality on the Blackfoot, not far from Hell-Gate, another at Big Rock, (on Clark’s fork,) and the mountains on the right of Clark’s fork, for some distance below Thompson’s prairie, would furnish stone in great abundance, which would answer for ordinary purposes. Mr. Tinkham states that not far from the Hudson Bay Company’s post, among the Flatheads, good limestone for building could be obtained. Good granite is found on the Columbia, 140 miles above the mouth of the Yakima. Dr. Evans, geologist, informs me that stone will be found throughout this section at distances sufficiently near to obviate excessive cost. Sand can be obtained from Clark’s fork, Pend d’Oreille lake, and elsewhere. The earth excavation and em- bankment throughout this section (from the east base of the Rocky mountains to the Spokane river) will be large in amount, and expensive. In all the mountain valleys the deep side-hill cuttings will frequently expose rock, and the bulk of the rock excavation in the entire railroad route will be in this section. It is evident that throughout this section, from the entrance of the Rocky Mountain Pass to the crossing of the Spokane, a distance of 365 miles, the difficulties of construction will be very great; and that even if the two extremities rested upon thickly inhabited districts, the cost would be excessive. Upon the passes of the Rocky mountains, Governor Stevens says: <<Tt is not doubted there are other passes in this portion of the Rocky mountain range, even better than those explored; they are indicated by the general depression of the mount- ain range, with the greater frequency of the streams stretching out to meet each other from the opposite slopes of the mountains ; and I consider it important that, in future operations, a whole season should be devoted to their thorough examination, and that instrumental sur- veys should be made of the pass found to be the most practicable.’’ The region between the Coeur d’Alene mountains and the Cascade range, a space of 200 miles, is called the Great Plain of Columbia, or the Spokane Plain. It is a table-land, whose central and western portions are of trap formation, and are described on the map as sandy, rocky, and sterile. Its summit, some 800 feet above the level of the crossing of the Spokane, could probably be attained with gradients of 35 feet, the descent to the crossing of the Colum- bia river (near the junction of the Snake river) with grades of 30 feet, and from thence to Wallah-Wallah, 10 miles further, with grades of 20 feet. From the crossing of the Spokane to the crossing of the Columbia it is about 140 miles, 110 of which are over the treeless plain of the Columbia. The river is here from 400 to 450 yards wide, with good approaches. The earth excavation and embankment will not probably exceed the heaviest work of the prairies 46 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. east of the mountains. <A portion of the excavation on the first part of the Spokane Plain will be rock (basaltic trap.) Its eastern end rests upon the pine, cedar, and larch districts of the Columbia. Lumber can be brought down the Columbia to its western end, and also from the Yakima, 100 miles above its mouth. Good granite is found on the Columbia, 140 miles above the mouth of the Yakima. Within our territory, nearly the whole space between the Columbia river (its general course being from north to south) and Puget sound, is occupied by the Cascade mountains, with their secondary chains, spurs, and high, broken table-lands. Through these mountain masses, between the parallels of 45° 30’ and 49° north latitude, there are but two passes reported practicable for a railroad—that of the Columbia river, and that in which the north or main fork of the Yakima (a tributary of the Columbia) heads. This latter pass has been heretofore erroneously called Snoqualme Pass. The Yakima Pass gives the most direct route to Puget sound, the distance by it being 150 or 160 miles shorter than by the Columbia River Pass. The approach to it is by the valley of the Yakima. From the crossing of the Columbia to the commencement of the pine timber, 96 miles, the valley is wide, open, and terraced; the ground is sand, gravel, or loose stones. For 21 miles further, an open pine wood extends, with a light soil, sometimes gravelly. The grades are from 8 to 12} feet per mile. No diffi- culties of construction whatever are met with. From this point there are two methods of pass- ing the dividing ridge—one by a tunnel 4,000 yards long, 3,000 feet above the sea; the second by a tunnel of 11,840 yards, 2,400 feet above the sea. For the short tunnel the ascent of 895 feet is made in 184 miles, giving a grade, supposing it to be uniform, of 48.4 feet per mile, in fifty per cent. rock-cutting. The tunnel 4,000 yards long will pass through solid rock, (silicious conglomerate ;) thence to the falls of the Snoqualme, 45 miles from the tunnel, the road will be in side-cutting, (silicious conglomerate) with a grade of 59.8 feet per mile, suppos- ing it to be uniform. The distance to the falls of Snoqualme was travelled over and estimated to be greater by Mr. Tinkham, and the grade proportionately less. From the Snoqualme falls to Seattle, on Puget sound, it is about 30 miles; the first ten will require a grade of not more than 20 feet per mile, and the remaining 20 miles will pass over a level country. If the second tunnel be used, the 184 miles before reaching it will be with a grade of 15.2 feet per mile, with little side-cutting, through a thickly timbered country. The divide must be pierced by a tunnel 11,840 yards long, of a similar character to the short tunnel; the grade to the Snoqualme falls will then be 46.3 feet per mile, and the total length of the section 240 miles. But the grades in both cases will be necessarily broken, and higher than the estimate in many places. The elevations of the different points from the Columbia, to a point about three miles west of the summit, were taken with a barometer; the distances were estimated. In conclusion, Captain McClellan states: ‘“‘I am of the opinion that the Yakima Pass is barely practicable, and that only at a high cost of time, labor, and money.’’ The depth of snow upon the summit of this pass has been much discussed. Captain McClellan, who made the reconnaissance, says, that he and his party spared no pains in inquiring of the Indians during the summer, fall, and winter, as to the quantity and nature of the snow in the mountains during the winter. We examined (he says) the snow-marks on the trees, (similar, he informs me, to those made by standing water on trees,) in the passes, &c. All the information obtained was consistent; and the resulting conclusion, that in ordinary winters there could not be less than from 20 to 25 feet of snow in the passes. For the purpose of examining this point, Mr. Tinkham crossed the mountains from Wallah- Wallah to Seattle, by the Yakima Pass, during the month of January, passing the summit on the 21st of January. ‘For about six miles on the summit the snow was found to be six feet deep, with an occasional depth of seven, as also of four feet.’? ‘‘The whole breadth of snow, over twelve inches deep, was somewhat less than sixty miles in extent. Of this, about ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS, 47 forty-five miles were two feet and upwards; about twenty miles were four feet and upwards; and six miles were six feet and upwards. All the snow was light and dry; it was the accumu- lated snows of the winter to January 21, deposited in successive layers of a few inches to two feet, which have generally lain undisturbed since their fall; and they present little obstruction to removal, in comparison with the compact drifted snows of the Atlantic States.’’ From the known effect of abrupt mountains, rising from plains, in increasing the precipita- tion of rain, it is not probable that less rain falls on the main chain of the Cascade mount- ains than at Puget sound, but rather more. The mean amount of the winter rain at Steilacoom, on the sound, is 20.6 inches; the amount is nearly the same each winter. The yearly means of the winter rain, in the table of Governor 8.’s report, are erroneous, though the mean for the winter of several years is correct. Snow occupies from ten to twelve times the bulk of an equal quantity of rain. The snow of the Cascade mountains is reported to be very dry and light, and the proportion between it and rain is probably greater than as 12 to 1. Assuming it to be 12, and supposing the pre- cipitation on these mountains, during December, January, and February, to be in the form of snow, we have at the close of February 20.6 feet of snow. The mean temperatures at Steilacoom, Puget sound, from observations at the military post there for (four) years, are: November, 46°.2 Fahr.; December, 38°.3 Fahr. ; January, 38°.1 Fahr.; February, 40°.7 Fahr.; March, 41°.8 Fahr. ; April, 48°.6 Fahr. Applying the rule that for every 300 feet of elevation there is a decrease of 1° Fahr., we have for the temperatures of an elevation corresponding to that of the summit of the Sno- qualme or Yakima Pass— November, 36°; December, 28°; January, 28°; February, 30°.7; March, 31°.8; April, 38°.6. But from the barren and broken character of the mountain masses east of the Cascade crest, the abruptness of the eastern slopes of the main chain, and its great general elevation, 8,000 feet above the sea, with bare rocky peaks projecting above this height, the highest reaching an elevation of 15,000 or 16,000 feet, the temperature of the Yakima Pass must be lower than the rule of decrease of temperature for increase of elevation would give when applied to the temperature of Steilacoom. The influence of these causes is shown in the meteorological report of Lieut. Mowry, by which it will be seen that the climate of the Cascade range and the country east of it is very cold. Lieut. Mowry says, page 404, at Chequoss (a pass in the Cascade chain 4,000 feet above the sea,) on the summit of the Cascade range, August 9th, the thermometer indicated a temperature below the freezing-point, and ice formed to the thickness of half an inch. At the same time and place, strawberries were growing in great luxuriance and abundance. The Indians informed him that the snow fell there as early as No- vember, &c., &c. Of the 8.69 inches of rain that fell during January at Steilacoom, 5.37 inches fell after the 26th ; and of the 20.7 inches rain that fell there during the winter (December, January, and February,) but 7.74 inches had fallen at the time Mr. 'Tinkham crossed the Yakima Pass, (21st January ;) that is, but little more than one-third of the whole quantity that fell during the winter. The above investigation is in accordance, then, with the facts as found by Mr. Tink- ham; but one-third of the snow had fallen when he crossed. Lieut. Grover, in crossing from Clark’s fork to the Coeur d’ Alene prairie, between the 19th and the 22d of February, found 24 feet of very hard snow for the most part of the way, the elevation being about 2,000 and 2,500 feet. The country here is very dry, according to Lieut. Mowry. It seems probable, from the foregoing investigation, that not less than 20 feet of snow is usually to be found on the summit of the Yakima Pass at the close of winter—gradually 48 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. changing to 12 feet, 6 feet, &c., &c. But the question should not be considered settled until further examinations and an instrumental survey of the Yakima Pass are made. The terminus of the road should be on Puget sound, and, from the report of Capt. McClel- lan, the harbor of Seattle would appear to be the most favorable on the eastern shore. To return to the crossing of the Columbia river near the mouth of Snake river. Capt. McClellan states: ‘‘ With regard to the Columbia river, I am not prepared to speak so much in detail; the last barometer being broken hefore we reached there on our return, and for other good reasons, I passed down by water. Mr. Lander, however, travelled the greater part of the distance by land; and as his examination corroborates the opinion I formed atthe time, I shall content myself with expressing in general terms the nature of that pass.’’ His conclusion is, that ‘‘it is not only practicable, but remarkably favorable;”’ and, in his opinion, it would be desirable that an instrumental survey should be made of the Yakima Pass and the Columbia River Pass, should any more railroad explorations be made on this line. In conversation Capt. McClellan informed me, that the work on the route along the Columbia river, from the Dalles to near Vancouver, 90 miles, would be similar to that of the Hudson River railroad along the mountain region. Mr. Lander says, ‘‘the high floods to which the Columbia river is subject, are serious obstacles to obtaining the best location for cheap construction offered by its valley.’’ From observations made at Fort Van- couver, from May 8 to July 20, 1854, the rise of the river during the flood was 10 feet above spring level, and 17 feet above summer level. Governor Stevens says: ‘‘The pass of the Columbia river, examined personally by myself as well as Captain McClellan and Mr. Lander, is remarkably favorable in its grades, which rarely exceed ten feet, in the ease with which debris from the ledges can be worked to form the embankments required to guard against freshets, and the great facility with which wood and stone, both of good quality, can be transported down the Columbia for purposes of con- struction. The only serious obstacle is Cape Horn mountain, which, to avoid sharp curvature, may require a tunnel seven hundred feet in length. The grades down the Columbia to near the mouth of the Cowlitz, and thence to Olympia, Steilacoom, or Seattle, will be small, the work light, and abundant materials of all kinds will be found for road-beds and super- structure.’’ The ascents and descents are estimated at 300 and 700 feet. On the Columbia the line is, for the most part of the way, located in the bottom lands of the river, and will rarely be forced from them to the rocky bluffs bordering its intervale. Between Wallah- Wallah and the Dalles Mr. Tinkham found it necessary in only two instances to: cross the rocky spurs jutting out from the river bluffs. The bluffy country bordering the Columbia ceases near Cape Horn. From below the Dalles the woods commence, and continue to the head of Cowlitz river. “‘The wide and comparatively flat and wooded valley of the Cowlitz connects with plains, sometimes of prairie and sometimes of woodland, extending to Puget sound, and which, although not fully explored, are sufficiently well known to insure the unusually favorable character of the country for the construction of a railway.”’ The total length from the crossing of the Columbia to Seattle is about 390 miles. The earth excavation will not probably exceed the heaviest work of the prairies east of the mount- ains, and is estimated not to exceed an average of seven to eight feet. The material for em- bankment is almost always of a superior character. The amount of rock-cutting, with the exception of the portion of the line between the Dalles and Cape Horn, will be very small. The rock is generally a basaltic trap. In reference to the facilities for construction upon Clark’s fork and on the Columbia, Gov- ernor Stevens says: ‘‘By improvements either in the bed of the river, or in the use of locks at several points on the Columbia and Clark’s fork, and by the substitution of rail where such im- provement is impracticable, itis not doubted that a continuous communication can be established from the mouth of the Columbia to the mouth of the Spokane, and probably to Colville, and ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 49 from the Pend d’Oreille lake to Horse Plain. Rails will undoubtedly be required at several of the places, and transfer be made from steamer to steamer.”’ The total length of the route from St. Paul to Seattle, Puget sound, by the Columbia River Pass, is 2,025 miles, or 2,050 if the Bitter Root river is used instead of the Jocko; by the Yakima Pass, 1,870 and 1,845 miles respectively. The distances just given are taken along the line of location for the proposed railroad. They are nearly the same as those travelled, except on the prairies east of the Rocky mountains, and on the Spokane Plain, where the located line is shorter than that travelled over, there being no serious obstacles to the more direct course. The distances given differ from those used by Governor Stevens, owing to a revision which the maps have undergone since his report was written. SOIL. In the absence of the geological report of Dr. Evans, whose field duties in Washington and Oregon Territories have detained him there until recently, the information upon the character of the soil upon the route is not as full, detailed, and satisfactory as could be desired. Previous geological examinations, over portions as far west as about longitude 101° or 102°, show that the uncultivable region begins in about the same longitude on this route as in the latitude of the Arkansas. From the geological information respecting the region between the meridian of 101° and the Spokane Plain imparted recently by Dr. Evans, from the report of Mr. Gibbs upon the section west of the Spokane, and after a close examination of the reports, the following general conclusions have been arrived at respecting the soil of the region traversed by the northern route. From the Mississippi to the western border of the Plateau of the Bois des Sioux, in about the meridian of 98° west of Greenwich, the soil is fertile; the upper layer being composed of vegetable mould. Here it begins to be mixed with sand and gravel, the proportion of which ingredients increases as you proceed westward. From Fort Union to the foot of the mountains, (15 or 20 miles east of the crest,) the upper covering of sand, clay, and gravel is from one to three feet thick, and lies upon a coarse sandstone. The grass, luxuriant on the vegetable mould, gradually becomes thinner, until on the sterile soil it is very sparse. Immediately under the mountains it improves again—perhaps from the intermingling of limestone debris, and the comparatively greater fall of rain. On the Coteau du Missouri the ground is rougher, and the grass thinner, than on the prairie; and west and south of the Missouri it is in many places even yet more rough and sterile, the Mauvaises Terres beginning not far from the mouth of L’ Eau-qui-court river. In fact, the tertiary and cretaceous formations extend from about longitude 97° west of Greenwich to the eastern base of the Rocky mountains; the soil being stiff clay and sandstone, alternating with each other. The former are well constituted for fertility; but, under the pres- ent meteorological conditions, (the small yearly amount of rain, and the total absence of it at certain seasons,) they are unsuitable for agricultural purposes. They produce luxuriant grasses in the spring, but in the dry season (the summer) the sun withers the grass, parches, bakes, and cracks the clay surface, and not only gives it a sterile aspect, but renders it unculti- vable. The sandstone soils are in themselves sterile. It is thought by some that if the annual burning of the prairies were to cease, forests would grow upon the clay soils, a greater amount of rain in the summer be precipitated by them, and that these clay soils would thus become cultivable. The river-bottoms in part (where the soils of the different strata become mixed,) and the val- leys among the mountains, form exceptions to this general condition of sterility. As, for instance, it is Lieut. Donelson’s opinion that upon the Missouri the soil is such that the set- tlements might be continuous upon its banks up to the mouth of L’ Eau-qui-court river, longi- Ta 50 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. tude 98°; from that point to Fort Union, about one-fourth could be settled. Above Fort Union, Lieut. Grover says: ‘‘On the lower portion of the river (between Fort Benton and Fort Union,) there are many quite extensive bottoms well adapted to agricultural purposes. There is a good deal of arable land, also, in the vicinity of Fort Benton, and in the Sun River valley.’”’ The proportion of cultivable bottom lands on this section of the river is much less than one-fourth. The Mouse River valley is represented to be fertile, as its growth of ash, elm, and oak indicates. Describing that portion of the route from Fort Union to Fort Ben- ton, Governor Stevens writes, ‘‘ The bottem lands, both of the Missouri and Milk rivers, are composed of clay and sand, &ec.”’ The space between the Rocky and Cascade mountain chains is principally occupied, between the parallels of 45° and 49° latitude, with mountain masses and the great elevated plain of the Columbia. From the main Cascade chain the generally sterile soil extends eastward ever the dry region until the rain that falls upon the Coeur d’ Alene, Bitter Root, and other mountains, begins to be felt; we then have grazing. The soil improves in quality as the mountains are approached, the valleys of which are represented as fertile, perhaps influenced in some degree by the nature of the mountain debris that have been washed upon them. The Colum- bia river and its affluents, in their lower courses within the limits above mentioned, are stated to carry gravel and sand, but no fertilizing matter. It is their upper or mountain valleys (between the Cascade and Rocky mountains) only that are productive ; their lower are uncultivable. The fertile or cultivable areas are most probably the exceptions to the general character of the soil between these two mountain chains, and are of limited extent. The soil, too, of a large portion described as fertile, is most probably better adapted to grazing than to farming. The valley of St. Mary’s, and other mountain valleys in that region, and west of the Bitter Root mountains, are represented to have dark gravelly soils. The prairies on the Columbia river are also more or less gravelly. The middle and western parts of the plain of the Columbia are sandy, rocky, and sterile; here and there are swales, having rich mould; bunch-grass, varying in degree of sparseness of growth, is found over a large portion of its surface. Lieutenant Mullan says of the St. Mary’s valley, which has been considered as a kind of standard, ‘‘the soil of the valley of the Bitter Root (St. Mary’s) is fertile and productive, well timbered with pine and cotton-wood, but whose chief characteristic and capability is that of grazing large herds of cattle, and affording excellent mill-sites along the numerous mountain streams.”’ Probably about one-fourth of the area of the valley is cultivable, the remainder being suit- able for grass-lands only. Dr. Suckley, referring to the Hell Gate, Bitter Root, Clark and Columbia rivers, and to the Dalles, says, ‘‘there are a few pieces of excellent land along these rivers.’? The valley of Clark’s fork is heavily timbered with pine; there is no grass. Within the limits of Washington Territory, between the Cascade and Rocky mountains, there are 7,356 Indians. Within the same Territory, west of the Cascades, the areas being as 3 to 1 about, there are 6,903 Indians. This may give some indication as to the capabilities of the soi] for supporting animal life. West of the Cascade mountains there are generally prairies, soon exhausted by cultivation, but offering good grazing; clay formations that are arable, and rich river bottoms. The fall of rain in the year is about 47 inches; the temperature is moderate. Governor Stevens estimates that there are 4,000 square miles of tillable land on the eastern slopes of the Rocky mountains, and that the mountain valleys on the western slopes contain 6,000 square miles of arable land, _ The preliminary report of the geologist of the party, made from Washington Territory, ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 51 where he was still engaged in the field when the report of Governor Stevens was prepared, failed to reach the latter, who thus was not afforded the means of correcting opinions formed from those appearances of fertility presented by the growth of grasses, &c., which are liable to mislead, especially after traversing a region devoid of such verdure. A more thorough examination of the country and soil proves that very little, if any, of the eastern slopes of the Rocky mountains is suitable for cultivation; and that the valleys of the streams east of the mountains, and those west, are capable of sustaining merely small agricultural settlements. The greater portion of these valleys are only suited for grazing lands; and this mountain region, described as containing 10,000 square miles of arable land, admirably adapted by nature for a grazing country, can never sustain a large agricultural population. There must be some numerical error in the estimate of the area of the grassed lands between the Bitter Root and the Rocky mountains, since careful measurements in the office make it much less than that given above. It is not probable that the area of cultivable soil within the limits mentioned, east and west of the Rocky mountains, will exceed one-tenth of the area stated—that is, 1,000 square miles. The character of country along the route from St. Paul to Seattle may be summed up as follows: From St. Paul to Little Falls, fertile soil........ tidtisltePstewsics ceksaeeas tock ose een cee 109 miles. From the Mississippi river at Little Falls to Dead Colt Hillock, the soil is fertlle< CMe GIStANCO 1S) VDOOUbi ce. ccs seeewesedsisuioceouassocacssmsonssecaesacdclinaseeeesncceas ao) MLC OMOTE: From that point to the crossing of Reviére a Jacques, near the 99th meridian, the change from fertility to an uncultivable condition takes place ...............04. GGrmnc Thence to the crossing of Sun river, a distance of 752 miles, the prairie is uncul- tivable; the river bottom of the Missouri in part, those of Jacques river, Mouse river, and of other streams, possessing a cultivable soil .............cececeeneeen enone UA We then have mountain region of 404 miles, a well-wooded district to the Spokane river, with mountain valleys of partly cultivable soil, and prairies of the same CHUTACUCL teeter oconcuscnecsesiatn seer comcast tenaenceteete cereceina ales an seats mente cette . 