The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-18

purposes Of man. To settle tois gu 'sti0n With wfch
ths construction Of railway is intmstey connectea.
the parties have been instructed to collect all the facts
/ regions tn support humso life.
II was necessary, before determicny what rontes
shou5 be explored, to examine the iafrmatiau
which had already been obtained. Only three par
lies mad extended their explorations wit, proper
Instruments from the Mississippi to tbs Pacific fbe
mr. abd most northern, was by the wsy OF vhst ~
called TIE south Pass ard the Sierra Nevads; the
second from Santa F., the Copper Mines aud along
the Gia and the third by the way Of the Zusi river
ard the Colorado.
Other surveys have been made With barometer
levels over detached portions Of the re ion /, b.
explored. The information thus obtained. though
limited, is specific ~ far as 1t goes, and gives jns
ideas OF the elevations ard other obsta sizes to be sur
mounted. Mach valuable and relisble information
has also been furnished by the Mexican Boundary
survey.
The explorations Of Lowis and Clarke, who crossed
10 TIE Pacific and those of Col. Losg, while they
throw much light on the general geography and to-
roersphy Of the country, and have served to indi-
cate the routes 10 be explored do not give prOflea
OF the Ieeion passed over.
Reports from travellers who have gone over the
contlI eDt entirely without Instruments are as various
anc conflicting as the routes themselves, and even
OF the Same route totally different ,ounts ara
gwen. Any iIfor nat on other than that based ON
accurate instrumental measurement, though 1t may
be & some Importance IN indicating routes to be
vtyed If OF little value IN determining the question
Of railway IL is necessary for this purpose to have
well determined facts and not vague impre ssions.
Tine expedition Of Lewis and Clarke g. 0wed the
probability Of considerable ndetatiOn the crest
OF the water shed OF the continent the forsy-
seyepth para lei of nth ituie aad indicated the
probability OF railway route In this region, from
The head waters OF the tributaries Of the Missouri,
across TO those u Ciarke's river.
The party first organized under the act OF Con-
1ress the one to explore this le which claimed
the earliest attention from the known severi and
length OF the winter, and the necessity OF Commerce
lug operations early in the year. 1t placed in
charge o: Governor Steveus Of Washin territory
who vas directed to ODerate from St Paul's Soma
eligible point on the Upper Mississippi tow ards the
great send OF the Missouri river aud thence on the
table land between the tributaries of the Missouri
aDo those OF the skatchawam to some eis able
pass in the Rocky Mountains second party, opn-
iaanded by Captain Mcclellan, uuoer the direction
| OF Governor Stevens, was directed t. proceed 1t
once to Pugst Sound, AID explore the passes Of the
Cascade range, meeting the eastern party between
chat range and the Rocky Mountains.
Taken in geographical order, the next survey or
deIed TO be made was that entrusted to Capt Gunni
son. corps Of Typographical E0gneers. He was in
structed to explore the route the 3Sth parallel
Of latitude by the HuerfsLO river and COOchO to.pa
or some other eligible pass into the mountainous re-
gOn Of the Grand and Green rivers, and west wardy
10 the Vegas Of Sina Claus and Nicoliet's river Of
the Great BasD and thence northward to the vicini
ty u Lake Utah. Reliable mfOr nation furnished by
| persons who han been extensively connected with
! the western explorations OF the government. gave
such assurance that no railway pass could be found
noltn Of Kern river into either the Sacramento or
San Joaquin valley, that it was not deemed proper
to expend any psrt Of the limited appropriate
in such search; and h,viIg learned that the Nor
mons If the Great Salt Lake were making survey
for railroad from their settlement to Walkers Pass
Capt. Gunnson, whose former intercourse with their
engineer would enable him to obtain whatever nfor-
matloE he possessed, was directed to procure
port Of that survey, thus connecting his line with
the SURVEY to be ordered near the 35th parallel.
