The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-22
From he 81. Louis fnttligeneer, June 10.
Route TO the Pacinc-Captain Gunnison'

From tie st. Louis lntelligeneer. June 10.
Rnuts TO the Pacif1c-Captain Gunnison's
Party.
Captain j. w Gunnison, who with his survey
ing party has been in our, city for several days
past making some of his final arrangements fer
bis departure to theline assigned him, left yester.
day for Kansas, and will be on the Plains about
the 25th of this month
The route which Captain Gunnison has been d.
rected to explore and examine is that which has
usually received the name Of the Central Route,
and ia to some extent the came which has been
traversed by COL Fremont and is so highly ex-
toled by Mr.. Benton. It's line follows the course
of the Kansas by the Smoky Hill Fork of that river
to near its source; thence across to the Arkansas
and up the bank of the Huerfano, a continent of
that river, to its source in the mountain range
called Sangre de Cristo, where tits supposed a
pass suitable for railroad may be found south of
those known as Robidoux's and WiIliams's paeeea.
At the western outlet of this pass is Fort Massachu
setts, established there last year by Col. Summer,
near one of the small tributaries OF the Rio del
Norte. known as the Trnchara. From the point
occupied by this fort, the party may course down
the Trinchara, strike the Del Norte near the Co
nejos, another little stream which empties into the
Del Norte from the west, and, if possible, traverse
the country north of the fine river San JUAN which
flows into the Great Colorado of the West. The
choice of this route is recommended by the great
saving of distance it effects over that toward
the north through the Coo-cha- to- pc pass IT.
however, the San Juan cutoff should not be
deemed practicable, the party will proceed north
wardlyfrom Fort Massachusetts up through the pass
known as Coo.cha to-pe. Having gone through
this defle, their .courss will lie west to the waters
of Grand and Green rivers These rivers, which
large, form the Colorado. After crossing
Grand river, the course will lie enthusiastically
to the old Spanish trail from Abiquiu, which will
be followed westwardly till it strikes Green river
at crossing not far above the junction of Grand
and Green rivers. Thence course will be fol-
lowed eouh of the Spanish trail, still westwardly
to the Vegas of Santa Clara which is the furtbest
westerly point embraced in Captain Guunison's
instructions. From Santa Clara the survey will be
extended northwardly to the Great Salt Lake,
embracing examination of the country sur
rounding famous spring, known as the Oio de
San jose, and the borders of the Little Salt Lab
From the Great Salt Lake it will be continued east
wardly to the range of mountains in which are the
South Pass and pass south of it known as Stana-
bury's Pass, and thence down the Platte river to
Council Bluffs on the Missouri.
1t was on part of this route that Colonel FREE
mont in 1853, met with such terrible disaster:
losing all his animals and one-third of his men
who persisted of starvation and the intense cold of
the mountainous region into which they had been
msled.
Captain Gunnison's party consists of the follow
Captain J. W. Gunnison, Typographical Engi-
neer.
Lieutenant E. G. Beckwith, Commissary and
Quartermaster.
R. NJ Kerne, Topographer and Draughtsman.
j. H. Peters, T. L. Romans, Assistant Engi-
neers.
DR.. scheel, Surgeon, Chemist, and Mineralogist
Frederick Creutzfeldt Botanist and Taxider-
mist.
James A. Snyder, Assistant Draughtsman.
At Westport the party will be Joined by an es-
cort from Fort Leavenworth OF thirty of the mount-
ed rifles, under command of Captain Morris
From the composition and organization of this
corps there ia reason to expect that the route as
signed to it will be faithfully examined and fully
described. Captain Gunnison was associated with
Captain Stansbury IN the party which was occu-
pied in the examination of the Salt Lake basin,
and is the author OF some highly interesting
sketches of that region of country and of the pc
cuiiar people who inhabit it. With some portions
of his present route he is therefore familiar. He
has deservediy high standing in the Topographic
cal corps.
MIR. Kerne was with Colonel Fremont in his ex-
petition to the head-waters of the Del Norte, al
ready mentioned, and has of course vivid recol-
lection of certain portions of this line He has been
across to California through Walkers Pass on
lower route by Zuni, by tie waters of the Little
Colorado, and by the heads of the San Francisco,
| to the Great Colorado, about forty miles below the
stupendous canon of that river. He performed this
tour as draughsman to Captain Sitgreaye's expedi-
ton, a report of which will be published at the
opening of Congress. Mr.. Kerne unites to his
knowledge of engineer, great excellence
sketcher from nature and as draughtsman. The
keeping up of the field notes and the preparation
of the map will devove on him.
Messrs. Peters and Homans both good civil
engineers. DIR. Scheel comes highly recommended
to Capt. Gunnison by Drs Engelman and Will.
genus, as student under Liebg and we'll qualih :
ed for the station assigned to him. Mr. Creutzfedt
was with Colonel Fremont, and is just the man for
his place.