404 « (The sum of the areas of the cultivable soil in the Rocky mountain region being about 1,000 square miles.) From the Spokane river to the crossing of the Columbia, 10 miles above Fort Wallah-Wallah, over the barren plain of the Columbia...................cceeseeeees 142, <* Thence to the Cascades, an uncultivable though grazing district, about............+ aga ae Thence to Seattle, on Puget sound, over cultivable land, about............sscesseeeeeees a) re” otal, jecuteten tesa Sas aeaeniodect Fethiaguaseaee ate echiwaiadae dasllveinederer 23020), << So that of the 2,025 miles from St. Paul to Seattle, on Puget sound, we have only a space of about 535 miles of fertile country; the remaining 1,490 miles being over uncultivable prairie soil, or mountain-land producing only lumber, with the limited exception of occasional river- bottoms, mountain-valleys, or prairie. CLIMATE. Of the 47 inches of rain that fall yearly at Steilacoom, Puget sound, 15 inches fall during the autumn months, and 20.6 inches during the winter months. At Fort Laramie, on the plain just east of the Rocky mountains, 23.5 inches rain fall during the year. Ten inches of these 23.5 fall during the spring, and only 3.4 inches during the winter. At Fort Snelling about 25 inches fall during the year: of this only 2 inches fall during the winter ; 6.8 inches during the spring ; 10.2 inches during the summer ; and 5.7 inches during the autumn. The excessive autumn and winter rains of Puget sound are converted into spring rains at the eastern base 52 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. of the Rocky mountains, and into summer rains at Fort Snelling. It is probable that the Bitter Root range has a heavy winter precipitation, and, arresting a large proportion of the moisture from the west, protects the Rocky mountains from it and from heavy winter snows—a circumstance favorable to the construction and working of a railroad through the Rocky mountains in this latitude. It appears probable, too, that the greatest precipitation in this region takes place during the latter part of winter and the early part of spring. Mr. Tinkham, in crossing the Bitter Root range, found two and three feet of snow in the latter part of Novem- ber; and, before he left the camp on the summit of the pass, (7,250 feet elevation) the snow increased to the depth of six feet. The evidence adduced by Goy. Stevens shows that no obstruction to a railroad need be appre- hended from snow across the plains through the passes of the Rocky mountains, and thence by way of the Columbia River Pass to Puget sound, though the great rise of the Bitter Root and Flathead rivers and Clark’s fork, in the spring freshets, indicates a large deposition of snow at their sources. It is reported, that two winters previous to that of Gov. Stevens’s party being there, (winter of 1851-2,) a party of Flathead Indians were prevented from returning to their village, in St. Mary’s valley, although only two or three days’ travel from it, by the passes being blocked up with snow; they were on that account obliged to pass the winter in one of the valleys east of St. Mary’s. This does not, however, make it impracticable for a railroad, since it was the accumulation of drift of the whole winter, and on a railroad track it would be removed as fast as it fell. ‘The meteorological observations made at Fort Benton and in St. Mary’s valley during the past year, will be interesting. The amount of winter rains converted into snow, give pretty sure indications, in these climates, of the greatest depth that may be encountered, allowing one foot of snow to one inch of rain. With respect to the temperature of the route: San Francisco, in about latitude 37°, has a winter temperature of 50° Fahrenheit ; Fort Moultrie, Charleston harbor, about latitude 33°, has about the same winter temperature, 50° Fahrenheit ; Steilacoom, Puget sound, about lati- tude 47°, has a winter temperature of about 39° Fahrenheit—the same, nearly, as that of Fort Monroe, Old Point Comfort, Chesapeake bay, in latitude about 37°, which is 40° Fahren- heit. The mean winter temperature of Steilacoom, Puget sound, is 39°; of San Francisco, 50°.4; showing an increase of about 1° of Fahrenheit for 1° of latitude, which is the change generally on that coast within those limits, corresponding nearly with the eastern part of Europe, as given by Humboldt. On the Atlantic coast, the change from south to north in our territory, as far north as Boston, is about 2°.4 Fahrenheit for 1° of latitude. The meteorological observations that I have access to, those of the Surgeon General’s bureau, do not show whether’this change of proportion takes place gradually between the shores of the two oceans, or if it be sudden. Along the Mississippi river the decrease of temperature for increase of latitude is somewhat less than on the Atlantic. Along the chain of the Rocky mountains the change of temperature in some instances corre- sponds with the Atlantic, sometimes with the Mississippi ; in other cases, the proportionate decrease of temperature going north is greater than either. The observations on the northern route, as given in the report, are too imperfect to enable a satisfactory comparison to be drawn between them and those made at points further south. So far as any conclusions can be deduced from them, they indicate that the law of change of temperature along the Rocky mountain range for change of latitude is nearly the same as that along the Mississippi or the Atlantic coast—the points being reduced to a common elevation by the allowance of 1° Fah- renheit for every 300 feet of elevation. It is supposed, also, that no great modifying influ- ences from local causes exist—such, for instance, as the Great Salt lake. If, then, we find points along the northern route, among the mountains, with winter temperatures not exceed- ing those many degrees further south, in the same mountain chain, it will be due simply to ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 53 the low elevation of the former. That the winter climate is severely cold on the prairies between Fort Benton and the mountains, and in the Rocky mountain passes, is inferrible from the reports of Mr. Tinkham and Lieutenant Grover. That the cold is excessive on the prairie over the whole route is evident, from the meteorological information contained in the report." Mr. Tinkham, after crossing the summit of the Marias Pass, (latitude 48° 30/ about,) found, on the 20th of October, at an elevation of 5,600 feet, (800 feet higher than the proposed tunnel in Lewis and Clark’s Pass,) the snow-banks ofthe previous winter still resting on the borders of the shaded ponds or small lakes; and in the prairies, twelve miles from the summit, he found four inches of snow. On the route to Fort Benton, (from this pass,) between the 20th and 27th of October, distance 136 miles, the thermometer was once or twice as low as 3° Fahrenheit. Lieutenant Grover crossed the Rocky mountains through Cadotte’s Pass, in January of 1854, and while in the pass the thermometer descended as low as 21°, 19°, 15°, below zero of Fahrenheit. The meteorological observations of the Medical department of the army, furnished me from the Surgeon General’s office, form the data, in addition to those given in Governor Stevens’s report, for the deductions drawn respecting the amount of snow, rain, temperature, &c. GENERAL REMARKS. The two principal favorable characteristics of the northern route, are its low profile and low grades; the prairies extending in this latitude from the Mississippi to the base of the mountains, fifteen or twenty miles from the summit, in about longitude 112° and 113°, a distance by the railroad route of 1,000 miles. Its proximity to, and connexion with the Mis- souri and Columbia rivers and their principal tributaries, is also favorable to its construction. The road leaves the Mississippi river, at Little Falls, at an elevation above the sea of about 1,100 feet. Between Mouse and Missouri rivers it has attained an elevation of more than 2,000 feet. Its general elevation on the Missouri and Milk rivers is 2,200 feet. Leaving Milk river, it crosses the high prairies towards Lewis and Clark’s and Cadotte’s Passes; at the distance of 100 miles on the travelled, and 130 on the railroad location from these passes, the elevation is about 3,000 feet. Upon entering the passes it is about 4,600 feet, the summits being respectively 6,300 and 6,044; and the proposed tunnels at elevations of 5,300 and 5,000 feet respectively. : After passing the summit we descend to the elevation of 3,000 feet, at about 100 miles west of it, by following the valley of the Bitter Root, and 130 miles west of it, following the Jocko, making the whole distance on the railroad route, exceeding an elevation of 3,000 feet, to be about 260 miles. At the junction-of the Bitter Root and Flathead rivers, which forms the commencement of Clark’s fork, the elevation is about 2,500 feet, and at Pend d’Oreille lake about 1,600 feet. In crossing the dividing ridge between Clark’s fork and the Spokane river, and the Great Plain of Columbia, between the Spokane and Columbia, the elevation attained is about 2,400 feet. If the mountain district be considered to extend from Sun river to Pend d’Oreille lake, the route runs through 310 miles of it; if to the Spokane river, about 400 miles. The sum of the ascents in crossing main divides or ridges going from Fort Vancouver, elevation 0, to St. Paul, elevation 828 feet, is about 9,500 feet; from Seattle, on Puget sound, to St. Paul, the sum would be 10,000 feet. The descents, going west, would be, respectively, above 8,700 and 9,200 feet. Applying Latrobe and Knight’s rule for equating grades, the effect of these ascents and descents, on the working of the road, would be equivalent to 343 miles in the first instance, and 362 in the other. 54 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. The distance from St. Paul to Vancouver is 1,864 miles. < fe Seattle 2,025 miles. The equated distances become (to Vancouver) 2,207 miles. 35 er (to Seattle) 2,387 miles. The numbers just given are not necessarily a measure of the sum of all the ascents on the route, since in making any one of the great ascents the road may and does rise and fall repeat- edly. These minor undulations careful instrumental surveys only can measure accurately. If the prairies give a low profile, they at the same time have the disadvantage of furnishing neither lumber nor fuel, nor a good supply of water, and, at some seasons, none at all over certain distances. The cotton-wood on the river bottoms (of which but a limited supply exists) should not be depended upon for fuel—it is no doubt of small growth; that of large growth, on the rich lands of the Mississippi, is used for fuel on western steamboats, but the small growth will hardly prove fit for use in locomotives. It will not, certainly, be good fuel for that purpose. Opinions differ as to its fitness for ties, even for a temporary track by which to reach supplies of better lumber for a permanent road. By some it is said to be totally unfit for this purpose, as it will not hold a nail. TIES, LUMBER, &C. The points of supply of good timber are Little Falls, Mississippi river; Red river, Mouse river, Bear’s-Paw mountains, the Three Buttes, and the western slopes of the Rocky mountains. The distances apart of these points, over which ties and lumber generally must be trans- ported up the Missouri, are— From Little Falls to Red river, 100 miles ; From Red river to Mouse river, 260 miles ; From Mouse river to Bear’s-Paw mountains, 470 miles ; From Bear’s-Paw mountains to western slope of Rocky mountains, 170 miles; or, From Three Buttes to western slope of Rocky mountains, 130 miles. West of the Rocky mountains the country is well supplied with lumber throughout, except for the space of 110 miles in crossing the plains of the Columbia. It will cost to transport lumber great distances by the built portions of the road, $4 50 per 1,000 feet per 100 miles. FUEL. Supposing the road supplied with fuel, in the districts destitute of it, from the coal-fields of Illinois, the nearest point to St. Paul is Port Byron on the Mississippi, 330 miles from St. Paul, and coal will probably cost at St. Paul from $4 to $6 per ton. As coal can be transported three and a half times as far as wood, and be equally economical for locomotive use, it may be used over 600 miles of the northern route, beginning 100 miles west of the Mississippi, at an average cost to the road of from $15 to $17 per ton. This esti- mate is made merely to show what would be the cost over these portions of the route if cotton- wood cannot be used for fuel. The cost of wood per cord, for 200 miles east of the Rocky mountains, would be in the same proportion. The sources of supply of good fuel from Red and Mouse rivers, Bear’s-Paw mountains, and the Three Buttes, will of course be availed of, so far as they can be economically. The navigation of the Missouri river to Fort Union is closed by ice four or five months in the year; that of the Mississippi, at St. Paul, about four and a half months, from the latter part of November to early in April. ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY SEVENTH AND FORTY-NINTH PARALLELS. 55 TUNNELS. In forming a judgment upon the practicability and length of time required to execute a tun- nel, the only safe guide is the result of well-tried means of excavation. When the question is the construction of a tunnel of several miles in length through rock, the depth from the surface being so great that shafts cannot be resorted to, the tunnel is only practicable if some machinery can be applied to the excavation so as to bring its time of com- pletion within reasonable limits. The rate at which rock excavation could be made in it, by the only means as yet successfully tried, would be so slow that the project would be considered entirely impracticable. It does not appear that any of the machines invented for this purpose have as yet proved successful, and no tunnel project depending upon their use can be con- sidered practicable until they have proved successful in trials of every kind. In hard rock, where continual blasting is required, the rate of progress may be taken at 10.5 inches every 12 hours. On the Black Rock tunnel, Reading railroad, through graywacke slate, the progress was but little more than 0.6 of a foot every 24 hours, or 2,387 spaces of 12 hours each, for constructing 1,782.5 feet in length of the tunnel. In the Blue Ridge tunnel, on the Virginia Central railroad, the progress has been less than two feet per day of 24 hours. Tunnels two, three, and four miles in length, in rock or partly in rock, at depths exceeding 1,000 feet below the summit, in severely cold climates, at great distances from thickly in- habited districts, form serious objections to any route. The more southerly passes of the Rocky mountains partly explored, in connexion with this route, have the advantage of not requiring tunnels. ESTIMATE, Governor Stevens’s estimate of the time required to build the road cannot be founded upon the experience of any great line of railroad built in the United States. The estimate of 25 per cent. to the cost at eastern prices from the Bois des Sioux to the Rocky mountains, and thence to the Pacific of 40 per cent., is, in my judgment, too small an increase. It would have been safer, probably, to have added 100 per cent. to the cost at eastern prices, from the crossing of Milk river to the Pacific. Under this supposition, the corrected estimates of $105,076,000, of $112,121,000, of $105,091,000, and of $129,806,000, would have added to them $30,690,000, $33,750,000, $30,690,000, and $41,440,000, and would become— Cost of road to Seattle by the Yakima Pass, using the long tunnel, 1,875 miles.. $135,766,000 Cost of road to Seattle by the Columbia valley and the Cowlitz river, 2,025 miles 145,871,000 Wosioumnoade tO) VancOUVveD. Nee G4 egeseranmascatcccser scents +sleessieesiclcer ses Meclseiae 135,781,000 Entire system, St. Paul to the Columbia, with branches down the Columbia and across the Cascades, and a connexion from Seattle direct to the Columbia river, Pea eIMUMLES se alta COSUIOL oe cnsacleN cee aaee siasiersciee Solus amepdace oceeladeist) sei aciosis se sis ettie ales ve 171,246,000 To the above original sums Governor Stevens adds for engineering and contin- PICMC LES ese e naan acc tasic nce teseleh save so ccbesen soidancdgdscsaae cages scas douse qcdecubiasieteaeante 5,000,000 It does not appear whether equipment is included in the estimate; if it is not, about $3,000,000 should be added to the above sums on that account. Ifa full equipment has been included, $10,000,000 should be subtracted from each of the preceding sums, to bring the estimate in accordance with those of the other routes ; and under this latter supposition the estimate finally becomes— Cost of road to Seattle by the Yakima Pass, using the long tunnel, 1,875 miles. $150,766,000 Cost of road to Seattle by the Columbia valley and the Cowlitz river, 2,025 miles 140,871,000 Cost Of teem Wancouver, 1,864 mileg...........cscseccsceneesecevecdeccacvocsaencesecares 130,781,000 TAWELT Gy tee cccnsnceccacnaceccscvassseccscceredecectccetecsscdecceecevecanesrenves 166,246,000 CHAPTER IL ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORY-SECOND PARALLELS OF NORTH LATITUDE. That portion of this route from the Missouri river to Fort Bridger, on a tributary of Green river, has not been explored with a special reference to the practicability of constructing a railroad, and the reports do not contain all the details necessary to the elucidation of the subject. The information respecting it is to be found in the reports of Colonel Fremont and Captain Stansbury. From Fort Bridger to the Pacific, the route has been explored and reported upon by Lieu- tenant E. G. Beckwith. The accompanying report upon the route east of Fort Bridger, by Lieutenant G. K. Warren, is based upon the reports of Colonel Fremont and Captain Stansbury. The eastern terminus of the route may be either Council Bluffs or Fort Leavenworth. It ascends the Platte and passes through the eastern chain of the Rocky mountains, (the Black Hills,) either by the North fork and its tributary, the Sweet Water, or the South fork and a tributary called Lodge Pole creek. By the former it enters upon the great elevated table- land in which the headwaters of the Platte and the Colorado of the west are found, by the South Pass, the ascent having been gradual from the first mountain gorge in the Black Hills, 30 miles above Fort Laramie, to the summit of the so-called pass, a distance of nearly 300 miles, bounded, generally, on either side, by mountains. This table-land, including the Laramie plains, extends 300 miles from east to west, and 100 from north to south. Its soil is light and dry ; its growth artemisia, with a little scattered grass, a border of the latter being found on the water-courses, and scattered cedars upon the mountains in the western half, By the second route, the same difference of elevation is overcome by the Cheyenne Pass, prob- ably in about the distance usual in the Rocky Mountain passes, the route thus entering the Laramie plains, which may be considered to form the eastern part of the Great Plateau first mentioned, From the Missouri river to the entrance of the Black Hills, the route resembles others from the Mississippi to the Rocky mountains, fully discussed elsewhere, and needs no special mention. It may be estimated to cost $35,000 per mile for construction and equipment, 25 per cent. having been added to cost at eastern prices for one-half the distance. Following the northern fork of the Platte, 30 miles above Fort Laramie, 520 from Council Bluffs, and 755 from Fort Leavenworth, this line enters the Black Hills through a gorge with vertical walls from 200 to 400 feet high; thence to the Red Buttes, 117 miles, the road must cross many streams coming from the Black Hills, that have cut deep ravines in the earth near their mouths. The construction will be costly. From the gorge of the Red Buttes to the Hot Spring gorge, 34 miles, the route lies through a valley. Above this point the Platte passes through exceedingly rugged ground, and is walled in by cafions. The road should leave the river just below the Hot Spring Gate, turn to the north, and cross the hills, the peaks of which are 800 feet above the Platte, giving an average grade of 133 feet to the mile for six miles, but which doubtless will be found steeper than the average near the summit, descend 10 miles, with an average grade of 56 feet to the mile, to the Sweet Water, a branch of the Platte. This stream occasionally cuts through spurs, making caiions, that of the Devil’s Gate being through granite; but it is represented to be generally rather ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 57 open, with abundant grass on the immediate bottoms, though the hills on either side are rocky and bare. At the source of the Sweet Water, the summit of the South Pass is attained, its elevation being 7,490 feet, the distance from the first gorge in the Black mountains being 291 miles, and from Fort Laramie 321 miles. This whole section, from the first gorge to the summit of the pass, 291 miles, will be expen- sive, and is assimilated, in amount of work required, to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and may be estimated, therefore, to cost, for construction and such equipment as will be required for first use, 50 per cent. being added for increased cost over eastern prices, $75,000 per mile. The only practicable route known, from the South Pass to the Great Basin, is by Fort Bridger through the passes in the Wahsatch mountains, explored by Lieutenant Beckwith. The route would traverse the Great Plateau, following Sandy creek, a tributary of Green river, to the crossing of the latter, from which point to Fort Bridger no doubt exists of its practi- cability. The distance is 131 miles; the elevation of Fort Bridger, 7,254 feet. The amount of work on this section would be considerably less than that on the preceding, and the construction and equipment may be estimated to cost $50,000 or $55,000 per mile; 50 per cent. being added to the cost at eastern prices. From Council Bluffs to Fort Bridger the distance is 942 miles, and from Fort Leavenworth 1,072 miles. The points of supply for ties, lumber, &c., will be found only at the eastern extremity, on the Black Hills and on the Wind River mountains, the distances apart being 500 and 300 miles. Fuel for working parties will be found along the Platte; none on the streams of the great plain west of the South Pass. Good building-stone is found on the Sweet Water. Coal is to be had at the eastern terminus, and extensive beds exist on Green river and its affluents; the distance apart of the points of supply being about 800 miles. The route along the South fork of the Platte and Lodge Pole creek, by the Cheyenne Pass and Bridger’s Pass, is not so well known as the other. Lodge Pole creek has never been continuously explored, and there is no profile of this route. Respecting the Cheyenne Pass, Captain Stansbury says his ‘‘examinations fully demonstrate the existence of a route through the Black Hills, not only practicable, but free from any obstructions involving in their removal great or unusual expenditure.’’ He gives no estimated grades, and had no barometer or other instrument for measuring elevations. From the Cheyenne Pass to Fort Bridger “the country can be crossed in many places, the choice being determined by considerations of fuel and water.’’ That selected crosses the divide between the waters of the North fork of the Platte and Green river, by Bridger’s Pass. The expense of construction on this route, from the Cheyenne Pass to Fort Bridger, would probably be less than that along the Platte. The rock-cutting would be small in amount, and in soft material. It crosses ground much cut up by ravines and gullies, and in many places easily torn up by the torrents, probably requiring care in location, and much masonry, which the absence of good building-stone would render expensive. Captain Stansbury says an extensive embankmentwill be required on Muddy creek, west of Bridger’s Pass. The dis- tance from Council Bluffs to Fort Bridger by this route is 897 miles. A reliable comparison of the cost of the two routes cannot be made with the present informa- tion; and in the estimate of the cost of the whole route, I shall adopt that by the South Pass, though Captain Stansbury, who examined both, is positive in his preference of the other. It is probable that no unusual difficulty may be apprehended from the depth of snow be- tween Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger. The quantity that falls is not exactly known. The eastern terminus of the exploration of Lieutenant Beckwith upon the route of the 41st parallel is at Fort Bridger, situated on Black’s fork, a tributary of Green river, at an eleva- tion of 7,254 feet above the sea. The line ascends the divide between the waters of Green river and those of the Great Salt lake, by the valley of Black’s fork or of one of its tributa- 8a 58 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. ries, with grades of 69.5 and 40.3 feet per mile. The summit is a broad terrace at the foot of the Uinta mountains, and has an elevation of 8,373 feet. From this point the line descends over the undulating country separating the Uinta and Bear River mountains, crosses the head of Bear river, and, entering the valley of White Clay creek at its head, follows that stream to its junction with Weber river. The Wahsatch mountains néw intervene between this rolling country and the Great Salt lake, and the passage through them may be effected by following Weber river, or by ascending to near the sources of the Timpanogos, and descending that stream—both being affluents, directly or indirectly, of the Great Salt lake. The distances are about the same to their common point on that lake. There are cafions upon both these streams; that of the Timpanogos is ten miles in length, and narrow, being from 100 to 300 yards in width. It is direct in its general course, but must be bridged at several points to avoid short curves. The sides are of blue limestone, and will require rock-blasting at some points. The river, thirty yards wide, descends with a pow- erful current, and, when most swollen, is six feet above its ordinary level. The upper cafion, on Weber river, is rather a gorge, or defile, eight and a half miles long. The mountains rise to a great height above it, and are rocky and precipitous, and much broken by ravines. The river is winding, and it will be necessary to cross it frequently. The lower cafon, near the borders of the valley of the Great Salt lake, is four miles long, direct, with an average width of 175 yards, the stream being thirty yards wide, and impinging, frequently, with great force against the base of the mountains, which are sufli- ciently retreating to admit of the practicable passage of a railway. Entering the valley of Great Salt lake from either this or the Timpanogos cation, there is no obstacle to the construction of a railway, passing by the south end of the lake, and crossing the Jordan, Tuilla valley, and Spring or Lone-Rock valley, to its west side. By the valley of the Timpanogos, the distance from near Fort Bridger to the south end of the Great Salt lake, on the western side of the valley of the Jordan, is 182.55 miles—the greatest grade required, eighty-four feet to the mile. The amount of work required on this section, excepting that along the cafion, will not, in the opinion of Lieutenant Beckwith, be great. ‘From the western shore of Great Salt lake to the valley of Humboldt river the country consists alternately of mountains, in more or less isolated ridges, and open, level plains, rising gradually from the level of the lake on the east to the base of the Humboldt mount- ains on the west—that is, from 4,200 feet to 6,000 feet above the sea.’’ West of the Hum- boldt mountains the country is of the same character, the plains declining until, at the west shore of Mud lake, usually called the foot of the Sierra Nevada, the elevation is 4,100 feet. Here the ground rises again to the plain, table-land or basin of the Sierra Nevada, whose eleva- tion is 5,200 feet above the sea. It is covered with irregular spurs, ridges, and isolated peaks, rising a few hundred feet, leaving a plain surface in a north and south direction sometimes ten miles, sometimes only a few hundred yards, in width. In an east and west direction this plain is about forty miles in extent, bounded at either end by mountains, the summits of the passes through which are 400 and 500 feet above the plain, and which prevent its drain- age into the Great Basin, or into the waters of the Pacific. This plain, or basin of the Sierra Nevada, might properly be called a part of the Great Basin, since it is in every respect similar to it. The mountains in this space of 500 miles, between the Great Salt lake and the foot of the Sierra Nevada, have a general north and south course; occasionally cross-spurs close the valleys to the north and south, but more frequently this isolation is only apparent. They are sharp, rocky, and inaccessible in many parts, but are low and easily passed in others, their general elevation varies from 1,500 to 3,000 feet above the valleys, and but few of them retain snow upon their highest peaks during the summer. They are liberally supplied with ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 59 springs and small streams, but the latter seldom extend far into the plains. At the time of melting snows there are many small ponds and lakes, but at other seasons the waters are absorbed by the soil near the base of the mountains. Grass is found in abundance upon nearly every range; but timber is very scarce, a small scattered growth of cedar only being seen upon afew ranges. East of the Humboldt mountains, the growth of cedars is more abundant and the grass better. The valleys rarely have a width east and west of more than five or ten miles, but often have a large extent north and south. They are irregular in form, frequently extend- ing around the ends of mountains, or uniting to succeeding valleys by level passages. The greater part of the surface of these valleys is merely sprinkled by several varieties of sombre artemisia, (wild sage,) presenting the aspect of a dreary waste ; though there are spots more thickly covered with this vegetation, yet the soil is seldom half covered with it for a few acres, and is nowhere suitable for settlement and cultivation. Immediately west of Great Salt lake there is a desert plain of mud, clay, and sand, impregnated with salt, seventy miles in width from east to west by its longest line, and forty at a narrower part further south—thirty miles of which must be piled for the passage of a railroad across it. A railroad may be carried over this series of plains, and around the mountain masses, at nearly the general level of the valleys. The route in this manner reaches the foot of the Humboldt mountains—a narrow but elevated ridge, containing much snow during most of the year—and crosses them by a pass nine miles long, about three of which are occupied by a narrow, rocky ravine, above which the road should be carried on the sloping spurs of the mountains on the western descent. Elevation of summit, 6,579 feet above the sea. At the time when passed, 21st May, snow covered the high peaks above it, and a few drifts extended into the ravines down to the level of its summit. The descent is now made to the open valley of Humboldt river, which is followed for about 190 miles. The steepest grade proposed in the pass of Humboldt mountain is eighty-nine feet per mile for eight miles, but this can be reduced by gaining distance to any desirable extent. The Humboldt river, as described by Colonel Fremont, is formed by two streams rising in mountains west of the Great Salt lake—the Humboldt mountains. Its general direction is from east to west, coursing among broken ranges of mountains; its length about three hundred miles. It is without affluents, and terminates near the foot of the Sierra Nevada in a marshy lake. It has a moderate current, is from two to six feet deep in the dry season, and probably not fordable anywhere below the junction of the two streams during the melting of the snows. The valley varies in width from a few miles to twenty, and, excepting the immediate river- banks, is a dry, sandy plain, without grass, wood, or arable soil. Its own immediate valley (bottom) is a rich alluvion covered with blue grass, herdsgrass, clover and other nutritious grasses, and its course is marked through the plain by a line of willow, serving for fuel. Of the three lines from the Humboldt river to the foot of the Sierra Nevada, the best is that by the Noble’s Pass road, as it avoids the principal range of mountains crossed on the line followed a few miles south. The line followed crosses two ranges of the general character of the Basin mountains, and reaches the foot of the Madelin Pass of the Sierra Nevada, on the west shore of Mud lake, in a distance of 119 miles, and at an elevation of 4,079 feet above the sea. The topographical features of the Great Basin present extraordinary facilities for the construc- tion of a railroad across it. By the route followed, the distance is more than 600 miles from the debouche of the Timpanogos river to the west shore of Mud lake. In this latitude, the Sierra Nevada was found to be a plateau about 5,200 feet above the sea, forty miles in width from east to west, enclosed at these limits by low mountains, the sum- mits of the passes through which are four and five hundred feet above its surface. The plain is covered with irregular spurs, ridges, and isolated peaks, rising a few hundred feet, limiting it in a north and south direction sometimes to a space of a few hundred yards, and in others to that of ten miles, These spurs, &c., on the eastern portion of the plateau are sparsely covered with cedar; on the western, heavily covered with pine, 60 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. There is no drainage from this plain, the waters of a few small streams and springs forming grassy ponds upon itssurface. In its general features it is similar to the Great Basin, excepting that as more rain falls upon it, the vegetation is comparatively luxuriant. The two routes by which this plain is reached from the Great Basin, and the descent after- wards made to the Sacramento river, are described in detail in the concluding chapter of Lieu- tenant Beckwith’s report. That called the Madelin Pass, the more northern, is most probably the better of the two, and is the only one necessary to be considered. Leaving Mud lake, it ascends by the valley of Smoky creek, for three miles through a narrow gorge (from 100 to 150 yards wide) in an outlying spur of the Sierra Nevada. The sides, formed of coarse, crumbling, metamorphic rock, much broken by side ravines, rise abruptly to the height of from fifty to two hundred feet on the south, and toa much greater elevation on the north side. The course of the gorge is direct, and can be followed without difficulty by a railroad. Above the gorge, the valley expands to the width of half a mile and a mile, and again becomes narrow; being enclosed on the north by retreating mountain spurs, the means of ascending by a very uniform grade is afforded. Near the summit the grassy ascent is but 200 yards wide, with rocky hills rising gently two or three hundred feet above it. The pass is, thus far, of a very favorable character; the length of the ascent is 22.89 miles, the difference of elevation 1,172 feet, the altitude of the summit 5,667 feet, and the steepest slope 75 feet per mile. By a gentle descent for five miles the plateau is gained, and then crossed to the low ridge enclosing it to the west, the summit elevation of which, 5,736 feet, is attained by following a ravine valley, sometimes a mile, at others a quarter of a mile wide, bounded by ridges rising gently on either side. The descent is commenced by a narrow ravine, and is at first rapid, 420 feet in 2.4 miles; but the ravine soon widens, and a creek descends from it with a free current, a tributary of the Sacramento river. A cut is proposed at the summit 120 feet deep, running out to the surface at either end, making a length in all of four miles, and a grade of 124 feet per mile for 2.4 miles. It may be preferable to tunnel instead of cutting, or to cut only one-half the depth proposed. The open plain of Round valley, on the Sacramento, is reached 15 miles from the summit, (difference of elevation 1,300 feet,) over one-half of which distance the road must be located along the mountain on the northeast side of the stream. Although the greater number of ravines is found on that side, there are no cafion walls, two of which exist on the southwestern side, From this point the route lies over the smooth plain of Round valley to the head of the first caiion on the Sacramento, a distance of 15 miles. This cafion is a formidable obstacle to be overcome. Its entire length is nearly 14 miles, succeeded by an open valley of similar extent, which is followed by a second cafion nine miles in length, of the same character as the first. From the mouth of Canoe creek, four miles below the foot of the second cation, for the space of 96 miles the course of the Sacramento lies entirely through heavily timbered mountains, which rise precipitously from the river-banks to the height of from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the stream. Its course is very sinuous, with all varieties of curves greater than a right-angle, and is seldom entirely straight for two miles consecutively. The construction of this portion of the route, 136 miles in length, would be one of no ordinary difficulty or expense under the most favorable circumstances of dense population, and the facilities of railroad construction which it would afford. It is impossible, with the data presented, to form a reliable opinion of its probable cost. To set down the amount of labor required at that of the Hudson river railroad, will be, it appears to me, to under-estimate it, since only a portion of that railroad, 144 miles long, runs through the mount- ainous district, whereas the whole of this is of that character. As an intelligible description of these portions of the river cannot be more brief than that of Lieut. Beckwith, I make the following extract from his resumé of the route: ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 61 EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF LinuTENANT Beckwitu. ‘Round valley, through which the Sacramento river descends from the northeast, and through which a road can be carried at pleasure, extends for fifteen miles below this point to the head of the first cation of the Sacramento. This cafion is a formidable obstacle to be overcome. Its entire length is 13.74 miles, succeeded by an open valley of similar extent, which is followed by another cafion, 8.95 miles in length, of the same character as the first. The river, as it enters the first cation, is from thirty to forty feet wide, flowing with a rapid current over a bed of rocks, and it is sixty feet wide as it enters the second cation just below the junction of Fall river, and flows over a similar bed with an equally swift current. At their heads these cafions are vertical, metamorphic rocks, eighty feet high, with large masses of fallen rocks accumulated at the bases of the walls. The first is cut through a high plain for six miles; the plain then rises somewhat, and is surmounted by high sloping ridges, rising five or six hundred feet above it, and the cation becomes much broader and its walls more elevated for two miles, to where it makes a large bend to the north; below this the walls gradually decrease, and in two miles the cafion opens to the width of half a mile, which it preserves for three miles to the succeeding valley. The highest portions of the walls rise two hundred feet above the stream, with an accumulation of fallen rocks extending half way to the top. For eight miles the course of the cafion is direct. It then makes a long bend to the north, and is followed by two or three short curves, but with a generally direct course. Its open part is timbered and its walls less abrupt, and on the right bank of the stream the mountains, followed by the river, extend considerably into the plain of Fall river. The most favorable line for the passage of a railway leads along the plain on the north side of the river, and descends the sides of the rocky hills which surmount it, and continues on the side of the mountain until it enters the plain of Fall river. The second cation is only less formidable than the first because of its less extent. Its character is entirely the same, except that it is surmounted near its head by sloping mountain ridges of a similar altitude to the former. But on the south side, a few miles distant, the ridge subsides into rocky volcanic hills and plains. It will require a minute survey to determine the most practicable line by which to pass it; but it is probable that the best line will be found to leave the river a few miles above Fall river, and to pass around the ridge extending southward, and again return to the Sacramento at the mouth of Canoe creek, four miles below the foot of the cafion, avoiding short curves which must be encountered in it, and diminishing the amount of rocky cutting; for, in the passage of each of these cafions the expense will be very heavy from this cause, and can only be estimated after an extensive and complete survey. ‘¢For ninety-six miles below the mouth of Canoe creek to seventeen miles above Fort Reading the course of the Sacramento lies entirely through heavily-timbered mountains, which rise precipitously from the river-banks to the height of from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the stream. Its course is winding, with all varieties of curves greater than a right-angle, and it is seldom entirely straight for two miles consecutively; but its general courses are more uni- form. “<The foot of the mountains along the stream is often obstructed by fallen rocks to such an extent as to prevent its passage on horseback, and it is also obstructed by fallen timber and dense thickets of bushes; but the obstructions from fallen rocks are favorable rather than other- wise, for the construction of a railroad, as they will serve to form its sub-structure. At many points, but for short distances only, the way is obstructed by rocks in place. The road will require to be carried on the side of the mountains, a few feet above the stream at high water, throughout this entire section to the open valley of the Sacramento, whence it can be continued on the open plain.”’ The estimate of cost may be set down at not less than from $150,000 to $200,000 per mile; 100 per cent. to the cost at eastern prices having been added. 62 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. Seventeen miles above Fort Reading the open valley of the Sacramento is attained, over which a railroad may be carried to the Bay of San Francisco, 250 or 300 miles distant. The distance from Fort Bridger to Fort Reading, by the line of Lieutenant Beckwith’s profile, is 1,012 miles; from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Bridger, 1,072 miles; making the whole distance from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Reading, on the Sacramento, 2,084 miles, and to Benicia 2,264 miles. The distance from Council Bluffs to Benicia, by the above route, is 2,134 miles. Using the line along which the route can be located in the Great Basin, about 103 miles shorter than that travelled, the distances become, from Fort Bridger to Fort Reading, 909 miles; from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Reading, 1,980 miles ; and to Benicia, 2,161 miles. The distance from Council Bluffs to Benicia becomes 2,031 miles. TIMBER, BUILDING MATERIALS, &C. Pine and fir are found on the Uinta mountains and terrace, and pine upon the Wahsatch mountains. Dense forests, furnishing timber of the best quality, cover the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada; the distance between these points of supply being about 700 miles. Lieu- tenant Beckwith is of opinion that the scattered growth of cedar upon the Basin mountains, between the Great Salt lake and the Sierra Nevada, is sufficiently large for ties, and ‘‘al- though it will require transporting for long distances, it is believed to be sufficiently abundant for the construction of the road.”’ Should this growth be found unsuitable for ties—and it has been so considered by me, in the review of the route near the 35th parallel—ties, as well as other lumber required for this portion of the route, must come from the Wahsatch or Uinta mountains on the east. and the western slope of the Sierra Nevada—the distances apart of these points being, as above stated, about 700 miles. FUEL. Should the coal beds in the Great Plain of Green river prove to be of such quality and extent as to admit of their being profitably worked, they will supply fuel for the use of the road for 600 miles west of that plain, or for as much more of the remaining 230 miles to the western slope of the Sierra Nevada as may be found economical, The cedar growth of the Great Basin could furnish but a very small supply of fuel. The distance between the supply of coal near Fort Leavenworth and that of Green river may be set down at 800 miles, and to the cost of mining must be added that of transportation for a mean distance of 200 miles over the railroad, for the mean cost of the coal throughout this distance of 800 miles. This estimate does not take into account the changes in the physical condition of the country that the construction of a railroad would effect on this as upon all other routes. When the annual burning of the prairies ceases, it is thought that trees will be found in many places now destitute of them—that a greater amount of precipitation will then take place, the forest growth be extended, and thus not only supplies of lumber, fuel, &c., be found where none now exist, but a gradual amelioration of soil likewise take place. SNOW—CLIMATE, The information respecting the amount of snow to be met with in the ravines of the mount- ain passes, and caiions, and respecting the winter climate of these portions of the route, is meagre. Apparently, Lieutenant Beckwith does not apprehend unusual difficulties m the working of a railroad on the route from this cause. That the winter is long and severe on the most elevated portions, especially on the great plateau and divide between the waters of Green river and the Great Salt lake, is to be inferred from the fact that when Lieutenant Beck- ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY SECOND PARALLELS. 63 with’s party was on this divide, about the 10th of April, the streams were not swollen, and they could not discover that the depth of snow (from 12 to 16 inches) was less than in winter ; that is, the sun had not yet begun to melt it; on the northeast slopes of the hills and ravines it had accumulated in deep drifts. The spring freshets of Weber and Timpanogos rivers are six feet in height. Captain Stansbury says that the Uinta mountains were covered with snow for a consider- able distance from their summits on the 19th of August, 1849. The following extracts from his report may give an idea of the severity of the winter in the mountains east of the Great Basin. Of the winter of 1849-50, he says: ‘‘I had hoped, from the representations which had been made to me of the mildness of the two previous winters, that we should be able to keep the field the greater part, if not the whole of the season; but, in the latter part of November, the winter set in with great and unusual severity, accompanied by deep snows, which rendered any further prosecution of the work impracticable.’’—(Page 120 of Report.) “«The winter season in the valley was long and severe. The vicinity of so many high mount- ains rendered the weather extremely variable; snows fell constantly upon them, and fre- quently to the depth of ten inches in the plains. In many of the cafions it accumulated to the depth of fifty feet, filling up the passes so rapidly that, in more than one instance, emi- grants who had been belated in starting from the States were overtaken by the storms in the mountain gorges, and forced to abandon everything, and escape on foot, leaving even their animals to perish in the snows. All communication with the world beyond was thus effect- ually cut off; and, as the winter advanced, the gorges became more and more impassable, owing to the drifting of the snow into them from the projecting peaks. ‘We remained thus shut up until the 3d of April.’’-—(Page 122.) The Uinta terrace and the great plain of Green river no doubt possess the usual attributes of elevated table-lands, dryness of atmosphere, and great difference between the temperature of day and night, increased by their great elevation of 8,000 and 7,000 feet. But the precipi- tation on the mountains is very much greater. The winter temperature of the vicinity of the Great Salt lake is generally mild, tempered, no doubt, by the large body of salt water. That of the Great Basin generally, I should infer to be more severe. Dr. Wozencraft, of California, visited the plateau of the Sierra Nevada about the 10th January, 1854, and found the snow on the route of Lieutenant Beckwith to average six inches in depth, and nowhere reaching eight or ten inches in its average fall; but encountered one drift of snow on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, in a ravine, extending a mile, averaging two feet or two feet and a half in depth. From the observations of the Surgeon General’s department, the results of which are tabulated below, it appears that of the 6.18 inches of rain that fell during December, 1853, January and February, 1854, at Fort Reading, on the Sacramento, in lat. 40° 28’, 1.18 inch had fallen previous to the 10th January, and this fell during December; that is, about one-fifth of the whole winter precipitation of that year had fallen previous to the 12th January. On that day, 1.30 inch of rain fell. The plateau of the Sierra Nevada partakes of the character of mountain and table-land. It is probable that on the western portion, at least as much rain falls as at Fort Reading ; on the eastern portion, probably much less. Should the winter precipitation be in the form of snow, it is probable, then, that 7.6 feet of snow falls on the western part of the plateau during December, January, and February—the mean winter fall of rain at Fort Reading being 7.6 inches. The mean winter temperature of this portion of the plateau is not, probably, higher than 30°.2 Fahrenheit, that of Fort Reading being 47°.2 Fahrenheit. The temperature of the eastern portion is probably lower. 64 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. Yearly precipitation and temperature at Fort Reading, Sacramento river, California, latitude 40° 28’. | 7 { 2 = = : E 3 2 4 | =e 3 = a = > | & = - 2 S > Year. S I S SF ee . a 5 Pam ates = = E Sirs z a 5 = |) = > Eb = Sl 3 = = 2 = a C eo i tee ee = EI = 2 Sane 2 & = = = > 5 & | = < = 5 < n O71 32 =) n 7 < = > a | | | | — } (SS ee | 4.66 3.18 | 7.11 4.57 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 2.52 1.18 | 12.38 | 0.24 | 2.56 | 7.84 | 23.02 } | | LSS4wceceeceeees 2.90 | 2.10 | 8.00 | 3.07 | 2.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.26 | 0.87 |....... 13.47 | 0.00 | 3.13 | 6.18 | 22.78 | | Gy Mean......0+ | 3.78 | 2.64 | 7.55 | 3.82 1.55 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.12 | 0.01 1.14 1.69 1.18 | 12.92 | 0.12 | 2.84 | 7.60 | 23.48 | } Observations for December, 1854, have not yet been received. For the mean of the two years the rain for that month has been supposed to be the same as in 1853. Mean temperature of Fahrenheit from two years’ observations. ° ° | ° | ° December ........2+e00+ 47.0 WERT siete scaininiais'olotssist ste 53.74 | JUNC... .ceeeeeeeeeeees 75.30 September........00000. 71.84 JAaNuary .eceecsesceeees 44.25 Ma Paced COSCO AEE 60.02 July... ier 84.40 |} October ......... on 64.03 EDIUOLY. fe eieisisoicislesic cies 50.55 WLS riaeleetcatsaisratsinesieis 66.71 August 78.95 November 54.72 Winter .......... 