Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18
SURVEYS FOR THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.

The Government paper Nhe JIaaoa) gives the
following particulars Of the several surveying ex-
petitions which have been organized, under the au-
thoriy Of law passed 1T the las, session of Con
gress with a view 10 the selection Of the best route
for railroad communications between the Atlantic
and Pacific portions Of the territory Of the United
States:
-Four expeditions, amply appointed and under the COM
mand of sklful and experienced officers already in
the field and the report of their operations sweeping the
whole of territory between the Mississippi and
the Pacific may be expected by the first of February next
The expeditions intrusted chosen officers Of the
corps of engineers and of typographical engineers, TO
whose science and skill the of army in Mexico
largely attributable 1t is probably not too much
to say that military organization in the world can pro-
duce corps adequate to the successful conduct Of
such work.
The first Of these expeditions is under the command q
Major STEVENS late Of the engineer corps and now Gov
ernor of Washington Territory and has for its object TO
survey the region stretching from the Upper Mississippi
to Pugets Sound 1t proceeds from ST. Pauls, in the
Territory of Minnesota to the Great Bend OF the Missouri
river thence the table land between the Missouri and
Saskatchana rivers to the most available pass in the
Rocky Mountains surveying the best passes in the Cas-
cade range and in the Rocky Mountains from the 49h
parallel to the headwaters Of the Missouri 1t is part
of the object of this expedition to determine the capacity
Of the whole region Of its survey to supply and of the
Missouri and Columbia rivers to transport the materials
for the proposed railroad We learn that satisfactory
report has already been received from Major STEVENS
giving that he is already engaged in his opera
ons far beyond the Western frontier of the United States
He expected to leave ST. Paus before the first of june
second expedition, under the command of Lieutenant
WHrLE is to survey the region of western territory
adjacent to the parallel of 35 degrees. 1t will proceed
from the Mississippi along the headwaers of the Canadian
the Rio Pecos and the valley of the Rio del
Nore near Albuquerque thence through Walkers Pass,
in the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific at point
the coast of Southern California near San Pedro Los
Angeles, or San Diego.
A third expedition under the command Of Captain
GuNNIsoN will pass through the Rocky Mountains
the headwaters Of the Del Norte by way of the Heur
ano river into the valley the Green and Grande rivers
thence westwardy along the Ncoet river Of the Great
Basin thence north to the Lake Utah, surveying
return route the of the Wasateh range through
the coal basin into the forks of the Platte.
fourth expedition is to operate in California. It's
field is the region west of the Lower Colorado to the
Pacific This expedition, starting from Benica in Cali
fornia, will examine the passes of the Sierra Nevada
from the San Joaquin and Tulare valleys, together with
the whole country southeast Of the Tuare lakes to
certain the best route between Walkers pass, any
other practicable passes in that region and the mouth
of the ella, and from that point to the Pacific at San
Diego.
Each of these expeditions is instructed and fully pre-
pared to subject the region assigned to it careful
scientific survey having reference not only to the exami
nation Of its capacity for railroad route but also to all
that may pertain to thorough geographical knowledge
Of the country, including not only its topography but its
climate, SOIL and productions 1t is obvious that such
surveys apart from their main object must contribute
very largely to accurate scientific knowledge of
this vast western domain Of the United States The ap
preparation made by the last Congress for these surveys
amounted to the Of hundred and fifty thousand
dollars and is intended strictly conne the expenses
of all the various expeditions to that amount.