Washington sentinel., 1853-12-14
4abIit Dotumfnt.
Report Of the Secretary of War.
WAR DEPARTMENT, Decem5e,
fCourfxded1

A
WAR DEPARTMENT, December l.
(Condnded)
Al the last session Of Congress an appropriation
Of Sl50 900 was made 10 ascertain the most prac-
ticab,e and economical route for a railroad from
the mississippi River TO the Pacific Ocean, and
the act required that the several reports relative
10 the explorations should be laid before Congress
ON or before the first Monday of February, 1854
The time allowed, and the money appropriated, it
is feared, will prove insufficient for the complete
solution of this important problem. Avast extent
of country was TO be accurately surveyed, and
numerous lines, thousand of miles in extent, 10
be examined (; and it is hardly therefore to be
hoped that such data can be collected as will
satisfactorily answer the question proposed But
il is confidently believed that much information
will be added to the stock previously possessed
perhaps enough to determine the practcability of
the proposed enterprise.
The following general sketch of the country TO
be explored will give some idea Of the magnitude
of the examination required
The western portion Of the continent Of North
America, irrespective of the mountains, is trav-
ersed from north TO south by 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 II may be represented
on the map by an undulaing lined traced between
the headwaters of the streams which flow east
ward and those which flow westward. II 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 watershed has its greatest elevation in Mex-
co, and thence declines to its lowest point about
the latitude of 32o, where it has height Of about
4,300 feet, between the waters of the Rio Grandc
and those of the San Pedro, tributary of the
Gila. From this parallel il increases in altitude
northward, and reaches its maximum near to the
3Sth parallel, where il is about 5000 feet high.
Thence it declines we pass northward, and in
latitude APO 24 has an elevation of say 1000 feet
and in the latitude of about d7o il is reported TO be
at least l,700 feet lower. The heights here given
are those Of the lowest passes over the crest,
watershed, of the great plateau of the country,
and not those of the mountain peaks and ridges
which have their base upon IL, and rise, in some
cases, the height of 1900 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 Texas is by several
steps, of which the highest is that known by the
name of the Lamo Estracado, or Staked Plain. II
is traversed by the Missouri, the Platte, tho Ark
ansas, and other large rivers which rise among
The mountains near the crest, and flow eastward
and southward, in channels sunk beneath the gen.
eral surface level of the plains. ,6s..
In latitude az degrees, near the source Of the
Platte II has an elevation Of about five thousand
feet above tide, and in the same latitude on the
Mississippi about one thousand feet. Towards
the sources of the Arkansas in latitude 36 de-
grees, has height Of four thousand feet, and in
the same latitude on the Mississippi, two hundred
and seventy-fve feet. These elevations give an
average declination eastward, 70 the whole plan,
Of about four and half feet per mile, and south
ward Of about two and half feet,
The crest Of the plateau, and nearly the whole
of its western portion to the Pacific, is occupied
by q great mountain system, the continuation Of
the Andes Of South America. 1t has variable
breadth, narrowest within our possessions, near
49, -. LA .t.,l- J.. ~~.L~ Il L.
width Of about five hundred miles, and attains its
greatest expansion in the parallel of 40 degrees.
where 1t occupies space of about nine hundred
miles. On this mountain base, as has been said
before, are situated series of elevated peaks,
ridges and ranges. Those on the eastern side are
nearly continuous for about nine hundred miles,
and known by the name Of the Rocky mountains; ;
those on the western side perhaps less con-
tinuous, although equally elevated above the base,
and designated as the Sierra Nevada, Coast
Range, Cascade mountains, &c. The whole
space between these extreme ranges is occupied
by high peaks, and in various directions by series
of ridges, including elevated valleys and forming
great basins having no outlet to the The most
important ofthese is Salt Lake Basin, having an
elevate On of four thousand one hundred feet.
This mountain region is not, as is frequently
supposed, single chain, but system extending
from little east of the crest Of the watershed to
near the shores of the Pacific, and occupying about
one-haf of all the space between the Mississippi
mountain region stretching from north to south,
gives rise to a peculiarly of climate and soil.
Fertility depends principally upon the degree Of
temperature and the 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 backwards towards the north
east, gives a prevalence of westerly winds in
The north temperate zone, which tends TO spread
the moisture from the Pacific over the westcan
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 in
creased elevation, and hence It is that the plains
and valleys on the eastern sides of the ridges are
generally parched and barren and that the mo,,n.
tain systematic highest chain Of which is known as
the Rocky mountains, by presenting as il were a
screen against the moisture with which the winds
Of the west come laden--has for its eastern mar
gin sterile belt which probable extends along the
whole range, with an average width OF about $50
miles.
These general views, derived as they have been
from imperfect data, may yet serve to give some
idea OF the immense magnitude OF the work neces-
sary TO construct railway from the Atlantic TO
the Pacific. NO work for artificial communica.
tion has ever exceeded il in extent and physical
difficulty. Its execution, however, is within the
means and power OF the American people The
degree of practicablity and the comparative econo
my and eligibility of routes cannot be determined
WITHOUT accurate Instrumental surveys. An error
IN the selection Of the route may involve the un-
due expenditure Of many millions, and the ult-
mate value of the work; for this choice should
not depend alone upon apparent ease of construc-
tion, but also upon the productive character and
general resources of the country through which il
passes.
Foam the foregoing sketch il will be perceived
that the lines Of exploration must traverse three
different divisions or regions Of country lying par
aiel 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
tne sterile belt, having varying width of from 500
20 ouo miles the second is the sterile region vary
ing IN width from $50 to 300 miles, and the third
the mountain region, having breadth of from 500
10 300 miles.
explorations show that the surface of the first
DIVISION, with few exceptions, falls in gentle slopes
from It's western boundary TO the Mississippi. a,
the rate Of about six feet TO the mile, and that il
offers no material obstacle TO the construction Of q
railway. II is therefore, west Of this. thar the die
hcuities TO be overcome The c,,rr,, ..;rs -.