47.2 | Spring secenee. om 60.16 | Summer......... 79.55 Autumn......s.e.. 63.53 Abundant supplies of water were found by Lieut. Beckwith on the mountains of the Basin. The season of the year when he crossed it, the spring, was the most favorable. In the dry season, the supply is, no doubt, much less abundant. SOIL, The only large body of cultivable soil found on this route west of the 99th meridian, is that occupied by the Mormons on the western foot-slopes of the Wahsatch mountains, forming the eastern border of the Great Basin. The following description of this fertile tract is taken from Lieut. Beckwith’s report upon the route near the 38th and 39th parallels of north latitude : ““The western range of the Wahsatch mountains, standing on the eastern border of the Great Basin, is continuous, extending north and south over five degrees of latitude, from the vicinity of Little Salt lake to north of Bear river, broken only by the passage of the Sevier, Timpanogos, Weber, and Bear rivers. Its altitude at 3,000 feet above the general level of the country is quite uniform ; but it occasionally falls down to 2,000, and at a few points rises to 4,000 and 4,500 feet. Its western slope is very steep—often inaccessible—presenting gen- erally a formidable barrier to the entrance of a railroad into the Basin from the east. Many small streams descend from it; and as far as its disintegrations have been deposited at its base upon the alkaline plains of the Basin, it forms a rich soil. This line of deposite is narrow, and not continuous, but varying in width, where it is found, from two or three miles to ten or twelve at a few points, as opposite Utah and Great Salt lakes, where it occupies the entire space from the mountain to the lake shores. It is to this narrow belt of land that the Mor- mon settlements are almost exclusively confined, the isolated settlements being upon similar deposites in small valleys at the base of other mountains, the small mountain streams, upon which these deposites are the richest, and chiefly exist, being used for irrigation. Respectable crops of wheat and oats are produced, and barley has been cultivated to, some extent; but corn does not flourish well. The grass of this district and of the higher mountain valleys is excellent; and potatoes and other roots are produced in abundance, and of a superior quality.’’ The area of this body of fertile soil, susceptible of irrigation by the construction of suitable works, is estimated by Lieutenant Beckwith at 1,108 square miles. ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 65 The areas of the different localities are estimated as follows: Square miles. Eastern shore of Great Salt lake, from Bear river to Great Salt Lake City........... 350 allevaor there Ondam peiver, os. caves sucs asec lisetses ©secics «as seieiias ee vleelaelaise s@iolageste alasieaa ales 374 Valley of Tuilla, west of Oquirrh mountains and east of Cedar mountains.............. 204 Piotalwoun Greaty salt lace) MnO pers, andes serie ch vesepiscascte-ciselgeisceiiduaiganasetiectias se seselyte se 928 Wipontihesborderstof Witahtlakees ae cstcwadsecieccces ss losses este sessile scmeceeiesiess eeeerunedas 180 MING tenl (GSMA OVE) ems caeisclaceeiossies nalts snesia-teis laluaidals selasaieaiapsinae ee seisrisisesseesle we eelsslnessilgaseciits 1,108 About one-tenth of this area is susceptible of irrigation without the construction of costly works, and is tilled by the Mormons, 27,000 in number, who eagerly seek for, and occupy, small tracts of cultivable soil, if sufficiently large to support a few families, even though at great distances from the main settlement. On this route, as on others, from the 98° or 99° meridian westward to the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, a distance of about 1,400 miles, the soil is generally uncultivable, the excep- tion being the comparatively limited area of the Mormon settlement, and an occasional river- bottom and mountain-valley of small extent. East of the Rocky mountains the plains are of the same character as those described for the route of the 38th and 39th parallels, uncultivable west of the 99th meridian. West of the first chain of these mountains the plains are covered with artemisia, rarely furnishing any grazing, except along the water-courses. The mountains, however, are generally covered, to a greater or less extent, with grass—the soil of those north, south, and west of the route between Fort Bridger and the headwaters of the Timpanogos river being of superior quality. The absence of the geological report prevents my referring to the geological structure, which together with the climatological conditions, serve to corroborate or disprove opinions formed on appearances of sterility or fertility. The indications given of the character of both, however, from the report, are sufficient to establish the general correctness of the opinions expressed. ESTIMATE OF PROBABLE COST. This estimate is made to show the probable relative cost of this route, as compared with others. That portion of it for the difficult and costly section of the Sacramento river, 136 miles in length, and for the cafion on the Timpanogos river, I have less confidence in than in the esti- mates generally. The estimate includes an equipment suitable for the first working of the road, about one-fifth that requisite for the development of its full power. From Council Bluffs to the first gorge of the Black Hills, 520 miles, 25 per cent. being added to cost at eastern prices for one-half the distance, $35,000 POG CNEL e acu aevenvoscnce<sdeveovecevedauencdersonscosseas es ssindegeccdesoncescecsgacsecsndersnastines $18,200,000 From the first gorge of the Black Hills to the summit of the South Pass, 291 miles, at $75,000 per mile, 50 per cent. having been added to cost at eastern ae ete eee eae oc ieee ys Seiaal satiee ses vnn'nnuaoeenndaenivipiese-sqciendecnncegusaeaneevasiins $21,825,000 From the South Pass to Fort Bridger, 131 miles, at $50,000 per mile, 50 per cent. having been added to cost at eastern PTiCeS.........sseeeeeeeeeeeeee eet eeee esse eres $6,550,000 From Fort Bridger to the Pacific, 100 per cent. has been added to the cost at east- ern prices. From Fort Bridger, Green River valley, to foot of Oquirrh mountains, south end of the Great Salt lake, deducting ten miles for the length of the cafion on the Timpanogos river, 173 miles, at $60,000 per mile.............. dnnedooseaoredenoo . $10,380,000 9a AN 66 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. Ten miles of cajion on the Timpanogos river, at $150,000 per mile..............008 . $1,500,000 From the Oquirrh mountains, Great Salt lake, to the head of the first cafion on the Sacramento river, deducting ten miles of the length of the pass in the eastern ridge of the Sierra Nevada, and seventeen miles of the length of the : pass in the western ridge of the Sierra Nevada, 547 miles, at $45,000 per ibd ta aSRigsupUBoud sdddacbosacseoucnsocs Kabigkiesbeeserecseaeweloussssvesssccmeeane emeeeaemetonetce mentee $24,615,000 Portion of the pass of the western ridge of the Sierra Nevada, seventeen miles, $100:000 par miles: s.cticiiscteoseaseacstoespasaneeceenes seentaee eeae emma ee". apa aaa $2,700,000 From the head of the first cation on the Sacramento river to the termination of the mountain passage of the river, seventeen miles above Fort Reading, 135.5 miles; ab pis 0/000mpers mill ebypeeee cocaine eseccneee acleecereeeeseninese tints tess vos. eeemereenae $20,325,000 Thence to Fort Reading, on the Sacramento river, seventeen miles, and thence to Benicia, 180 miles; being about 200 miles, at $50,000 per mile................6000 $10,000,000 BIG adaetehos sch soe hs hans tera e ae ares ame slic cit ene $116,095 ,000 GENERAL REMARKS. The characteristic features of this route consist in the table-land character of the two great mountain systems of the continent, the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Nevada, in the latitude where crossed by it, in the distance from the eastern foot of the Rocky mountains to the Great Basin (350 miles,) being the least, and in the width of the Great Basin, whose topographical features (those technically called movements of ground) are so highly favorable to the construction of a railroad, being here the greatest, 500 miles. These elevated table-lands of the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Nevada bear some general resemblance, in their topographical features, independent of vegetation, to one of the ele- mentary or small basins of the Great Basin; they are bounded on the east and west by ridges, whose crests are at no great height above the general plateau, but several thousand feet above the plains from which the mountain systems rise. In the Rocky mountain plateau, this difference of elevation is upwards of 4,000 feet ; in the Sierra Nevada upwards of 3,000 feet on the east, the mountain slopes on the west descending to nearly the level of the sea. The Sierra Nevada assumes this table-land character again in latitude 35°. The South Pass cannot be considered favorable, since it requires expensive construction for nearly 300 miles. The route by the Cheyenne Pass may be found more favorable, but there is not sufficient known of it to determine this. The unfavorable feature of the passes in the Wahsatch mountains consists in their cafions, where the expense of construction will be great. The two cafions of the Sacramento, fourteen and nine miles in length, and the very sinuous course of the river for the space of ninety-six miles, through heavily timbered mount- ains, rising precipitously from the stream, form the principal characteristic unfavorable features of the route, the cost of constructing a railroad along which cannot be properly estimated until minute surveys are made, It partakes of the character of the route near the 47th parallel, in the long and severe winters on the plains east of the Rocky mountains and westward to the Great Basin. The profiles compiled in the office show the route, near the 41st parallel, by the South fork of the Platte, the Cheyenne and Bridger’s Pass. The estimate is made for the route by the South Pass. SUPPLEMENT TO ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS; PREPARED BY LIEU- TENANT G. K. WARREN, TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS. The great South Pass, one of the key-points of this route, has in its character nothing of a mountain gap, being merely a depression in the line of intersection of two gently inclined ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. 67 plains sloping east and west. A few miles to the north of it commences the elevated range called the Wind River chain, (a portion of the Rocky mountains,) while an extensive table- land, dotted here and there with isolated hills, stretches away to the south. This elevated plateau is in latitude 42° north, and, viewed as a whole, may be said to extend east and west from the Black Hills to the Bear mountains; and from the Wind River mountains and Black Hills in the north, to the Park and Uinta mountains in the south, having a length from east to west of about 290 miles, and breadth north and south of 100 miles. Its general eleva- tion is about 7,500 feet, though in portions it has been reduced to 6,000 feet by the action of streams. The direction taken by the waters of its surface, divide this great plateau into three dis- tinct parts,—one drained by the Laramie river, one by the North fork of the Platte and Sweet Water river, and the other by the Green river and other branches of the great Colorado of the west. The divides between each of these portions are slight, and such, perhaps, as have been produced by the action of the waters alone. Small lake basins exist in several parts, which contain only pools of brackish water, proving in themselves the dryness of the climate, since the accumulated waters have never been sufficient to force an outlet or form a continuous lake. The waters that traverse the other portions come mainly from the mountains. The amount of snow that falls is not exactly known, but it must be small; and there is reason to think that, probably, the accumulations of the winter will rarely exceed one foot in depth. During certain seasons of the year, (the spring,) parts of this plateau are well watered, and abound with buffalo and other game. Captain Stansbury saw abundant signs of the buffalo having been in immense numbers just west of Bridger’s Pass; but at the time, (September,) they had all disappeared in search of water. He also encountered slight rains and fog in this vicinity ; but the character of the soil was such as promised fertility, had there been a suf- ficiency of moisture, the absence of which is the curse of all this region. Excepting the immediate banks of the streams, some of which produce grass and trees of cotton-wood, willow, and aspen, it is one vast sage or artemisia desert. All reports concur in giving it this char- acter. The rocks and soil in the western part are soft and easily crumbled, and, under the action of its torrent-like streams during spring freshets, are much abraded and torn away; and the debris scattered over the bottoms have, in many cases, destroyed every particle of vegetation, and reduced these to the most perfect desolation. The valley of the North fork of the Platte is narrow and well timbered with magnificent cotton-wood, but west of this Captain Stansbury says he saw nothing deserving the name of tree, only a few stunted cedars being found between the Platte and Green rivers, 175 miles. The Wind River mountains are clothed with excellent pine and other trees, but the imme- diate hills on either side of the Sweet Water are naked. Wood is found in the Black Hills and Park mountains, (of the amount I cannot speak positively,) and also in the Bear, Wah- satch, and Uinta mountains. Coal is found in quantity in various localities on branches of Green river; it is bituminous, and thought to belong to the odlitic period.* Captain Stansbury found seams of it ten feet in thickness, and he says the quantity is, apparently, unlimited. We have to regret, that after all the explorations in this belt of country, and after having so long been a highway to Oregon, Salt lake, and California, little is positively known about its geology. Of the great section of country lying east of the extended plateau of which we have been speaking, and which, beginning at the foot of the Black Hills at an elevation of about 5,000 feet, reaches to the Mississippi, there is little to be said which is peculiar to the route under consideration. It has the same general features as in the other latitudes. In the eastern part it is a beautiful and fertile prairie, with wood upon the banks of the streams, and coal * See remarks of Professor James Hall, attached to Fremont’s report, 1842-’3—'4, p. 298. 68 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS. beneath its surface. As we go west it loses this character, and about the 99th and 100th meridians becomes, for the most part, dry and almost barren. The islands of the Platte are well wooded as far west as the 99th meridian. From the 100th meridian to the base of the Black Hills, it is in summer hot and arid, and the summer winds, in many places, as they come from the hills, seem to have just left a furnace. Wood and grass in this portion (250 miles) are very scarce. The favorite feature of the great section east of the mountains is the almost direct flow of the Platte and its branches from west to east, enabling us to obtain a location along the foot of the bluffs, which will give for the most a continuously ascending grade, and avoid the rolling coun- try. Wood, water, and grass will also be found here more abundant than on the divides between the streams. This location, however, will no doubt involve much cutting and em- bankment, with frequent culverts. There are two routes proposed for crossing the great plateau west of the Black Hills: one by the South Pass, in latitude 42° 20’, longitude 113°; and the other by Bridger’s Pass, in latitude 41° 13’, longitude 110° 48’. If we begin at Council Bluffs, a route through either pass would have a common location in the valley of the Platte, to the junction of the North and South forks. Here they would separate; the one by the South Pass taking the North fork and Sweet Water, and the one by Bridger’s Pass taking the South fork and Lodge Pole creek. The elevation at Council Bluffs is 1,300 feet; at the junction of the forks of the Platte, 2,900 feet; distance, 300 miles; average grade, 2 feet per mile. As regards a connexion with Great Salt Lake City, the latter would be the more direct; but it is still a question as to which would be the better route for a railroad, though Captain Stans- bury, who was over both, is positive in his preference for Bridger’s Pass. Unfortunately he had no barometer or means of measuring elevations, and much is left to be inferred. The fol- lowing facts concerning the two routes are extracted from Fremont’s and Stansbury’s reports : By the South Pass.—The Platte river, 30 miles above Fort Laramie, and 220 miles above the junction of the forks, comes through a gorge with vertical walls, 200 to 400 feet high, — formed by spurs from the Black Hills, and changes its character from a mountain stream to a river of the plains. Thence to the Red Buttes, 117 miles, there are numerous streams coming into the Platte from the Black Hills, which have made deep cuts in the earth near their mouths. The railroad would probably, through this portion, keep near the present wagon-road some miles to the south of the Platte, where the greatest obstruction Fremont found to his wagons was the strong growth of artemisia. A road along this section would be expensive, though the grades would probably not be difficult. At the gorge of the Red Buttes ‘the river is not much pent up, there being a bank of considerable though variable breadth on either side.’? A road could be located through this. Thence to the Hot Spring Gate, 34 miles, is an open valley. Above this point, the Platte is ‘exceedingly rugged and walled in by cafions.’? The road just below the Hot Spring Gate should turn off to the north, up the sandy bed of a dry creek to the summit of the Hills, the peaks of which are only 800 feet above the Platte; grade, 133 feet per mile for 6 miles. Then a gradual slope, 56 feet per mile, for 10 miles, conducts to the Sweet Water, at an elevation of about 5,640 feet; distance from Red Buttes, 50 miles. The Sweet Water occasionally cuts through spurs, making cafions, (that of the Devil’s Gate being through granite;) but generally it is represented as rather open, and the immediate bottoms abound in soft grasses. The hills on either side are ‘‘rocky and bare.’’ At one of the head-branches of the Sweet Water we reach the South Pass, (eleva- tion 7,490 feet,) 124 miles from where we first struck the Sweet Water; average grade for the first 12 miles east of the summit, 22.5 feet, and the remaining 112 miles 14.7 feet per mile. The grades between these points would probably be somewhat undulating, but the present surveys do not afford the means of judging their extent. From the Red Buttes to the South Pass would be an expensive road, but it does not involve any difficult problem of engineering. Little need be apprehended from snows. The necessary fuel for working-parties ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY-SECOND PARALLELS, 69 could no doubt be obtained from the Platte, and ties from the Wind River chain, and excellent building-stone on the Sweet Water. The sum of the known ascents to be overcome from Council Bluffs to the South Pass is 6,650 feet, including 460 feet at the Hot Spring Gate, to avoid which it was gained and lost. The Bear River mountains, lying due west from the South Pass, forbid any direct passage in that direction. As yet, we know of no practicable way of reaching Salt lake but by Fort Bridger, through the pass explored by Lieut. Beckwith. This would carry us down the Sandy creek, a tributary of Green river, with coal in its banks, to the crossing of the latter stream: elevation 6,238 feet ; distance 81 miles; average grade for the first four miles west of the South Pass, 70 feet; and for the remaining 77, 13 feet per mile. The width of Green river is here 400 feet, and the ford excellent, (Aug. 16, 1843.) No doubt exists as to the practicability of connecting with Lieut. Beckwith’s survey in the neighborhood of Fort Bridger, elevation 7,254 feet; distance from Green river 50 miles: we thus have, from Council Bluffs to Fort Bridger, by the South Pass route, a total of ascents and descents of 9,386 feet, and a total distance of 943 miles. By Bridger’s Pass.—This proposed route is not so well known as the other. It keeps the South fork of the Platte (100 miles) to the mouth of Lodge Pole creek, which it is then pro- posed to take. This creek has never been continuously explored. Frémont crossed it near its mouth, and represents it as a clear, handsome stream, running through a broad valley, having a uniform width of 22 feet and depth of 6 inches, (July 6, 1842,) afew green willows on its banks forming a pleasing contrast to the surrounding barrenness. The timber appeared to have been formerly more abundant. He crossed this creek again, as near as he could ascertain from his ‘‘uncertain means of information,’’ about 120 miles from its mouth, the elevation being about 4,800 feet : the banks were here about 700 feet above the stream; average slope about four feet per mile. From this point to the Cheyenne Pass, in the Black Hills, is about 60 miles. The Black Hills act here much like the sustaining walls of a terrace, the plain at their east base being much lower than at the west. Capt. Stansbury says, speaking of this pass, that his ‘‘examina- tions fully demonstrate the existence of a route through the ‘ Black Hills’ not only practicable, but free from any obstructions involving, in their removal, great or unusual expenditure.” The elevation of the east base of the mountains must be about 5,000 feet; the elevation of Laramie plain is 7,500 feet ; the most favorable supposition is, that the pass is no higher. Not knowing in what distance this elevation is gained, it is impossible to speak of the grades. In crossing the divide between Laramie and Medicine Bow rivers, the elevation is given by Frémont at 7,994 feet; but there is such a confusion between Frémont’s and Stansbury’s maps, that its distance from the Cheyenne Pass cannot be ascertained. At the crossing, the North fork of the Platte has a width of 160 feet, depth 2 feet, (Sept. 6, 1850 ;) elevation, by Frémont, 6,820 ; distance from Cheyenne Pass, by Stansbury, 102 miles; thence to the summit of Bridger’s Pass 30 miles. Capt. 8. says the slope either way from the summit is so gentle as scarcely to be perceptible. In the table of distances we find it stated, that ‘‘the champaign country continues north to the Wind River mountains, and can be crossed in many places, the choice being determined by considerations of fuel and water.’ Tt is altogether probable this pass does not differ much in elevation from the South Pass, and may be supposed the same, viz: 7,490 feet. From the summit west the line descends Muddy creek a few miles, then crosses a rolling divide, (height not known,) between it and Bitter creek, both tributaries of Green river, and down the latter to Green river, elevation about 6,200 feet; distance from Bridger’s Pass 135 miles; (the Green river is here 800 feet wide; the deepest water found, September 13, was 3 feet, but in high stages it is a formidable stream, and will have to be ferried;) thence to Fort Bridger, 50 miles. One important feature of this route, from the Cheyenne Pass to 70 ROUTE NEAR THE FORTY-FIRST AND FORTY SECOND PARALLELS. Bridger’s Fort, is the small amount of rock-cutting, and even that in very soft material. It, however, crosses ground much cut up by ravines and gullies, and many places easily torn up by the torrents, probably requiring great caution in location and much masonry, which the absence of good building-stone would render exceedingly expensive. An extensive embank- ment will be required on Muddy creek. It is probably very deficient in wood, for nowhere contiguous to it are large supplies reported to exist. Coal is abundant on the Green River section. From Council Bluffs to Fort Bridger, by this route, is 897 miles. If my reasoning as to elevations is correct, the sums of the ascents and descents are at least 12,082 feet. Apply- ing the equation of grade, this would give an increased length of 229 miles—making the total equivalent horizontal distance 1,126 miles. For the route by the South Pass we have, in the same way, an increased length of 178 miles, and an equivalent horizontal line 1,120 miles. I do not think it possible to make a correct comparison as to cost of constructing the two routes. It could only be done after careful examination on the ground with that object in view. Should any route to Oregon be found practicable, leading along the foot of the Wind River mountains up the head-streams of Green river, and across the mountains between them and the headwaters of the Snake or Lewis river, the South Pass would gain additional importance as a point from which branckes could be sent both to Salt lake and California, and to the Columbia. There are reasons to believe that this latter route may be practicable; and it is, at least, wor- thy of a careful examination. The straight line from the South Pass to Fort Hall is 175 miles, while by the route surveyed by Frémont it is 444 miles, being the one usualiy trav- elled by emigrants. The known abundance of grass and water in the beautiful valley of Bear river has justified this great detour, to enjoy its plenty and repose, recruit the energies exhausted by the long journey already performed, and prepare for the desert of the Snake River yalley. It is said by Mr. Lander, that the more direct northern route to Oregon is about to be opened for emigrants. If a feasible route be found between the headwaters of Green and Snake rivers, the exploration should be continued to Wallah-Wallah, as the passage of the Blue mountains is not yet demonstrated to be wholly practicable, either by the way of the Grande Ronde or the cations of Snake river, The profiles will show the present emigrant route to Oregon, as surveyed by Frémont, and give all the facts necessary to be considered. Enough is there shown to demonstrate its impracticability for a railroad. The pass over the Bear River mountains might, however, be avoided by going south of Fort Bridger. CHAPTER JILL, ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS OF NORTH LATITUDE. The general consideration that determined the position of the route to be examined near the 38th and 89th parallels of latitude, was its central position geographically—it being about midway between the northern and southern boundary lines of the United States—which is likewise the position, nearly, of the Bay of San Francisco, the two termini of the route, St. Louis and San Francisco, being respectively in latitudes 39° and 38°, nearly. A route near these parallels would probably give the shortest road from the Bay of San Francisco to the navigable waters of the Mississippi. But, since the only passes in the Sierra Nevada practicable for a railroad, yet made known, are found in latitudes 41° and 35°, this advantage of centrality of position is lost upon entering the Great Basin, in longitude 112° or 113°. Neither do the features of the country, from and including the Rocky mountains to the Great Basin, favor the construction of a railroad along this line, recommended by considerations connected with its central geographical position, for the elevation of the two passes through the Rocky mountains, the Sangre de Cristo and Coo-che-to-pa, 9,200 feet and 10,000 feet, are the highest known practicable for a railroad, exceeding by 4,000 feet and 5,000 feet the highest mountain pass on the route near the 32d parallel, and by 3,000 feet and 4,000 feet the elevation of the passes on the route near the 47th parallel; and from the Rocky mountains westward to the Great Basin, 500 miles, the country is so broken, and the difficulties of construction so great, and the expense would be so enormous, that the building of a railroad over this portion may be pronounced impracticable. In neither soil, climate, productions, nor population, nor from any other cause, does it possess advantages superior to other routes, favoring the construction and working of a railroad. The concluding chapter of Lieutenant Beckwith’s report upon the route from Westport to Sevier lake recapitulates so clearly and forcibly the characteristics of the country through which it passes, the nature of the soil, climate, and topographical features, the amount and quality of timber, fuel, stone, &c., with their bearing upon the construction and working of a railroad, that nothing remains to be added to it. It appears that from the western frontier of the State of Missouri to the Sangre de Christo Pass, 650 miles, no timber suitable for railroad purposes will be found upon the route upon which reliance can be placed; that from the Coo-che-to-pa Pass to the Great Basin, more than 500 miles, there is no growth of timber on the route, and that such as exists in the mountains north and south of the line is too difficult of access to be available; nor is any to be found in the Great Basin on the route as far as followed towards Sevier lake, the nearest known supplies being in the mountains to the north, in latitude 40° or 41°. With building stone generally, it is, like the other routes, sufficiently well supplied. Of water, there is a sufficient supply on the whole route, except between Grand and Green rivers, a distance of 70 miles, over which at certain periods of the year it is probable little or none can be obtained. The soil west of the meridian of 99° is, under the present meteorological conditions, unculti- vable, except in limited portions of river bottoms and small mountain valleys; these latter, from their great elevation, being better adapted to grazing than agricultural purposes. This description is completely in accordance with the geological formation and meteorological con- 72 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS. dition, the former from the meridian of 99° west being apparently tertiary, excepting in the high mountain passes. The great coal field of Missouri lies at the eastern extremity of the road, and could supply fuel on the route as far as the Rocky mountains—and still further west, should the coal for- mations on Grand river not yield an abundant supply. The existence of a seam one foot thick, though not sufficient for profitable working, is a good indication that others accompany it that would admit of mining. In regard to grade and construction, it would appear that the Sangre de Cristo and Coo-che-to-pa passes are practicable; the latter with a tunnel nearly two miles long; their great- est grades are 103 and 124 feet per mile; their elevations are 9,200 and 10,000 feet above the sea, the general elevation of the mountain chains being 2,000 and 2,500 feet higher than this. The construction of the road through the Coo-che-to-pa Pass and the western approach to it would be costly under favorable circumstances of population, &c., not only on account of the tunnel, but of the numerous ravines that are crossed west of the pass, and the cation that follows. From the head of the caiion on Grand river, not far below the mouth of Coo-che-to-pa creek, to the Uncompahgra river, a distance of 70 miles, the ground is cut up with deep, wide, precipitous ravines, (the largest several hundred feet deep,) over which the construction of a railroad is utterly impracticable. These ravines cannot be turned near the mountains with- out encountering similar difficulties, and at a cost greater than that of a route along the river. Thus the route is forced upon Grand river, and along its cation, 60 miles in length, broken and interrupted by the deep ravines already mentioned, and numerous smaller gulleys. The road-way throughout the greater part of this distance must be blasted out of solid rock, and these wide ravines, from 100 to 200 feet deep, where they cut through the cafion, crossed by via- ducts or filling. Then follow 50 miles to the mouth of Blue river, the construction still of a difficult and costly character from the cafions of the river and broken nature of the ground. From Blue to Green river is 100 miles, over which the road will require numerous bridges and culverts, and a costly road-bed foundation of broken stone or piling over a clayey soil, in which, in wet weather, animals sink half-leg deep. From Green river to the Wahsatch Pass, about 80 miles, the construction would still be of a costly character, the country being of the same ravine and chasm-like nature as that between the mouth of Coo-che-to-pa creek and Uncompahgra river, though on a smaller scale. Next follows the Wahsatch Pass, the work in which is difficult and expensive; the greatest grade is 131 feet per mile; a tunnel not quite three-quarters of a mile long is requisite; and finally a caiion 16 miles long on Salt creek, the walls of which are frequently broken by lateral streams, gives the only route along which the road can be brought, by cutting in solid rock at very great expense. The difficulties of engineering, and the cost of construction of this portion of the route from the Coochetopa Pass to Sevier river, in the Great Basin, a distance of about 500 miles, would be so great that it may be pronounced impracticable; and it is evident, from the report of Lieu- tenant Beckwith, that, to use his own language, ‘‘no other line exists in the immediate vicinity of this worthy of any attention in connexion with the construction of a railroad from the Mis- sissippi river to the Great Basin.”’ It is unnecessary, therefore, to consider the route further, or to enter into any discussion connected with the probable practicability and cost of constructing and working a railroad over other portions of the route, where not one counterbalancing advantage is to be found to compensate, in any degree, for the enormous cost of that under consideration. Laying aside the utter impracticability of this route, the following considerations will show its disadvantages as regards expenses of working, supposing it constructed. From Westport to the west base of the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains is 1,323 miles; sum of ascents, 23,190 feet; of descents, 19,050 feet; length of equivalent horizontal line for the route, 2,123 miles. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH AND THIRTY-NINTH PARALLELS. fe Of the direct route from the point at the western base of the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains—ele- vation 5,131 feet, distance from Westport 1,323 miles, where the survey under Captain Gunnison terminated—to the Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass, there is no positive information or survey. Colonel Frémont says, page 270 of his report for 1842, ’43, 44, that from the time he descended from Walker’s Pass and began ‘‘to skirt’’ the desert, till he reached the vegas of Santa Clara, “*he had travelled 550 miles, occupying 27 days in that inhospitable region ;’ and that ‘‘in passing before the great caravan, he had the advantage of finding more grass,” &c. And again, he speaks of the journey as ‘‘a month’s suffering in the hot and sterile desert.’’ This, in connexion with Colonel Frémont’s description of other parts of the Great Basin, gives every reason to believe that from Sevier lake to the Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass it is, for the most part, a desert of the same general character as other portions of the Great Basin. Supposing the route to be a straight line, with uniform descent from the Un-kuk-oo-ap mountains to the entrance of the Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass, in latitude 35° 7’, (no pass being known to be practicable to the north of it, in this portion of the Sierra Nevada,) the distance will be 430 miles, and the descent 1,830 feet; the equated horizontal distance, 464 miles. From the entrance of the Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass to San Francisco is 326 miles; sum of ascents, 1,308 feet; sum of descents, 4,608 feet; equated length, 438 miles. Adding these together with the equated distance from the mouth of the Kansas to the west base of Un- kuk-oo-ap mountains, we have the total equated distance from Westport to San Francisco— 3,025 miles; the length of the straight horizontal line, which supposes no obstacle to be avoided, being only 1,500 miles. The straight line from St. Louis to San Francisco is 1,740 miles long; it crosses the Rocky mountains in about latitude 39° 13’, the Wahsatch in about latitude 39°, the Sierra Nevada in about latitude 38° 6/; itis 110 miles north of the Sandy Hill Pass, 75 miles north of Coo-che-to-pa, and about coincides with the north bend of Grand river; is 20 miles north of the Wahsatch Gap, and 225 miles north of Tay-ee-chay-pah Pass. From the Sevier river a practicable connection can be made with the route surveyed by Lieut. Beckwith, near the forty-first parallel, through the Great Basin. The distance from Sevier river, at the crossing of the Mormon road to Salt lake, is 120 miles, sum of ascents and descents 1,600 feet, and equated distance 150 miles; thence to Benicia is 872 miles, sum of ascents and descents 15,200 feet, and equated distance 1,160 miles; from Westport to Sevier river 1,298 miles, the sum of the ascents and descents are 39,714 feet, and equated distance 2,050 miles. Taking the sum of these three portions, we have from Westport to Benicia, via Coo-che-to-pa Pass, Great Salt lake, and Madelin Pass, a distance of 2,290 miles, sum of ascents and descents of 56,514 feet, and an equated distance of 3,360 miles. Norr.—This line could, perhaps, be considerably shortened by taking a direct route from Sevier river to the pass of the Humboldt mountains; but it has not been explored. The straight-line distance between these points is 200 miles, while by the route surveyed it is 280 miles. 10a CHAPTER IV. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL OF NORTH LATITUDE. The report of Lieut. Whipple upon the route explored by him, near the thirty-fifth parallel of latitude, with its accompanying sub-reports, being brief, it is unnecessary to recapitulate the details given in them. Some remarks upon the general direction of the route, and upon the points which characterize it, and in which it differs from that of the thirty-second parallel, may be necessary. From the general description that follows, it will be seen that the features of the ground which have determined the direction of the route are the extension west and east of the inter- locking tributaries of the Mississippi, the Rio Grande, and the Colorado of the West. The route may be said to commence at Fort Smith, on the Arkansas, in about longitude 94° 26/, latitude 35° 23’; elevation above the sea 460 feet; the connexions of which point with Little Rock, Memphis, St. Louis, and other centres of trade, are clearly stated. From Little Rock to the Antelope Hills, on the Canadian, elevation 2,100 feet, in about longitude 100°, a distance of near 400 miles, the route may follow either the valleys of the Arkansas and Canadian, or a shorter line, perhaps, but over more broken ground south of the Canadian— this latter route branching again and following either the valley of the Washita, or the divid- ing ridge between it and the Canadian. From the Antelope Hills the route continues along the bottom of the Canadian, on the right bank, to the mouth of Tecumcari creek, about 250 miles, and ascends by the valley of Tecum- cari, or by that of Pajarito creek, to the dividing ridge between the Canadian and the Pecos rivers, elevation about 5,543 feet, and enters the valley of the latter. It follows this valley until, by means of a tributary, it rises to the high table-land, or basin, lying east of the Rocky mountains, elevation about 7,000 feet, crosses the elevated Salinas basin, 30 miles wide, the lowest point being 6,471 feet, and gains the divide in the Rocky mountains, elevation about 7,000 feet; from which point it descends to Albuquerque, or Isleta, on the Rio Grande, through the San Pedro Pass; or it may descend to the Rio Grande by the valley of the Galisteo river, north of Sandia mountain. A third route is indicated along the valley of the Pecos to its headwaters ; thence to an affluent of the Galisteo; and thence, as before, to the Rio - Grande. Isleta, on the Rio Grande, is 854 miles from Fort Smith, and 4,945 feet above the sea. Crossing the ridge separating the Rio Grande from the Puerco, the route follows the valley of its tributary, the San José, to one of its sources in a pass of the Sierra Madre, called the Camino del Obispo. At the summit (elevation 8,250 feet) a tunnel three-fourths of a mile long, at an elevation not less than 8,000 feet, is required, when the descent is made to the Zuni river and near the Pueblo of Zuni; the route then crosses over undulating ground to the Puerco of the West, at the Navajo spring. Another route across the Sierra Madre, about 20 miles further north, was examined by Mr. Campbell, which is, apparently, far more favorable. The profile is not from reliable instrumental examination. The height of the summit is about 7,750 feet above the sea. The Puerco of the West heads in this pass, and the route follows the valley of this stream to its junction with the Colorado Chiquito, then the valley of that stream to the . foot of the southeastern slopes of the San Francisco mountains, (elevation 4,775 feet ;) distance ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. 75 from Fort Smith 1,182 miles, and from the crossing of the Rio Grande 328 miles. Here it ascends to the dividing ridge between the waters of the Gila on the south, and of the Colorado of the West on the north, and continues (or nearly so) upon it for about 200 miles, to the Aztec Pass, (elevation 6,281 feet ;) distance from Fort Smith 1,350 miles. The highest point reached upon this undulating ridge is 7,472 feet at Leroux’s spring, at the foot of the San Francisco mountain. From the Aztec Pass the descent to the Colorado of the West is made by a circuitous route northward along valleys of its tributaries, the largest and last being Bill Williams fork, the mouth of which, on the Colorado, is 1,522 miles from Fort Smith, and at an elevation above the sea of about 208 feet. The Colorado is now ascended thirty-four miles, the route leaving it at the Needles. The supposed mouth of the Mojave river was examined: by the valley of this stream it was expected to ascend to the Cajon Pass in the Sierra Nevada. This proved, however, to be the valley of a stream, dry at the time, whose source was in an elevated ridge which, probably, divides the Great Basin from the waters of the Colorado. It is not yet ascertained that the valley of the Mohave river is continuous to the Colorado, though Lieutenant Whipple is san- guine that it will be found to be so. From the summit, 5,262 feet (cut thirty feet) above the sea, the descent is made to Soda lake, the recipient, at some seasons, of the waters of the Mohave river, 1,117 feet above the sea, at an average grade of 100 feet to the mile for forty-one miles, the steepest grade yet required on this route. The ascent to the summit of the tunnel, elevation 4,179 feet, in the Cajon Pass in the Sierra Nevada, is made by following the valley of the Mojave river. The summit of this pass, by the line of location, is 1,798 miles from Fort Smith, and 242 from the point of crossing the Colorado. Here, according to Lieutenant Whipple, a tunnel of 24 miles, through white conglomerated sandstone, is required. But, according to Lieutenant Williamson, who spent more time upon it, it would be 3, miles. The tunnel descends to the west with an inclination of 100 feet per mile, which grade will be the average for twenty-two miles, into the valley of Los Angeles, by side location, and thence to the port of San Pedro, 1,892 miles distant from Fort Smith. Lieutenant Williamson reports upon the Cajon Pass, that, in his opinion, the natural grades, varying between 90 and 171 feet per mile, cannot be much reduced by side-location, on account of the broken character of the hills. Should it be desired to reach San Francisco by the Tulares and San Joaquin valleys, the route should leave the Mojave valley some thirty miles before reaching the entrance to the Cajon Pass, 1,768 miles from Fort Smith, elevation about 2,555 feet, and proceed across the southwest corner of the Great Basin, towards the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, reaching its entrance at an elevation of 3,300 feet, in a distance of about eighty miles, and without crossing ridges that would increase the ascents more than 500 feet beyond the difference of elevation of the two points. The route is then coincident with that described for the 32d parallel. The general features of the country indicated lines for examination at more than one point, which will, probably, greatly improve the route by reducing the ascents and shortening dis- tances. The party was, however, unable to examine them. An examination of the profile of this route shows that, in respect to grade, it is not only practicable, but that the heaviest grades that will probably be required do not equal those in use on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. ; SOIL. Grama grass being found on the north bank of the Canadian, in longitude 96°, and extend- ing westward in greater or less abundance to the Sierra Nevada, indicates that the change from fertility to barrenness begins in that longitude, at least north of the Canadian. Cac- taceew also make their appearance with grama grass. South of it, however, the geological formation is that of a good soil to about longitude 984. At this point the change to uncul- 76 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. tivable land is complete, excepting in the river-bottoms, which are more or less fertile, but not the great body of the land. Not far south of the route good soil extends westward to the termination of the Witchita mountains. Some portions of the upper valley of the Canadian, the upper valley of the Pecos, the valleys of the Rio Grande, Zuni, Colorado Chiquito, San Francisco, Colorado of the West, and its tributaries, possess a fertile soil, requiring, generally, irrigation to make it productive. That portion of the southwest corner of the Great Basin traversed by this route, and over which the explorations of Lieutenant Williamson extended, is well constituted for fertility, its barrenness resulting from the absence of rain. Generally the uncultivable plains have an abundance of nutritious grass, though there are extensive tracts where little or none is found—the two greatest being from the Antelope Hills to Tecum- cari creek on the Canadian, 250 or 260 miles, and from the lower part of Santa Maria river to the Mohave river, 200 miles. The country north of the Colorado Chiquito and west of the Sierra Madre as far as the eastern slope of the San Francisco mountain, is represented to be a remarkably fine grazing country ; from that point westward to about the meridian of 113$° (sixty or seventy miles east of the Colorado,) it is well wooded, the whole presenting an attractive appearance to the traveller, who would, no doubt, from its strong contrast to other portions, describe it as a highly fertile region, though, with the exception of the valleys of the streams, it would prove upon trial to be uncultivable. The land now cultivated in New Mexico is estimated at 200 square miles, and the land cultivable now vacant, exclusive of the vast region occupied by the Navajoes, Moquis, Tanians, and wilder tribes of Indians, at about 490 square miles, giving a total of about 700 square miles. Only one-fifth of the bottom land of the Rio Grande capable of irrigation and cultivation, is now under culture. ; The valley of the Colorado between its mouth and the 35th parallel, contains 1,600 square miles of fertile soil capable of irrigation. BUILDING MATERIALS, TIES, LUMBER, &C. The geologist, Mr. Marcou, describes the Trias and Jurassic formations, extending from Delaware mountain on the Canadian, to the Rocky mountains, 600 miles, as generally soft and friable; but as Lieutenant Whipple, and Mr. Campbell, the assistant railroad engineer, report the existence in these formations of good sandstones, suitable for the bridge-building required, this portion of the route may be considered well supplied with good building-stone. Over other portions of the route it would be found at intervals not too great for economical transportation, TIES, LUMBER, &C. Timber of size suitable for ties, and lumber generally for railroad uses in large quantities, is found in the following localities: Continuously on the route east of longitude 97°; in or near the Pecos valley; in the Rocky mountains and Sierra Madre; in the Mogoyon mount- ains, (south of the route) in which the Colorado Chiquito and some of its tributaries rise ; on the slopes of the San Francisco mountain, and continuously with short intervals for more than 120 miles, and on the Sierra Nevada. The distances apart of these points of supply are, respectively, 540 miles, 100 miles, 150 miles; from the Sierra Madre to San Francisco mount- ain, 250 miles; then for a space of about 120 miles the supply may be considered continuous; thence to the Sierra Nevada, 420 miles. The road being built from the two termini, the greatest spaces over which ties, lumber, &c., must be brought by it, are 400 and 500 miles. | The route, therefore, in comparison with others, is favorably circumstanced in this respect. , = ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. 