The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-11

Sail Lake acros. she era Nevada to the valley OF he
SACRAMENTO. Capsn Gunnisoa directed 70 return
from The Great BASIN through ihe 1mpanseo Canon, or
other fassss ana the Weber and Bear rivers BY
the coal harln. 10 sueh POINT oil aebandent as his dis
cfeiloD might dlissi.
The next line is that near lhe 35sh parallel which 10
10 charge Of Lieut. Whippe. OF tie Corp OF lopograpb-
cal ensneeis He direcied 10 ascend The valley OF
The Canadian rsei pass round ths mountains east OF
the Rio del Norie and enter The valley OF that al
point albuquerque thence 10 extend his
plorafions through Sierra haJe and tLe
wss ~ be Znn snd Noqu counties 10 The Colorado Of
The wet, and proceeding IN the dnecton OF Walkers
Pass To continue HIS by The most direct and prac
cabe line 10 The PacLc Much testimony favor
OF the praciicaby o this ipe indicated il as proper
route for exploration.
Another line further south is that suggested by the
vtys Of MAJOR Emory lssG, and those OF The bounda
Inc line OF the 32d parallel. 1t passes around the
lremy oi The Guadalupe mountains OF Texas in about
latitude 81 deg and crosses the RIO Grande near Dona
Ana, FfonieIa in about alitude 80 deg and thence
follows table lands 10 the San Pedro river, and
thence along the ella river 10 its mouth portion OF
this line pssses through the territory OF Mexico. and
another portion north oil The line OF operations Of the
boundary conmIssIoD and consequently these were not
included the boundary survey The gaps thus exist
ing this line 10 be filled up by the survey OF Captain
Pope, and thai under the direction OF Lieutenant Parke
both OF the corps OF Typographical engineers The in
siructions to The latter not given until recently, be-
the survey with which he is charged requires
part of the lire to be within the limits OF Mexico
The Mexican government have, however. removed the
difficulty by grsnipg authority to the Uned States to
practicability oil railway route IN this region
Several partial routes the Pacific side, 10 connect,
before described, with those from The east were direct
ed be surveyed by Lieutenant Williamson, of the
corps oil Typographical engineers He was instructed 10
examine all the passes eastward iiom the valley OF the
San Joaquin and the Tulae lake, and subst queny 10
explore Walkers and other passes which exist in the
high range OF mountains apparently the southern
tinua,ion of the Sierra Nevada.
The experience OF amos, every party which has
ed the continent shows the necessity OF fitting out sep
arate party the sboes OF The Pacific 10 explore the
Sierra Nevada aud the other elevated ranges thai
cOast. Parties reaching these barriers from the
Atlantic side too mach tagred au Exhausted make
elaborate surveys ii is also necessary these parties
should commence operations early in The spring in order
10 complete the heid before the heavy inter-
Copies oil the instructions given TO all the parties are
From will appear that the officers of the differ.
ent expeditions have been directed observe and
all the objects and phenomena which have immediate
remote bearing upon The railway, which may
10 develop the resources pecuiaes. and climate of the
country For this purpose they have been supplied with
full sets Of instruments for determining The latitude and
longitude OF places, the and distances OF the
routes and OF the topography OF the country either
side within accessible distances; with the means of
cerainDg the variation of atmospheric pressure, and
other meteorological phenomena and Two OF the parties
with instruments 10 determine the direction and nlen-
city OF the magnetic force. They have been instructed
TO observe the prevailing direction OF the wind. the
amount OF rain, the degree OF temperature and humidity
of the atmosphere; they also required report on
The geology OF the country to gather specimens OF the
different rocks and Soils make collections of the plants
and anmas and to collect statistics OF the Indian tribes
which are found in The regions traversed. The inor
nation which will be derived from this series of obser
valons will be OF much value 10 establishing the cspac
y OF the country 10 sustain population and furnish
Giles of commerce. The astronomical observations
inds rnsable IN liking The geographical position OF the
pr pa points OF the route aud for improving the map
oil western possessions The nagnel obser
are OF importance 10 accurately tracing the line between
lie points determined by astronomical observations 1t
well known that the magnetic needle has irregular
Ind sometimes hfai variation, amounting 10 difference
81 eighteen degrees bet xeen Washington city and the
western OF Oregon. and the law by which this
ration is increased or diminished has not been
tanned.
The meteoroiogy oil the country has direct bearing
on the question OF the construction OF a railway. The
amount OF hch will probably be found along the
route should be ascerlaoed and this will depend the
temperature and humidity OF the place, As we advance
to the North the amount OF vapor dmnshes, and hence
the quantity OF which falls will be ltss but on
the other hand, IL will lie longer of the dim
Dson OF temperature. Il therefore, deemed proper
that the hydronomeficsl OF the atmosphere should
BE- measured by suitable instruments, and the
perature ascerianed by thermomecal observations OF
the soil at few feet below the surface
knowledge OF the geology OF The country is import.
ant siiordng essential data relative 10 the construction
and OF the railway IL teaches advance OF
pensive experience the obstacle which will be presented
by rocks to be excavaled, and their fitness for in
masonry and ciscoses the presence Of sand which may
drift over the track damage the rubbing paris of the
machinery. Ffom the character OF the geological lorna.
ZION to be inferred the probability oil The existence OF
coal and from The dip and strata OF the the easbl
iy oil procuring water by wells Tor The of the
engines, and whether not the supply may be extend
ed beyond this want and happily Tor the
OF the land Should this last result he obtained would
furnish the means TO ert sterile a fer
tile region, aud add to the power and wealth OF the Uni
ted States BY extending their settlements in continuous
chain from sea TO sea.
Observations were directed 10 be made TO the 20
ology and botany Of the county, which into the
question OF the choice OF routes, because they ndca
tive OF the capacity OF the country 10 sustain life and
furnish materials tor construction
Alluslon has been made to The inadeQuacy OF the ap
pfoprAton Tor surveys to ascertain the best for
railroad from the Mississippi river the Pacific ocean
In determining The route Of ordinary railroads. through
thckyseted countries oil easy half per cent
the actual cost OF construction considered too
liberal allowance for the preliminary surveys, and
therefore cannot be expected that the bes, line OF road
which has been estimated 10 cost hundred million
dollars be located through uninhabiied and
paratIvely unknown region Tor hundred and fifty
thousand dollars
There 10 bat little doubt that the best line which can
be chosen will present combination OF nearly all the OBJ
stacles which have up TO this time been successfully
encountered by the art OF the engineer and that any
haste or negligence which should improper To-
cation OF the road 10 be made, must lead conse.
qusncss which would sndanaer the OF the whole
enterprise.
A striking illustration OF the value of opinions moi
based instrumental survey presented in the develop
msnts mode by Lieut. WliIismson's exploration Of
Walkers Pass IL will be remembered that this famous
gap considered liked point and the various specu
ations routes. differ ing everything ese, generally
concurred in tending 10 Walkers Pass Recent ,nior-
nation from Lieut.. Williamson establishes the fact that
this pass is lmpraci icahIe for railway.
The information which has been received from the
parties in the field II TOO limited and imperfect to