PoetpoDing for future operations, if further sur
yeys shall b. ordered, the exploration OF . route
1 fr,, no fka ID tn khn
valley OF the Sacramento, c aptsin Gunnison d
rec,ed to return from the Great Basin through the
Timpansjo Canon or other passes, and across the
| Weber and Bear rivers by the coal basin, to such
point Of disbaDdmeLt az discretion might direct.
The next line is that near the thirty fifth parallel
which is IL charge Of Lieut. Whipple, OF the corps
cend the valley OF the Canadian river to pass around
the mountains Of east RIO del Nor,e and enter ths
vnt Of that river at some point Alburquequo,
thence to extend his explorations west through 81
eIa Ma0re and the mountains west of Zuni and Mo-
qu countries to the Colorado Of the West aud pro-
ceeoiDg in the direction Of Walkers Pass, to oou-
tiute his survey by the most direct and practicable
line to the Pacific ocean. Much testimony in favor
Of the practcabi.y Of this lme inoi gated it ~ .
proper route for exploration.
Another line further north is that suggested by the
! surveys Of Major Emory in 1876, and those Of the
boundary line OF the 32d parallel. 1t passes around
The extremity of the Guadalupe mountains of Texas
in about latitude 81 Deg, and crosses the Rio Grapde
rear DODa Ana, or Frontera, in about latitude 81
deg, and thence follows the table lands west Of the
San Pedro river, and thence along the ella river
to Its mouth. portion Of this line passes through
The territory of Mexico and another portion is north
Of the line OF operations of the boundary commission.
and, consequently, these were not included in the
bouDsaiy survey The gaps thus existing in this lins
are To lie filled up by the survey OF Captain Pope,
and that under the direction OF Lieutenant Park0,
be OF ibe corps of Topog caphica Engi eers. The
Instructions TO the latter Not given until recent
ly, because the survey with winch ne is charged re-
qures part OF the line to be withn the limits u
! Mexican n
removed the difficulty by granting authority to the
United States to make all explorations necessary 10
determine the practcabilit2 Of a railway route In
this regicn.
Several partial routes on the Pacific side to oonneo6
% before described with those from the east, were
dirsced to be surveyed BY Lieut.. Williamson, Of the
corps Of Typographical Enei neers. He instruct
e0 to examine all the passes eastward from the val
ley of San Joaquin and the Tuare lakes and subse-
ql.Itly to explore Walkers and other passes which
exist in the high range OF mountains apparently ths
| southern continuation Of the Sierra Nevada.
The experience of almost every party which has
CT ssed the continent Shows the necessity Of fitting
out separate party the shores Of the Pacific 70
explore the Sierra Nevada and other elevated raogee
neal that coast Parties reacbicg these great bar
Iiels RON TIE Atlantic side are too much fatigueA
and exhausted to make elaborate surveys II is also
necessary that these parties should opera
ncps early III the spring, in order to complete tue
fed work before the heavy SHOWS interrupt progress
Copies OF the Instructions given to All the parties
are hereto appended From these Il will appear thAt
the ficers of the different expeditions have been di
recied t. obeefge and note all the objects aud phe-
ufuena which have Immediate q remote bear
ig upon the railway or which may serve to develop
lie resources peculiarites and climate OF the coun
Try. For this purpose they have bsen applied vita
full sets OF instruments Tor cetermn'ng the latitude
ard longitude of places the courses and distances Of
the ioutes and OF the topography OF the country On
either side within accessible distances; with the
meals Of ascertaLing the variation OF atmospheric
pressure aud other meteorological phenomena; and
two If The parties with instruments 10 determine
the direction and intensity of the xnetiC fOrc0,
They have been directed 10 observe the prevailing
DIR. OF the wIns the amount Of rain, the de-
gree of tent and humidity Of the atmospheric
they are also required to report on the geology Of
The county, to gather specimens of the different
rocks and soils, 70 make collections Of the plants and
animals, ard 10 collect statistics Of the Indian tribes
which are found in the regions tfaversed.
The information which will be derived fron this