77 FUEL. From longitude 97° to the Pecos valley, 540 miles, there will probably be sufficient fuel for working parties, and perhaps for 200 miles of this distance sufficient for railroad use might be found, but not for the remaining 350 miles. Between the Pecos and the Rocky mountains, 100 miles; across the valley of the Rio Grande, 150 miles; from the Sierra Madre to San Francisco mountain, 250 miles, sufficient fuel for working parties will probably be found with- out excessive cost. As it can be brought from the Mogoyon mountains to various points on the Colorado Chiquito, and exists-at the extremities of these spaces, this portion of the route may be considered amply provided with fuel. Over the space of 120 miles from San Francisco mountain to the Aztec Pass, a sufficiency for railroad purposes will be found at convenient dis- tances. From the Aztec Pass to the Sierra Nevada, 420 miles, no fuel for railroad purposes will be found, and that for working-parties will be scanty in some places. From the point of leaving the Colorado to the Mohave river, 115 miles, no fuel is to be had. It is reported that coal exists in several localities in the Rocky mountains, both east and west of the Rio Grande, near this route, but there is no positive and reliable information that it has been found in sufficient quantities for profitable mining. As coal for locomotive uses will bear transportation 3.5 times as far as wood, the supplies of fuel for the 350 miles east of the Rio Grande can be had from the coal-fields of Delaware mountain; that for the space of 540 miles east of the Sierra Nevada, from the Pacific ports, the mean distance to which it must be transported in the latter case being 260 or 270 miles. These are the only two portions of the route which cannot be readily supplied from convenient distances on the route. Fuel forms about one-fifth the yearly expense of maintaining and working a railroad. WATER, The exact distances over which water is not found at certain seasons, or permanently, are not stated. It does not appear, however, that a resort to unusual means will be necessary east of 100° longitude. Between that and the Pacific there are spaces destitute of it, where, from the known character of the geological structure, there is no doubt that sufficient supplies can be obtained either by deep common wells, artesian wells, or reservoirs. It is better sup- plied with water than the route of the 32d parallel, and from the Rio Grande to Santa Maria river there are supplies of timber and fuel on the line, which the other route is deficient in. These larger supplies of timber and water west of the Rio Grande are attained at the expense of great elevation and somewhat rugged ground. The Galesteo Pass in the rocky mountains and the passes in the Sierre Madre being wide openings, or valleys, rather than mountain passes, no difficulty need be apprehended from snows, even if it fell to greater depths than those known, Over the remainder of the route no difficulty from this cause is to be met with. ELEVATIONS, &C. The line rises gradually from the eastern terminus, and on Pajarito creek, 705 miles from Fort Smith, has attained an elevation of 5,000 feet above the sea, which elevation it does not descend to again (except for a short distance) for a space of over 600 miles, and until on the descent to the Colorado of the West. It passes the Rocky mountains at an elevation of 7,000 feet, the Sierra Madre at 8,000 feet, the foot of San Francisco mountain at 7,450 feet, the Aztec Pass at about 6,000 feet, the Bie between the Great Basin and the Colorado at 5,300 feet, and the Cajon ‘Pass by a tunnel 4,000 feet above the sea. The sum of the ascents from San Pedro to Fort Smith is 24,641 feet, of descents 24,171 feet—equivalent, in the cost of working the road, to an feed ignores distance of 924, 78 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-FIFTH PARALLEL. which added to the length of the line of location, 1,892 miles, gives for length of equated dis- tance 2,816 miles. The sum of ascents from San Francisco to Fort Smith by the route from Mohave river to Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass is 25,570 feet, of descents 25,100 feet; the equivalent in miles of horizon- tal road is 963 miles, which added to the location distance between these two points, 2,174 miles, gives for equated length of road 3,137 miles. ESTIMATE. The description of the topographical features of the route is not sufficiently minute to enable one to form a satisfactory opinion of the difficulties of ground to be encountered, and consequently of the probable cost of the formation of the road-bed. Upon this point we must rest satisfied with the opinion of Lieutenant Whipple, who assimilates the several portions of the route to roads already built possessing as nearly as possible similar features and difficulties. The impression, however, conveyed by the report, as to the nature of the ground passed over, together with that formed from the description by others of some portions of it, induced me to think that the ground was more favorable than the comparison of Lieutenant Whipple shows it to be, and that the amount of work in forming the road-bed would have been less than that of the roads mentioned. Four hundred and eighty miles of the route are assimilated to the Hudson River railroad; 151 miles to the Worcester and Albany railroad, (Western railroad;) and 374 miles to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad; making 1,005 miles assimilated to railroads among the most difficult and costly that have been constructed in the United States. It is probable that, from the Rio Grande to the Colorado, the additional cost to eastern prices should have been rather 100 per cent., than 40, 50, and 60 per cent.—the increased cost allowed by Lieutenant Whipple. For the remaining distance, from the Colorado to the Pacific, 100 per cent. has been added by Lieutenant Whipple to the cost at eastern prices. This estimate includes the cost of equipment. This, on the roads used as standards of com- parison, amounts to $6,000 or $7,000 per mile, four-fifths of which should be deducted, as the cost per mile from this source may be one-fifth of the cost on the eastern roads. This would diminish the estimate about $12,000,000, but at the same time the increased per-centage would increase it about $19,381,000. The difference between these sums, $7,381,000, (about,) should be added to the corrected estimate, $161,829,265, and the total estimate under this supposition becomes $169,210,265. CHAPTER V. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL OF NORTH LATITUDE. As the information respecting this route is to be found in several separate reports, and as those upon that portion of it between the Rio Grande and the Pacific ocean do not discuss the railroad practicability and mode of construction with the minuteness necessary, and as there is no railroad report upon the whole route, I have been obliged to enter minutely into details which, on the other routes, are found in the reports of the exploring officer. 1. FROM FULTON TO THE RIO GRANDE. The report of Captain Pope is methodically arranged; and being brief, yet sufficiently full, it is unnecessary to make a synopsis of it. The portion of the route near the thirty-second parallel examined by him is that from the Red river to the Rio Grande, a distance of 646 miles. It is naturally divided into three distinct belts, which are clearly described by Cap- tain Pope. The first division, from the Red river to the eastern border of the Llano Estacado, 352 miles, gives generally easy grades, except where, in crossing streams, we have probably to descend from the bluffs to near the level of the stream, and ascend again; but which can be reduced, by lengthening the line, to the grade found suitable to the other portions of the route. This part of his line has an abundant supply of water and fuel, of wood for cross-ties, and lumber for two-thirds of the distance. The important characteristic feature of Captain Pope’s route, dwelt upon with so much force by him, is the extension westward of fertile land to near the headwaters of the Colorado. It is to be remarked that, from the geological indications, it is probable that a line drawn from Red river at the termination of the fertile soil, in its basin, in a general parallel direction with the Gulf coast, from the mouth of the Sabine to the Nueces river, will mark the boundary between the cultivable and barren soil. The influence of the moist winds of the Gulf of Mexico may also aid in giving this westward extension to the fertile land near the parallels of 382° and 34°. North of the Canadian, this boundary line between fertility and barrenness takes the direction of the meridian, and extends along it northward into the British possessions. The evidence adduced in support of this western extension of fertile soil is not sufficiently full or conclusive. The specimens of soils, of which the analysis is given, were gathered from the Upper Cross Timbers westward}; but it is not stated whether those which belong to the section, from that point to the Llano Estacado, were intended to represent the condition of the most fertile por- tions, or the average condition of the whole surface. Even if their analysis exhibited fertile constituents, it is well known that many extensive areas of tertiary soil well constituted for fertility are uncultivable, from the meteorological conditions of the district in which they are found. Additional facts are, in my opinion, required to establish the existence of the westwardly extension of fertile soil in this latitude. The second belt described is the Llano Estacado, 125 miles across. Upon this it is only neces- sary to remark, that its geological formation is such as to render the success of artesian wells, in obtaining large supplies of water, certain. 'To build a railroad across it, commencing at the 80 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. eastern border, at the last point of abundant supply of water, parties should be pushed forward to dig tanks wherever the ground favors their construction, and to sink artesian wells at dis- tances of 20 miles apart, or less, should water be readily procured by this process. Supposing it even necessary to bore an artesian well at every 10 miles, and that the cost should be $10,000 each well, which is double that of an excessive estimate of the cost of a series of these wells, we should have $1,000 per mile for cost of road from this cause. By these two means, abundant supplies of water can be got at points a few miles apart, where the camps of the working parties, which need not be large, can be established. The dwarf mezquite, found on the Llano, will furnish sufficient fuel for these parties. Railroad trains having engines of twenty-two tons, on four drivers, can carry sufficient water from the headwaters of the Colorado to the mouth of Delaware creek or the Pecos, 125 miles, without adding to the expense of running the trains; and can, from either end of this line, supply all the intermediate stations necessary for the superintendence, repair, and supply of the road. Ties can be brought from the country east, and from the Guadalupe mountains, at reasonable cost. Fuel, also, can be supplied from the Brazos, or from the Colorado of Texas. Fortunately, over these plains, destitute of water, but very little excavation or embankment will be required, and the rails can soon be laid. Probably it would be most convenient to bring ties, sleepers, and lumber generally, by the road itself, fromm the route east of the Llano. In fact, from the east border of the Llano westward, and from the Pacific eastward, a distance of 1,200 miles, the road must be made, as it were, to build itself, carrying its lumber, iron, rails, provisions, and sometimes water, so far as a proper adjustment of economy of time with that of expenditure admits of its doing so. Its progress, from this cause, will be slow; but as the surface is very smooth, and the inclinations gentle, over these plains, its construction will be proportionately more rapid, aiding to balance the slow progress from the other cause. The third section, from the Pecos river to the Rio Grande, presents no unusual difficulties in grade or construction, so far as dependent upon the topographical features of the country. The Guadalupe mountains are passed without a tunnel, and with a grade of 108 feet to the mile; a grade not exceeding those found on roads now built, as on the Baltimore and Ohio, and other railroads. Other routes through or around these mountains are recommended for examina- tion, which, it is thought, will give easier grades. Sufficient supplies of water can be had at con- venient distances apart, fuel for working parties from the dwarf mezquite on the plains, and cross-ties and lumber can be had from the Guadalupe mountains immediately on the line of the road, and from the Waco mountains, 30 miles distant from it, and also by means of the built por- tions of the road, from the supplies on the Brazos and Red rivers. BUILDING-STONE, &C. In regard to good building-stone the report of the geologist, Jules Marcou, on the specimens procured by Captain Pope—see Chapter 13, Captain Pope’s Report—is not sufficiently explicit respecting all the formations. The cretaceous from Red river to the lower line of the Upper Cross Timbers, 70 miles, is probably too soft; but thence to the Clear fork of the Brazos, 120 miles, it is undoubtedly good. From the Clear fork to the Guadalupe mountains, 340 miles, the route 1s over formations called by the geologist Trias and Jurassic. From his descrip- tion it is possible they may be found too soft, though good building-stone is found in the Trias, as, for instance, the new red sandstone of the Connecticut. The geologist says: ‘“ For the construction of a railroad the rocks of the Trias present great facilities. They furnish sandstone, plaster or gypsum, excellent hydraulic lime from the magnesian limestone, and, finally, they are very easy to work, and at the same time firm enough to form excavations or embankments.” The sentence is somewhat inexact in its language. The detailéd geological report will remove any uncertainty upon this point. Lieutenant Whipple passed over the same formations on the ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY SECOND PARALLEL. 81 route of the 35th parallel, and, with the assistant railroad engineer, reports the existence of good building-stone there. From the Guadalupe mountains to the Rio Grande excellent building-stone is found. The existence of coal upon the Brazos is of importance to this route. Fuel for working the road, as well as lumber, will be considered separately for the whole route. In general it may be remarked on this section of the route near the 32d parallel, from the Red river to the Rio Grande, 780 miles, that the topographical features of the ground present no unusual difficulties and many favorable circumstances ; that supplies of building material can be obtained throughout the line without excessive cost; and that the supply of fuel and water, throughout those portions destitute of it, can be had without greatly increasing the cost of construc- tion and transportation. The elevations are: From Preston, on Red river, 641 feet above the level of the sea, the ground rises inisixarmilesstowtheslevellomabouteme cee selet= ae Seine ineinlate aioeietereiee ee sine Sete 1,200 feet. fnew pper WO Koss: PaMDeTS a7 Se J2eieh.c a kes)- be -eimieeico sete Jalna ek iaeeisy= 1,782 feet. Ante RN Viest: tonkgoh a Drimit years artis tet rer bibl mista meh ote ce cleloa) staietele Aetel = Slama ever 1,524 feet. ANt Ging Brazos TING OC RS See on 6 Ose Senne eer e errs oan cod 1,700 feet. Atithe dividerotithe Brazosiand Colorado) rivers <..2.4. csc osc cemcie ac ce eo a ceeee 4,237 feet. AGED eA Col OLA Ope este erectile eleiictee e e Meiis od a ase Soe Be SMR Skee es Sesere 3,989 feet. M@thesbonderrotuthemalanomustacadOaes s\-masecis)- Cele a -okelaeinn 2 cleoee clase be wie 4,278 feet. The greatest elevation of the Llano Estacado is. ..-.....-------+--+e+2++-+-++----- 4,707 feet. The general elevation of the Llano Estacado is about.....---------------------- 4,500 feet. itherelevationkote they Pecos where iGrossed = G.cnt ek ce cic oye eiete) nee ee seicle om ele we eels 4,070 feet. The elevation of the summit of the Guadalupe Pass.......--...---+---.--+------ 5,717 teet. Wherelevation ofthe summit ofthesHueco: Passe. 62 ciste mc ccecmic co. ciele s axies aloe 4,812 feet. The general elevation of the table-lands between the Pecos and the Rio Grande, is OM yah aveah votes Rope Pe ene Oden he. bate Lpyainer west a s,- crepe aes eile sath cists 4,000 to 4,500 feet. The elevation of the Rio Grande valley, at Molino, is............--------------- 3,830 feet. ESTIMATE. The estimate for cost of construction is, perhaps, in excess; the cost per mile from Fulton, on Red river, to the Rio Grande, a distance of 780 miles, being at the rate of $50,000 per mile. On the northern route, the estimated mean cost of the first 780 miles is about $35,400 per mile, (240 miles at $25,000 per mile—next, 712 miles at $40,000 per mile;) yet, from the description of these portions of the two routes, it is evident the difference in cost per mile of constructing the two will not be great. This is mentioned to show what different judgments are formed in making these estimates, and what caution should be used in being guided by estimates in figures of the costs of routes that have not been subjected to the same judgment or same standard. The difference of estimated cost in this distance of 780 miles on roads that would not probably vary greatly in their actual cost of construction, is $11,700,000; and if the same difference should exist throughout the entire distance, it would sum up to about $35,000,000. 2. FROM THE RIO GRANDE TO THE MOUTH OF THE GILA. After ascending from the bottom lands of the Rio Grande, in traversing the region examined by Lieutenant Parke between these two rivers, from Dona Ana to the Pimas villages, one appears to be travelling on a great plain, interrupted irregularly and confusedly by bare, rugged, abrupt, isolated mountain masses, or short ranges, seemingly, though not in reality, without system. Winding around these isolated or lost mountains, or using a few passes through them, a railroad lla 82 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. may be constructed with easy grades. The instrumental profile, however, shows that what to the eye appears to be a plain, is really an undulating surface, constantly rising and falling, rarely horizontal, and that the plain is converted into a series of basins, the steepest parts of which are found in passing around the lost 1n0untains, or through the passes in them. The summits of these basin-rims or passes are generally about 400 teet above the lowest parts of the basins, though in two instances 850 and 1,200 feet respectively; the mean elevation of the basins above the level of the sea being about 4,100 feet, decreasing from near the Rio Grande, where it is 4,350 feet, towards the Gila. The mean elevation of the lowest points of the dividing rims is 4,700 feet, the highest of them, the pass through the Chiricahui range, being 5,180 feet. Seven basins are crossed, the eighth continuing or conducting to the Gila. Except through the mountain passes, the surface is so smooth as to require but little preparation to receive the superstructure of a railroad; and even in the two most difficult of the passes, (where, in one case, deep cutting or a tunnel at the summit, near the surface, in rock, with heavy side-cutting and high embank- ments for short distances, and in the other a short cut of 60 feet—probably through rock— are proposed by Lieutenant Parke, to attain grades of 46 feet and 90 feet per mile, or less by increasing distance,) the natural slope of the ground may be used for a railroad for temporary purposes, and until the road itself can reduce the cost of materials and supplies to the lowest rates. The following table of distances and grades over the natural slopes, is given to show this. These two most difficult parts of the road are from 25 to 30 miles apart. In the Chiricahui Pass, the steepest natural slope is 194 feet to the mile for a distance of 24 miles. A twenty-four ton engine, on six drivers, can carry a load of 76 tons (2C0 passengers with 100 pounds baggage each) up a grade of 221 feet to a mile in the worst condition of the rail. In the pass through the ridge east of the Valle de Sauz, the steepest natural slope is 240 feet to the mile for a distance of three-quarters of a mile. A thirty-ton engine, on six drivers, will carry a load of 76 tons (200 passengers with 100 pounds baggage each) up a grade of 281 feet per mile. But the tunnel of three-quarters of a mile through rock near the surface, or cutting, may be preferable to using this steep slope. This natural slope of 240 feet to the mile for the distance of three-quarters of a mile, may be reduced to one of 200 feet to the mile, by a short cutting of 30 feet depth. The natural slope in the steepest part of the Chiricahui Pass being nearly 200 feet to the mile, this cut would reduce these two passes to the same condition. These two points have been referred to not as presenting very great difficulties in construction, but merely from their being the only points on the line that appear to require any excavation and embank- ment, except of a trifling kind, to obtain grades generally in use on railroads, and to show that even here the natural slopes were such as might be used with but little preparation for the superstructure. It is probable that further examination will show that the pass of Puerto del Dado may be avoided by passing to the north of the Chiricahui mountains. The elevation of the camp near Fort Fillmore is 3,938 feet above the sea. The river between this and E] Paso is about 300 yards wide when confined to one channel, and presents no serious difficulty to bridging. The elevation at Molino, the terminus of Captain Pope’s survey, is 3,830 feet; the distance between them 82 or 35 miles. Parke’s grades. From the Gila, 10 miles, 28.6 feet per mile, ascending. 60 4c Uy “6 c 12 “cc 93 “cr “ec 19 “ec 50 “cc “ 8 -** level. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 83 18 miles, 38 feet per mile ascending. 64 ‘ 61 feet per mile, descending. 64 “ level. 16$ “ 62 feet per mile, ascending. 83 ‘ 54 feet per mile, descending. 5 * devel. In the Puerto del Dado of the Chiricahui range, instead of the 60 feet cutting, heavy embank- ment, and side-cutting, and the grades used by Lieut. Parke, 46 feet the greatest, we may use temporarily the surface grades, which are as follows : 214 miles, 48 feet per mile, ascending. O65) iSO ee sg 24 “« 194 feet per mile, descending. 34 6 94 6c 6“ 6 ce 19 66 ce 14 “ec 93 “ce “cc In the gap in the ridge east of the Valle de Sauz, instead of the cutting of 60 feet, or tunnelling, and a grade of 90 feet, or less, by increasing distance, we may use, temporarily, the surface grades. which are as follows: Camp 24, to station 1.—1.55 mile, 150 feet per mile, ascending. 2.45 miles, 104 ee 6s 0.7 mile, 240 “6 6 (Tita pL 30 feet per mile, descending. 2.25 miles, 57 66 6 ISIN) sh Dae SOC roe 1.45 miles, 72 se “ 4 ce Oil oe “ce 3 e 4 feet per mile, ascending. 5.5 CLO) & ce 8 “« 46 feet per mile, descending. a are cas Sel ee 16.5 *« 51 feet per mile, ascending. 11 « Jevel. 84 ‘«« 25 feet per mile, descending. 11 «« 11 feet per mile, ascending. 12 aC 5 feet per mile, descending. 43 «© 44 feet per mile, ascending. 114 *« 22 feet per mile, descending. 3 a3 123 6c “ec WATER AND FUEL. This region, then, presents great advantages in the construction of a railroad at small cost, so far as the grading and preparing the road-bed for the superstructure is concerned; but in two elements for cheap construction and working of a road, it is now very deficient, viz: water and fuel. For the first, the distances apart of the permanent streams affording large supplies, in the dryest season of the year, and therefore under the most unfavorable circumstances, are as follows : From the Rio Grande to the Rio Mimbres, 71 miles. From the Rio Grande to Cook’s Spring, 61 miles, it being 53 miles from the Rio Grande, and 8 miles north of the track. 84 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. From the Rio Mimbres to the Rio San Pedro, 152.5 miles. Intermediate is Valle de Sauz, 72 miles, where water is always found; 25 miles further on, is a spring in the Puerto del Dado. From the San Pedro to Tuczon, 53 miles. From Tuczon to the Gila, 79 miles. There are springs between some of these points which it is not necessary to particularize. For the working of a railroad after construction, the greatest even of these distances, 152.5 miles, is not too great to be overcome by special arrangements. But for the working parties engaged in building the road, supplies of water must be had at every few miles. Fortunately, the formation of these basins is such as to afford, at comparatively small cost, sufficient supplies of water at distances convenient for the construction of the road. During certain portions of the year, the bottoms of some of these basins are converted into lakes, which may be drained into tanks. The following description of these basins by Dr. C. C. Parry, geologist upon the Mexican boundary survey, shows that artesian wells, of no great depth, can be resorted to successfully: ‘* All the so-called ‘ mesa formations’ and ‘jornadas’ of this district belong to a distinct system of basin deposites, tertiary, or post-tertiary, in age, and still showing in outlines of greater or less extent the original areas in which these depositions were made. These basins exhibit, quite uniformly, central depressions, and margins gently rising to the limit of the mountain bound- aries. The ‘mesa,’ or table-land character, is exhibited only along the line. of river-valleys, as high bluffs, the result of denuding forces subsequent to the original basin depositions. “These deposites are characterized, as a whole, by a great preponderance of porous mate- rials, consisting of gravel, sands, marls, and clays. “The natural supplies of fresh water for these open wastes are derived from uncertain accu- mulations of rain products in small reservoirs, or occasional permanent springs, the latter gen- erally occupying situations in close proximity to mountain ranges. “All these basins not directly connected with the Rio Grande valley receive and absorb the drainage of their respective mountain boundaries, except in the higher elevations, rarely showing running water, unless as the temporary result of local rains. ‘“The above indications are favorable to the formation of aqueous substrata, which may be reached by sufficiently deep boring, and when located at the lower depressions of these basin areas, the water would necessarily be brought to the surface.” Nearly all the rain that falls upon the scattered mountains probably passes underneath the surface before reaching the foot-slopes, since the coarse angular debris of the mountains extend high up their sides, permitting the water to percolate through and descend into the permeable strata. It will be noticed that nearly all the mountain streams and drains sink before reaching the plains, and others sink on the plains when they reach a porous soil. Where a deep vertical cut has been made in the strata, as, for instance, in the valleys of large rivers, they reappear, running under the permeable and above the impermeable strata. From these facts and consid- erations it appears that this country, at times almost destitute of water on its surface, has sub- terranean ponds, and streams, at no great depth below, which can be made to furnish water at . the surface, in some instances by artesian wells, and in others by ordinary wells. This opinion is confirmed by that of Mr. Blake, geologist of the party commanded by Lieutenant Williamson, whose description of the series of small basins lying in the Great Basin applies strictly to those under consideration. The formations are identical. Mr. Blake has detected the existence of regularly stratified tertiary formations in these basins, in which the success of artesian wells is certain. This question will, however, be satisfactorily solved by boring, as the economy of construction is involved to some degree by the facilities of finding water sufficient for working parties during the construction of the road. . ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 85 The most unfavorable condition, towards the termination of the dry season, has been presented above. At other seasons lakes and springs will furnish water at much shorter intervals; but the first step in the construction of the road will be building wells between the points of abundant supply. It is supposed that the two ends of the road from the Mississippi and Pacific will reach the Rio Grande and the point of departure from the Gila at the same time, and that the road across the interveuing space will be commenced at the two ends. FUEL. The report of Lieutenant Parke is not very positive upon the subject of fuel; but it is probable that a very scanty supply for the working parties will be found between the Rio Grande and Tuczon. Should the dwarf mezquite be found in the usual quantity, with grama grass, west of the Rio Grande as east of it, fuel for the working parties will be had along the route without great expense; should it not be, however, the supply will be very scanty. From Tuczon to the Gila there is no fuel whatever, but little or no grass, and at certain portions of the year no water. The deficiency must be supplied from the Rio Grande and the Gila, and, if necessary, by the portions of the road already built, from the Guadalupe mountains, and from the forests on the mountains at the sources of the Rio Mimbres, some 30 miles distant from the route near Cook’s spring, and from the Mogoyon and other mountains at the sources of the Gila, San Fran- cisco and Salinas rivers. The climate is so mild as to require but little more fuel than is necessary for culinary purposes, and the trace so favorable as to require but small working parties. Should the line along the San Pedro be found practicable, the desert between Tuczon and the Gila will be avoided, and the expense of supplying fuel to working parties from the Gila to the point of leaving the San Pedro be saved. TIES—LUMBER. For ties, the lumber of the Sacramento and Guadalupe mountains, and, if necessary, from the eastern portion of the route, must first supply them; then the mountains at the sources of the Rio Mimbres, should it be found economical to resort to them, and the source of supply for the road along the Gila, which will be pointed out presently. Lumber will come from the same points. GENERAL REMARKS. A party under Lieut. Parke has been directed to make further examinations and surveys in this region, and to give especial attention to the geological structure, with a view to the loca- tion and construction of artesian wells. If the cost per mile of makirg wells and supplying fuel for culinary purposes from distances unusually great on railroad routes, will add to the usual expense of construction, the regularity, smoothness, and hardness of surface, mildness of climate, and absence of heavy rains, which will dispense with the usual precautions taken against frost, will so far obviate the necessity of the most costly item of construction of a railroad, as to make the construction over this and similar regions of country a positively economical one. The road must be made, as far as practicable, and, as before remarked, as far as consistent with a good adjustment of economy of time with economy of means, to transport its own material. Short sections should be built at atime, so as to have railroad transportation near the working parties. Building-stone, lime, sand, &c.; are found at various convenient points along the route. The further examination of this region, to be made by Lieut. Parke, will no doubt develop more favorable lines even than that gone over. The labors of the Mexican boundary survey, now in progress, will also furnish further information respecting this country. 86 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. To resume the route: We have now reached the Gila, seven miles above the Pimas villages, the elevation above the sea being 1,365 feet. From this point to its junction with the Colorado, the valley of the river is highly favorable to the construction of a railroad. There wiil be no necessity for embankments against freshets, but trifling occasional cutting and filling; and in those instances where the hills close in upon the river, there is ample space for the road without heavy cutting. The elevation at the mouth of the river being 108 feet, and the distance between the two points 223 miles, we have a general slope of 5.6 feet per mile, which, from the favorable character of the ground, may be assumed as the grade of the road. Water and fuel for working parties are sufficient, though no grass. Logs may be driven down the Gila from the Mogoyon mountains at its source, from the Pinal Lleno, and down the San Francisco and Salinas rivers, from the pine forests on the former, and the mountains at the sources of the latter. But it may be found more economical to receive all the supplies of lumber needed from the western portion of the road, either from the San Bernardino mountains and pass, or from the harbors of San Pedro or Diego, or, should it be found desirable to establish one, from the depot near the mouth of the Gila. 3. FROM THE MOUTH OF THE GILA TO SAN FRANCISCO. The most favorable point for crossing the Colorado is at the junction of the Gila where the river is narrowest, 650 feet wide, and has bluffs on both banks. The direction that the road should take across the desert intervening between it and the foot of the Coast range, depends in part upon the position of the pass by which it crosses this mountain chain. ‘There are two passes known and explored. Warner’s, the more southerly of the two, will require five miles of excavation in granite and mica-slate for the full width of the road, the grades varying from 130 to 190 feet per mile. Thence to San Diego by the San Luis river there is a practicable route, but at great cost of cutting on the river to San Luis Rey ; thence along the seacoast numerous gullies will require bridging. The distance from the mouth of the Gila, over the desert, to the entrance of this pass, is 80 miles; thence to San Diego is 150 miles. The San Gorgounio or San Bernardino Pass, on the contrary, is remarkably favorable. It is an open valley, from two to five miles wide, the surface, smooth and unbroken, affording in its form and inclination every facility and no obstruction to the building of a railroad. Leaving the Colorado, it would be better to keep upon the alluvial soil, passing to the south of the sand-hills, and thus avoid the hard gravelly plain, where it would be necessary to bore considerable depths for water, and where the success of artesian wells is not certain; and it is also desirable to avoid the drifiing sand of the gravel plain. But this obliges the road to pass over Mexican territory. The entrance of the San Gorgonio Pass is 133 miles from the mouth of the Gila in a straight line, over a smooth and nearly horizontal plain, which requires scarcely any preparation for the superstructure of a railroad. Thirty or thirty-five miles of this lies upon the gravel plain; the remainder passes over alluvial soil, which only needs irrigation to be fruitful. The first work is to construct wells at every few miles for the use of the working parties. On the alluvial soil, water will, no doubt, be found at a depth of 30 feet; and should deep or artesian wells fail to give a supply on the gravel plain, the expense of hauling it to the working parties for that distance will not be serious. Suf- ficient fuel for culinary purposes will, perhaps, be found on the alluvial plain—none on the gravel plain; but it can be supplied from the mountains at about double the cost in the eastern States. The elevation of the mouth of the Gila is 108 feet, and the grade across the plain nearly horizontal. Approaching the pass, we have for 104 miles an ascending slope of 40 feet per mile ; then for 6 miles, one of 89 feet per mile. We are now at the point 133 miles from the mouth of the Gila. The natural slopes along the line of survey are— ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 87 13 miles, at 60 feet per mile, Bec 1Ro « 7 (73 W5 ce to the summit, 2,808 feet above the sea. Descending to the town of San Bernardino, we have— 84 miles, at 72 feet per mile. may) ye OG 79 Ge 9 66 77 73 igs} Ot 27/ CC 4 “Gc HS) 66 64 6c 4] 66 near the town of San Bernardino, at an elevation of 1,120 feet above the sea. The above enumeration is made to show that practicable grades can be had by following the natural slopes of the ground without cutting and filling, or side location, and therefore without great expense. The greatest grade is 132 feet per mile, for a distance of 3$ miles. They can be modified, however, and reduced, without rock-cutting, so as not to exceed, perhaps, 80 feet per mile. Abundance of water can be got by digging wells, either on the pass or on the Pacific slopes. The San Bernardino and San Gorgonio mountains, north and south of the pass, 9,000 and 6,000 feet high, afford pine and fir timber at about one quarter the distance up their slopes. On these two mountains the growth of timber is thick, consisting mostly of pine and fir. Should it be considered necessary to connect the harbor of San Diego (distant about 120 miles) with this pass, the general features of the country between it and San Luis Rey (about 75 miles) are favorable to the construction of a railroad. It may be described as a great plain, with nume- rous hills from 500 to 1,000 feet in height, irregularly distributed on its surface, sometimes assuming the form of a range several miles in extent, between and around which a road may be carried with favorable grades without expensive cutting and filling. It is plentifully supplied with water and tuel and good building-stone. From San Luis Rey to San Diego (about 40 or 45 miles) the unfavorable topographical feature along the coast is the numerous, intricate, deep gullies cut into the plain by its drainage, and which it would be necessary to bridge—the average width to be bridged being between 100 feet and 200 feet; the bridging might amount to one- fifth or one-tenth of the whole distance. We have now reached the Pacific slopes and harbors which will at least afford great facilities in the construction of the road eastward, and which should be connected with it. The harbor of San Diego is excellent, but not capacious. The harbor of San Pedro is entirely open to the south and southeast, the quarter from which the sudden storms and dangerous winds of the winter come. Should it be selected as the depot from which the materials and supplies for the con- struction of the road eastward to the Rio Grande are to be drawn, the question of constructing a breakwater for protection against the winter southeast storms should be considered. It would be in a depth of 30 feet. But the great object of the Pacific railroad will not be accomplished unless a connected line can be had to the best harbor on its coast, that of San Francisco. If a practicable pass exists leading from the plains of Los Angeles to the valley of the Salinas river, it will give the most direct route, and that which will probably require the least ascent. A party is now making the explorations and surveys to solve this question. With the present information, San Francisco must be reached by crossing the Coast range to the Great Basin, passing over its southwestern extremity, (a nearly horizontal plain,) then crossing the Sierra Ne- vada and descending into the Tulares valley. From the western extremity of the San Gorgonio Pass two routes present themselves by which we may cross the Coast range and reach the Great Basin. The nearest is the Cajon Pass, which, beginning at the Pacific side, has, over the 88 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. distance of 114 miles, natural slopes varying from 90 to 100, 117, 142, 159, 171 feet per mile; then a tunnel is requisite, 3 or 4 miles long, ascending constantly 100 feet per mile, the ground at the highest point being 1,600 feet above the tunnel. Lieut. Williamson is of opinion that these high grades cannot be much reduced by location on the side-hills. Lieut. Whipple thinks that they can. The ‘‘ New Pass,’ made known by Lieutenant Williamson’s explorations, is more favorable than the Cajon. It is along the headwaters of the Santa Clara river, to reach which it is neces- sary to cross the divide between one of its tributaries and one of the Los Angeles river, through the San Fernando Pass, near the mission of San Fernando. From San Bernardino to the mis- sion of San Fernando, 78 miles, the road may pass over a country requiring gently undulating grades, and in other respects presenting features highly favorable to its construction. There is good building-stone and plenty of water and fuel. Ties and lumber can be brought from the mountains. The soil is fertile and well watered, excepting on the divides and in some elevated places where irrigation must be resorted to. This promises to be a highly cultivated, populous, and rich region of country. A branch road about 25 miles long to San Pedro from near Los Angeles, over ground favorable to cheap construction, will enable that port to be used for lum- ber, iron, coal, and all the materials and supplies for the construction of the road eastwardly. In the San Fernando Pass the natural slopes on the south side must probably be followed, as deep ravines cut up the hills on either side. Rising from the mission of San Fernando 600 feet in 4.4 miles, at the rate of about 155 feet per mile, we reach a point where a tunnel must be cut through soft sandstone, one-third of a mile long, at an elevation of 1,746 feet. We then have a descending grade for 4 miles of 115 feet per mile. This part of the pass is narrow, and will require side and other heavy cutting in earth. Hence to the point where the grades of the New Pass are given on the profile of Lieutenant Williamson is 7 miles, with an ascending grade of 55 feet per mile. In the new pass an excavation in drifi, (clay, gravel, &c.,) 40 or 50 feet in depth, for a short distance at the summit, and a side location which will not require much cutting, will give an average grade of 67 feet per mile ; the natural grades without side location are 55, 37, 58, 73, 62, 70, 105, and 77 feet per mile for 22 miles to the summit. In a portion of the approach, about one mile in length, where the mountains close in precipitously and the stream winds abruptly, it may be necessary to cut two or three short tunnels 100 or 300 feet long through slaty granite. The summit of the pass is 3,164 feet above the sea. Last of it for a distance of 1.35 mile the direct natural slope is steep, 240 and 218 feet per mile, and the ground will require cutting and filling to adjust the grade for a distance of at least three miles to that west of the summit. It must probably be 100 feet per mile. From this point to the elevation which will probably be main- tained in the Great Basin, about 2,900 feet, the grade may be any that is desirable, and the ground will require little or no preparation for the superstructure. The San Francisquito Pass (on one of the main tributaries of the Santa Clara river) is more direct than the New Pass, but, if not positively impracticable, is at least difficult, and the grades are excessive. Having now reached the Great Basin, we have several passes by which to enter the Tulares valley. In the Catiada de las Uvas Pass, elevation of summit 4,256 feet, the average slope for 5} miles from the summit to the Tulares valley is 302 feet per mile, the maximum being 348 feet per mile, and the minimum 229 feet per mile. But the bounding hills are so cut up with deep ravines, that the average grade cannot be had, and the natural slope must be used. In the Tejon Pass, elevation of summit 5,285 feet, beginning at the western entrance, for 2.83 miles the slope is 173 feet per mile; for 11.4 miles the average slope is 234 feet per mile, sup- posing a side location; then a tunnel 1.15 mile long; then a descending slope towards the Great Basin of 205 feet per mile for 6.4 miles, supposing a side location. ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 89 The next the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, elevation of summit 4,020 feet; ascending to it from the Tulares valley in 153 miles with natural slopes, varying through 153, 176, 192, (for 14 mile,) 119, and 157 feet, and eight feet per mile, and descending towards the Great Basin nine miles, at 80 feet per mile, the remaining distance being with gentle grades. Walker's Pass, elevation of summit 5,302 feet, requires a tunnel of four miles, has a slope in ascending to the summit from the Great Basin of 265 feet per mile for six miles, of 272 feet per mile descending for 6$ miles; and just before the Kern river debouches into the Tulares valley, there is an impracticable cation of five miles. It is very evident that the most favorable of these passes is the Tah-ee-chay-pah. From the summit to the Tulares valley a side location in earth-cutting can be made, giving an average grade of 144 feet per mile for 17 miles. The steep grade can be extended four miles further, entering the Tulares valley at a lower elevation than that of 1,489 feet. The New Pass and Tah- ee-chay-pah Pass may be connected by an almost horizontal grade around the border of the Great Basin, keeping along the foot of the eastern slopes for about 25 miles, where supplies of water can be had either from springs, small streams, or common wells or artesian wells; then crossing in a nearly straight line to the entrance of the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, descending to a fine spring of water, elevation 2,668 feet, and ascending to the entrance, elevation 3,300 feet, and at a dis- tance from New Pass of about 60 miles. The whole of this surface is prepared by nature to receive the superstructure of a railroad. It has two intervals of 13 and 17 miles where there is no water; but it can be supplied either by hauling or by digging or boring wells. Fuel, ties, lumber, stone, &c., over this distance of 60 miles, as well as for an additional distance at both ends, must come from the adjoining mountains, where it is abundant. The working parties over this part will be small. Having entered the pass at an elevation of 3,300 feet, there will be 12 miles of grade at the rate of 22 feet per mile; then, as before stated, nine miles at 80 feet per mile. The ground admits of these grades being arranged to suit those descending to the Tulares valley, which commence after a nearly horizontal grade at the summit for 74 miles. From the manner in which these two passes are connected by an almost horizontal line afier descending about 500 feet from the summit of New Pass, they have, combined, the disadvantages attending only one pass, with a summit elevation of 4,300 feet; and after descending the Pacific slopes through the San Gorgonio Pass to an elevation of 1,118 feet, we have reached the Tulares valley by ascending 3,900 feet; and descending again to an elevation of about 1,500 feet above the mean level of the ocean. From the head of the Tulares valley, the waters of the Bay of San Francisco, navigable for sea-going vessels of large draught, may be attained in several ways. The eastern side of the Tulares and San Joaquin valleys is intersected by numerous streams from the Sierra Nevada. The western is bounded by the coast chain, and has few streams. That part of the Tulares valley between Kern and San Joaquin rivers, a space of 150 miles having a soft alluvial soil, is at certain seasons miry. A road, therefore, extending though it, should keep near the foot-slopes of the mountains. From the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass to the best point of crossing Kern river, 213 miles, the route passes over a dry dusty plain, destitute of water and fuel, the soil of which is not well constituted for fertility. The elevation at the crossing being about 500 feet, the general grade will be, for the first ten miles, 78 feet per mile, and for the remaining eleven and a half miles, 18 feet per mile. From the crossing of Kern river to the second ,crossing of the San Joaquin, at or near Gray- son’s, the distance is (the route keeping near the foot of the mountains) 258 or 260 miles—the general descending grade two and a third feet per mile. The numerous river-beds or bottoms should be crossed on piles, the spaces varying from 50 to 300 feet, the greatest width of the portions to be spanned not exceeding 100 feet. This is not proposed as the route for a railroad, but merely to give a general idea of the distance and character of country which separates the head of the Tulares valley from the navigable waters of the Bay of San Francisco. The total 12a 90 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY SECOND PARALLEL. distance from the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass to the Straits of Martinez is 354 miles, following the route travelled by Lieutenant Williamson; but the location distance of a railroad would be 288 miles. The most direct route to San Francisco from the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, will be found through one of the passes known to exist in the mountain range separating the San Joaquin valley from those of the Salinas river and San José river. The distance through them is about ten miles ; the elevation of their summits about 600 feet. They may be reached from the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass by passing around the head of the Tulares valley to its western side, or by keeping on the eastern side of the Tulares valley fifteen or twenty miles after crossing Kern river; then crossing the valley, in doing which it will be necessary to use piling for the distance of ten miles, to make a sufficiently firm road-bed over the soft, miry, alluvial soil. The distance to the port of San Francisco, by this route, from the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, is about 288 miles. The average grades, except through the short pass, will be two or three feet per mile. The soil of the Tulares and San Joaquin valleys is well constituted for fertility, and needs merely the proper amount of water to be highly productive. There are settlements along the eastern side of these valleys under the mountains. The San José valley is one of the best culti- vated and most populous districts of California. Sufficient water and fuel for working parties can be found at convenient distances on this section, and lumber and good building-stone at various points along the line in the mountains, fifteen or twenty miles from the foot of their western slopes. The sum of ascents, therefore, between the summit of the San Bernardino Pass and the port of San Francisco is 4,516 feet, (supposing the height of the pass through the coast mountains 600 feet,) the distance 521 miles. This portion of the route is generally of a different character from that east of the Sierra Nevada and Coast ranges. Its topographical features, except the mountain passes, are favorable to the cheap construction of a railroad. The comparative proximity throughout the line of forests of pine and other trees, of good building-stone, and other materials for construction; of supplies of water and fuel for the working parties; the fertility of the soil along large portions of the route, which by irrigation from unemployed mountain streams may be made productive,—these ~ circumstances, together with the population already occupying certain portions of the route, afford the means of estimating how far the cost of the construction, and working of the road, will exceed that under nearly similar topographical circumstances in the eastern States, so far as similarity of topographical features can exist between countries of such different formations. The mountain passes are of a favorable character, their only objectionable feature being their high grades. Excepting at a few points, and for short distances not exceeding a mile or two at a time, they do not require heavy embankments, or difficult bridging, or heavy side-cutting in rock or even in earth. The only rock-cutting needed is that at the summit of the San Fernando Pass, through soft sandstone one-third of a mile, and in the New Pass, where, for the space of a mile, two or three tunnels, 100 and 300 feet in length, through slaty granite, will probably be required, with a cutting of 43 feet in clay, granite, &c., at the summit, for no great distance. The construction, however, will cost more per mile in this distance of 521 miles, than between the Sierra Nevada and the Rio Grande. In regard to the grades, there is on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad a grade of 117 feet per mile for a length of 17 miles. A 24-ton engine, on six drivers, can draw a train containing two.hundred passengers, with 100 pounds of baggage each, in the worst condition of the rail, up a grade of 221 feet per mile, and a train of three hundred passengers and baggage up a grade of 150 feet per mile. The maximum loads are rarely carried over long roads. Even supposing twenty-ton engines used, with maximum loads for the grades over other portions of the road, it would merely be necessary to divide the load into three parts to pass a grade of 150 feet to the mile, over the dis- tances through which they extend, supposing the load previously adjusted to a grade of 40 feet ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 91 per mile: in other words, to reduce a grading of 150 feet to the mile, to one of 40 feet to the mile, the expense of two additional engines, and the cost of working them through the pass, must be added. For more detailed information in regard to this, I refer to the memoranda and tables prepared by Capt. McClellan, Corps of Engineers, and the following extract from the report of Allan Campbell, Esq., an able American engineer, upon the railroad from Valparaiso to Santiago. EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF ALLAN CAMPBELL, ESQ., CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE VALPA- RAISO AND SANTIAGO RAILROAD. “From the known topography of Chili, and particularly from the facts stated in the preceding pages, it will naturally be inferred that a railroad route from Valparaiso to Santiago is only to be obtained by resorting to gradients of extreme acclivity. In no country where railroads have yet been constructed are more gigantic physical obstacles encountered. I refer particularly to the elevations to be overcome, and not to the labor or cost of constructing the road, because in this respect it presents a very favorable aspect. The only alpine region where this species of improvement has yet been extensively introduced, is that of the eastern part of North America. There the Alleghany mountains, stretching along the At- lantic coast from two to three hundred miles inland, separate that ocean from the rich and exten- sive valley of the Mississippi. The trade and commerce of this vast western region has long been the aim of the principal cities situated on the Atlantic. In the various works of canals and railroads constructed for the purpose, nearly two hundred millions of dollars have been expended. Stimulated by the great prize held out, the resources of States and cities have been bountifully applied; private capital has been unsparingly devoted, while the genius and skill of engineers have been developed in the noble rivalry. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, and Savannah, have all engaged in the construction of railroads leading westward. Some of these lines are now completed, and others are approaching their termination. As these works pass over a country bearing a strong resemblance in its topography to that part of Chili now under consideration, some notice of their principal features will not be uninteresting. Without entering into minutia, it may be stated, that the several routes are from three hun- dred to five hundred miles in length, amounting in the aggregate to about twenty-five hundred miles ; and, wonderful to relate, this vast extent of road is carried over such an elevated region without a single inclined plane, worked by stationary power. Some of the lines were originally operated in this manner, but they have been made to give place to gradients suited to the loco- motive engine. This fact will show the great importance attached to this consideration in a country where routes affording the cheapest and most rapid method of transport are aimed at. The route from Boston passes over a summit 1,500 feet above the ocean, with a maximum gradient of 83 feet per mile. Two roads lead from the city of New York to the western waters; one through the valley of the Hudson river, with a summit of only 650 feet above tide, and a maximum grade of 30 feet per mile; and another, (the Erie railroad) whose highest point is 1,700 feet above the Atlantic, on which grades of 70 feet per mile are adopted. Proceeding southerly, the mountains attain a higher elevation, and the routes from Philadel- phia and Baltimore are carried over very elevated summits; that of the former being 2,400 feet, with gradients of 95 feet per mile, and the latter about 2,600 or 2,700 feet, with a maximum gradient of 116 feet. As this latter work so closely resembles the Santiago road, I shall have occasion, presently, more particularly to speak of it. Proceeding still farther south, the mountains again decline, and the Charleston and Savannah routes cross them at an elevation of 1,500 feet with very moderate grades, not exceeding 40 feet per mile. 93 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. Except the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, (one of the lines above mentioned) the exact height of whose summit I cannot state, none of these great thoroughfares pass over ground so much elevated above the sea as the Santiago route; and as all, in this respect, far exceed the works of other countries, it may safely be said that the route described in these pages overcomes a greater elevation than has yet been surmounted by railroad, (except perhaps in one instance,) throughout the world. But the Santiago route is superior to most of the American roads above enumerated in one respect. In approaching to, and departing from their main summits, those roads cross over numerous secondary ranges and deep intervening valleys, which makes the aggregate rise and fall much greater than the Santiago road, as will be seen by the following table : 3S fplgeBe [ogy [ee | GS OD a i= Road. 5, <5 = ae Remarks. Sil 2 Sahere eae S 2S = A 2 5s s A oO = S 4 ia a = Boston route. -.-----.----------- 500 | 1,440] 4,700] 83 New York route, (Central) ..---- 440 650 | 2,100} 30 New York route, (Erie).------.- 460 | 1,720} 6,500] 70 Philadelphia route.....--------. 340 | 2,400] 5,600) 95 Baltimore route ..---..------.-- 390 | 2, oe # ido Vag Rigs anita, ala: eee ’ . d 2,700 5 mit, supposed. Charleston route ----------.---- 490 | 1,400 | 5,000} 40 | Rise and fall, supposed. Savannah route..----.......---. 440 1,400 | 5,000) 40 Do. do. Santiago railroad .-...-.---.---- 110 | 2,640 | 4,340 | 119 Although the total elevation surmounted by European railroads is much less than in the cases above cited, yet even there, in some instances, inclinations equal to the maximum gradient of the Santiago road are now introduced, and overcome by locomotive power. Two or three instances may be mentioned. In a work entitled “‘ The Practical Railway Engineer,” published at London, in the year 1847, is the following description of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railroad : “The gradients vary from one in 880 (six feet per mile,) to one in 5,456 (about one foot per mile,) except one incline of one mile, fourteen chains in length, which descends from the Cowlairs towards the Glasgow station, at the rate of one in forty-tlfree (123 feet per mile,) and has hitherto been worked by stationary steam-engines, which are now, or are about to be, replaced by Ameri- can locomotive engines.” Dr. Lardner, a distinguished writer on various scientific and practical subjects, in a late work entitled “ Railway Economy in Europe and America,” after giving a table of the German rail- ways, says: ‘In the first and third columns of this table are given the characteristic or prevailing gradients and radii; and in the second and fourth columns are given those which occur only exceptionally, when the character of the ground rendered them inevitable. In some cases—as, for example, in the section of the railway constructed from Brunswick to Harburgh, on the left bank of the Elbe, facing Hamburgh—the prevailing gradient is 1 in 166 (32 feet per mile;) but in one section of this line, extending over a distance of about five miles, being the section between Hamburgh and the station of Weinenburgh, there is a series of gradients which vary from 1 in 100 (53 feet per mile,) to 1 in 50 (106 feet per mile.) No practical difficulty, however, is encountered in the regular working of this part of the line by locomotives without assistant engines. ‘Trains of an average gross weight of sixty or seventy tons are drawn over this section by locomotives whose weight does not exceed eighteen tons, having six coupled wheels of four feet nine inches in diameter.” ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 93 In the table mentioned, the maximum gradient of the Brunswick and Harburgh railway is stated at 1 in 43 (123 feet per mile,) and those of Wurtemburgh at 1 in 45 (117 feet per mile.) * * * * * * * * * * * The grades of the Santiago railroad, though heavy, are, in comparison with others which have been cited, not unfavorable ; and we find on analyzing the expense of operating a railroad, that the cost of motive power is only a fractional part of the whole. It is sufficient for our present purpose to know that important railroads in other countries, with gradients equal to those of the Santiago route, have been, and now are, successfully and profitably conducted. One import- ant fact in this connexion is, that the line now under consideration will be free from the evils resulting from snow and ice, which diminish the adhesion of the engine to the rails, and reduce its effective power. Snow rarely lies even at the highest level over which this route is conducted. * * * * *® * * * * * * It will naturally occur to many that the descent of trains on gradients of such great declivity, with perfect security to the lives and limbs of passengers, is quite as important a consideration as their ascent with profitable loads. The accounts which follow, founded on fact and official information, afford the most satisfactory evidence on this point. A branch of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, in the United States, has gradients of 135 feet per mile, which are worked entirely by locomotive engines. The descent is made with heavy loads in perfect safety, and a single engine takes up regularly a gross load of 66 tons, exclusive of the engine and tender. On one road in the State of New York a short gradient of 175 feet per mile is descended daily with passenger trains. The superintendent of the Baltimore and Susquehanna railroad, an important line both for freight and passengers, writes as follows: ‘We have one grade of eighty-four feet per mile, three miles in length. Over this grade a locomotive weighing 26 tons hauls, at the rate of twelve miles an hour, forty (four-wheel) cars, each containing three tons of produce—the cars themselves weighing 114 tons—making a gross load of 234 tons.” The most interesting and analogous case, however, to which I can refer, is that of the Balti- more and Ohio railroad, one of the great lines of the United States alluded to in a previous part of this article, as connecting the sea-board with the valley of the Mississippi across the Alle- ghany mountains. In the year 1850, 477,000 tons of merchandise and 180,000 passengers were transported on this road, the receipts amounting to $1,343,000, the road being only about half completed. When finished to the Ohio river, its receipts are expected to amount to $3,000,000. On this road are heavy gradients, with several curves of six hundred feet radius, and some of four hundred feet. It is to the mountain district of the road just opened that I wish particularly to invite attention ; and for this purpose an extract is made from the official report of the chief engineer, Mr. Latrobe, one of the most distinguished engineers of North America, in which he describes the route and grades over the Alleghany mountains: ** At about a mile below this last point, the high grade of 116 feet per mile begins and con- tinues about 11$ miles, crossing the Potomac from Virginia into Maryland near the beginning of the grade, and thence ascending the steep side-slopes of Savage river and Crab Tree creek to the summit at the head of the latter, a total distance of about fifteen miles, upon the last three and a half of which the grade is reduced to about 100 feet per mile. From the summit the line passes for about nineteen miles through the level and beautiful tract of country so well known as the Glades, and near their western border the route crosses the Maryland boundary at a point about sixty miles from Cumberland, and passes into the State of Virginia, in whose territory it continues thence to the terminus on the Ohio. From the Glades the line descends by a grade of 116 feet per mile for eight and a half miles, and over very rugged ground, and thence three miles further to Cheat river, which it crosses at the mouth of Salt Lick creek. The route, immediately after crossing this river, ascends along the broken slopes of the Laurel Hill by a 94 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. grade of 105 feet per mile for five miles, to the next summit, passing the dividing ridge by a tun- nel of 4,100 feet in length, and whence, after three miles of light grade, a descent by the grade of 105 feet per mile for five miles is made to the valley of Racoon creek, by which, and the valley of the Three Forks creek, the Tygart’s Valley river is reached in fourteen miles more, at the Turnpike bridge above described, and 1034 miles from Cumberland.” The foregoing extract exhibits in a few words the physical obstacles to be overcome. It will be seen that a gradient of 116 feet per mile, both ascending and descending, is required—in the ageregate amounting to twenty miles—and that in both directions there are also thirteen miles more with gradients exceeding 100 feet per mile.” Two important remarks upon the characteristics of the railroad from Valparaiso to Santiago, which will be found in the preceding extract from the report of Allan Campbell, Esq., are equally applicable to the route of the 32d parallel. The first is the favorable character of the approaches to the mountains, by which no numerous secondary ranges and deep intervening valleys are to be crossed, as in the railroads crossing the Alleghany mountains; and the second is, that the line will be free from the evils resulting from snow and ice, which diminish the adhesion of the engine to the rails, and reduce its effective power. Not only are these two remarks fully appli- cable to the route of the 32d parallel, but the features of the mountain passes are even more favorable than those of the route discussed by Mr. Campbell. There will be more snow and ice in the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass than in any other on the route of the 32d parallel; but there is no probability of their being found in sufficient quantity to obstruct in the least the working of the road. In the absence of positive information upon this point, the examination which follows may give some general indication of the climate there. The absence of snow and ice in these passes is especially important with the high grades pro- posed to be used. These can in every instance, except one, (the San Fernando Pass, over four and perhaps eight miles,) be reduced by side location to grades in use on several principal railroads. But cars are carried safely over grades nearly double the greatest here proposed for temporary use, and the increased cost of employing additional engines over these portions of the road is not in the - least serious, compared with the additional expense and loss of time required to secure easier gradients. The winter temperature of San Francisco is 50° Fahrenheit. 'The Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass is about 8° south of San Francisco, and at the same level would have a winter temperature of 53°. The elevation being 4,000 feet, would give, by the usual rule, a temperature from 13° to 15° lower, or a mean winter temperature of 40° or 38°. It is probable, however, that it is some- what lower than this, which is about the mean winter temperature of Fort Monroe, Old Point Comfort, Chesapeake bay. The mean winter temperature of Charleston is 50°, and that of the summit elevation of the railroad route westward to the Mississippi, 1,400 feet above the sea, is about 45°. The mean winter temperature of Fort McHenry, Baltimore harbor, is 32°.7; that of the sum- mit elevation of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, 2,600 feet above the sea, should be about 24°, which is 14° or 16° lower than that obtained for the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass. There is deep snow in the Tejon Pass, but from the open character of the Tah-ee-chay-pah Pass, and its greater distance from the junction of the two chains of mountains, the snow and ice found there will not probably be seriously disadvantageous. GENERAL REVIEW. Among the general considerations which determine the position of the route near the 32d parallel, the most prominent are the low eievation of the mountain passes, and their favorable topographical features, as well as those of the table-lands, embracing over 1,000 miles of the route; the favorable character of the surface generally, by which the most costly item of con- struction in railroads, the formation of the road-bed, is in a great measure avoided; the short- ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 95 ness of the line, 1,600 miles, from the navigable waters of the Mississippi to the Pacific, and the temperate climate on the elevated portions in this southern latitude. The principal characteristic of this route is the great extent of high, arid, smooth, and nearly horizontal table-lands which it traverses, reaching an elevation of 4,000 feet upon the dividing ridge between the Brazos and Colorado rivers of Texas, near which elevation it continues until it descends from the pass of the Sierra de Santa Catarina to the Gila river, a space of nearly 600 miles. The elevation at the summit of the Llano Estacado is 4,700 feet, and in the passes of the Gua- dalupe and Hueco mountains, east of the Rio Grande, 5,700 and 4,800 feet respectively. Between the Rio Grande and the Gila, the greatest elevation, which is twice attained, is 5,200 feet; the mean elevation before the desceut to the Gila is commenced being 4,100 feet. From the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado to the pass of San Gorgonio, 1,052 miles, the route crosses three rivers—the Pecos, the Rio Grande, and the Great Colorado of the West. The peculiar features of the arid region over which the route lies, from the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado to the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass, have been sufficiently explained in the detailed topographical review already given of each portion of this route. Those very charac- teristics which were thought to offer the greatest obstacles to the construction of a railroad, prove, when closely examined, the most favorable, since they have obviated the necessity of much of that most costly item in railroad construction, the preparation of the road-bed for the superstructure. Throughout the distance of 1,052 miles, with few and limited exceptions, this preparation is already made by nature, and quite as perfectly as, if not better than, it could be done by the hand of man. This item alone usually amounts to from one-half to two-thirds and some- times three-fourths of the whole cost of a railroad. The mode and probable cost of obtaining supplies of water over these dry regions have been pointed out and will be subjected to practical tests. Even if these should fail (of which there is no probability) in bringing the required supplies to the surface, the permanent streams and large springs already existing are at distances sufficiently near for the purposes of a railroad, special arrangements having been made to meet the difficulty. For a 20-ton engine, on four drivers, wood and water, if carried with the train for 25 miles, weigh about jth of the maximum load on a level, and for 100 miles ,!;d part; with coal and water the proportions are, for 25 and 100 miles ;4;th and ,';th; but as the load usually carried on freight and passenger trains is much below the maximum, we may safely assume that the trains (freight and passenger) can carry fuel and water sufficient for 100 miles over grades not exceeding 30 or 40 feet without additional cost, the maximum load of this engine on grades of 40 feet, in the best condition of rail, being 252 tons, and in the worst condition 180 tons. That required for the use of the working parties can be hauled without seriously enhancing the cost of the road, for it must be remembered that the working parties will be small over those por- tions of the route where the road-bed has been already prepared by nature. We have seen, too, that fuel for culinary purposes for the working parties will probably be found over the greater part of these regions; and where it cannot be found conveniently, that it can be supplied from points so near to the work that its cost will not exceed double that of fuel for the same pur- poses in the eastern States. From the eastern limit of the Llano Estacado to the Pacific, 1,200 miles, the plan of building the road has been indicated so as to secure the greatest economy of time and means. Three points remain to be considered: the mode and cost of supplying ties and lumber generally; the mode and cost of supplying fuel; and the manner in which the daily examination of the road can be made and the rails adjusted and protected. 96 ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. TIES—LUMBER. Let us assume the most unfavorable case for supplies of ties and lumber over that portion of the route between the eastern limit of the Llano Estacado and the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass, 1,052 miles—that is, that they must be brought from either end of the road, say 300 miles from the eastern limit of the Llano Estacado and from the port of San Pedro on the Pacific, 100 miles from the summit of the San Gorgonio Pass, making the points of supply 1,400 miles apart: the greatest distance to which they must be transported from each end is, therefore, 700 miles by the road, the point of junction of supplies from the east and west being about 110 miles west.of the Rio Grande. Lumber can, undoubtedly, be procured in the Red River district for $30 per 1,000 feet. The additional cost for transportation to the Llano, 300 miles by the railroad, at three cents per ton per mile, (double the usual cost on eastern railroads) is $134, and its cost there $434 per 1,000 feet; the cost per 1,000 feet for 450 miles additional transportation is $20, and hence the cost per 1,000 feet at this extreme point will be $633. The mean cost over these 400 or 450 miles from the eastern limit of the Llano Estacado will be $524 per 1,000 feet. From Fulton to the Llano it is unnecessary to estimate its cost. Lumber may be delivered at San Pedro or San Diego from Oregon for $30 per 1,000 feet. Abundance of it can be got out from the San Bernardino and other mountains near the line of the road at that cost, and it may be assumed, therefore, to be supplied at San Pedro or San Diego at that price, and at a mean cost over the road (the road supplying itself, as it must do,. sections of 40 or 50 miles being built at a time) of $46 per 1,000 feet. The ties should be sawed to the smallest dimensions, if they must be transported to the distances stated. The dimensions may be six inches by eight inches, and their mean cost over these 1,200 miles will be about $34 per 1,000 feet, or the cost of ties per mile $1,760. It may be found desirable to return to the use of stone chairs, or to resort to cast-iron ties over this portion of the route. The latter would cost at eastern prices about $2 per tie. The mean cost of rails, iron, &c., over this route will not exceed, if it equals, $30 per ton more than their usual cost in the eastern States. Haulage from temporary termini of railroad to unfinished line of road will be about double that in the eastern States; and, indeed, this appears to be about the mean proportion of increase on these great table-lands. The worst case having been discussed, it remains to be said, that good ties and lumber can be obtained from the Guadalupe and Hueco mountains, from the headwaters of the Rio Mimbres, from the Pinal Lleno, Salinas river and headwaters of the San Francisco, and from the San Bernardino mountains of the Sierra Nevada or Coast range, which sources of supply may be found to materially obviate the necessity of transporting lumber from the two ends of the road. FUEL. Bituminous coal is abundant on the Brazos. The coal of Vancouver’s island, and also of Puge sound, is excellent. Last summer a cargo was brought to San Francisco from Puget sound at a cost of $11 per ton; $4 per ton being for freight, and $7 per ton for mining and handling. It costs at present prices $5 per tonto mine it. ‘This at no distant period will, doubtless, be reduced to $1 or $2 per ton, and it can be delivered at San Pedro or San Diego at $7 per ton. On the Brazos it can be mined and prepared for transportation at $1 per ton. From the Brazos to San Pedro is 1,400 miles. At three cents per ton per mile, (double the usual cost,) we have it at the foot of the Llano at $7 per ton, and the mean cost per ton over the 1,200 miles, $16. In regard 1o transporting wood for fuel for locomotives, as 1,300 pounds of coal make as much steam as 4,500 pounds of pine wood, coal can be transported three and a half times as far as wood, other things being equal. The cost of fuel on railroads is about one-fifth of the yearly expense of maintaining and work- ing the road. ‘ ROUTE NEAR THE THIRTY-SECOND PARALLEL. 97 GENERAL REMARKS. It may be found desirable to establish a depot of supplies at the mouth of the Gila, 255 miles distant from San Pedro. The report of a reconnaissance near the mouth of the Colorado of the West, with a view to its navigation, by Lieutenant Derby, topographical engineers, shows that the navigation of this river to the head of tide-water, 40 miles from its mouth, is difficult and dangerous from the rapid rise of the tide called bore. Arnold’s Point, 35 miles above the mouth of the river, by the windings of the stream, is the head of navigation in low water (Jan- uary, February, and March) for vessels drawing nine feet. Above that point, to the mouth of the Gila, the least water is three feet, and the river may be navigated at any season by steamers drawing 2% feet water. The channel is narrow, and the current, obstructed with small snags and sawyers, is always rapid. The distance from Arnold’s Point to the mouth of the Gila is between 70 and 100 miles. The rise of the ordinary spring tides at the mouth of the Colorado is 12 feet. In freshets the river at Arnold’s Point rises 15 feet above low water. The velocity of the current, independent of that caused by the tide, is ordinarily from one to three miles per hour, and in freshets nearly double that. Could the work of construction be commenced at the mouth of the Gila at the same time as at San Pedro and the other terminus, and extended east and west, it would hasten the completion of the work. DAILY INSPECTION OF THE ROAD, &C. Each portion of a railroad is thoroughly examined every day, and such adjustment and slight repair made as can be done by a single hand. One man attends to from two to three miles of road. From 1,000 to 1,300 miles of the country along this proposed route is uninhabited, except by Indians. Here it will probably be found necessary to establish stations at every 20 or 25 miles distance, capable of accommodating 40 men. As a party of seven or eight men on any portion of the route, with the facilities of a hand railroad car, may be considered perfectly secure against Indians, a party of three men with a guard of five will be able to