New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-15

a. So, Je S,i being named from it, In the ranges
living behind the Mormon settlements, among he n0an-
tiirs through which the line passes, are aceunihsa
go, wssb Of r,n and coal and extensive forests Of
heavy timber. These forests are the nIscs'i i o.
auauied with in the Rocky Mountains ps'ng IN s'po
places twenty miles in depth OF conunuous 49, .
general growth lofty and large frequently over hrse zee,
in diameter and sometimes reaching n'e ieet-o .eI
spruce and yellow pine predominafing a. ule
southern extremity OF the Mormon settlements
Of the two enclosed towns OF Psrowsn and Cedar ey;
near which line passed acoa mine has Deen ope
for about eighty yards and iron works already
Iron here in extraordinary masses in soe paris
accumulated into mountains which comb out IN cresis oil
soid rou thirty feet thick and hundred yards long.
In passing through this bed of mountains about fourteen
had been occupied from January % 10 February
the deepest here encountered being about up
10 the saddle-skirs four eesths occurring only IN
occasional drifts in the passes on northern exposures anu
IN ,ba small mountain fats hemmed in by woods aud hills.
In tho valley il was sometimes few inches deep, and as
offen none al ALL On arrival at the Mormon settle
m.nt Feb 2 found il q few inches deep, aud were
bere informed that the winter had been unusually loag
continued and the thermometer having been a. low
as 7o below zero. and more snow having aen taan IN al
r. uravous winters together since the Establishment oil
A. TN. season their farmers had usually been occupied
with their plows preparing the land tor gram ,
A. his MONT the line Of exploration entered the h'rh
~ ues,ern section comprehending the mountainous pa
sr, between the Wahsatch Mountains and the Sierra
Nevada of California. Two routes here suggested them
selves 20 me for examination one directly across the pa
team between the 3th and 3sth parallels the other keep
ing 20 the south Of the mountains and following Tor aoou'
two hundred miles down valley OF the no 'xgen-, "
Gin Rverthence direct to the TETON Pass at the head OF
the San JOaouin Valley. This route down The virgin
River had been examined the year before win we" 10
settlement this summer by Mormon exploring party
under the command of Major Steele of Parowan who and
other, of the party informed that they found fertile
valleys inhabited by Indians who cultivated corn anu
melons, and the rich ground in many places matted over
with crane vines The TETON Passes two, of them
ff,om The abundance Of vines AZ its lower end called
Corou de las Uras They of loag and were
amued by me and their practicabty ascertained in my
-, uasnl
through them BOTH bringing three thousand head OF cattle
through one of them. 80
knowing the prscticaby of these passes and conddins
in the report OF Major Steele to the intermediate coun
nv determined 10 take the other between the 37th
and 3-th paralles it recommending itself to me as
being mora direct towards San Francisco ana preferaoe
ON that account for a road If suitable ground could be
fornd and also rs being unknown the Momons informing
me that various attempts had been made to explore H. ana
all failed for of water Although biased in favor ct
the Virgin River route determined 10 exainne TINS one
in tho interest of geography and accordingly set out for
this purpose from the settlement about the "oh Oh reD-
rnary travelling directly westward from Cedar cry egh,
con miles west of Parowan. We found the country high
table land brsng with mountains often IN short Isolated
blocks and sometimes accumulated into considerable
ranges with numerous open and low passes
We were thus always in valley and always surround
cd bv mountains more or less closely, which apparently
altered i'm shape and position we advanced The valleys
are dry and naked without water or food out me noun
ons are generally covered with grass and well wooded
with pines springs very rare ana occasional small
streams are AZ remote distances. Not human being was
encountered between the Santa Clara Road near the Nor
mon settlements and the Sierra Nrddo over distance OF
more than three hundred miles. The solitary character OF
This uunhabted region. the naked valleys without water
courses among mountains with fertile sol anf grass ana
woods abundant give it the appearance OF an unfinished
country. -, @.
Commeucnp al the 3sth struck the Sierra Nevada on
about the 37th parallel about the 18th March
ON our route across had for the greater part of the
finn. pleasant and rather weather. valley grounds
and low ridges uncovered but over the upper parts
of the higher mountains Between the 2Oth oil February
and 9TH of March had several snowstorms sometimes
accompanied with hail and heavy thunder Du the snow
remained on the valley grounds only few hours after the
storm was over Ii forms not the least impeachment nj any
time of the winter. | was prepared TO ind the Sierra
here broad rugged and blocked up with snow and was
not disappointed in my expectation. The first range we
attempted TO carried to an elevation OF 5000 or
1000 eet and into impossible snow, which was further IN
creased on the 10th by considerable tall
There was no object in forcing passage and accord
uoy turned at once sixty eighty miles to the
southwark making wide sweep to strike the ron" ~ me
California mountain where the Sierra Nevada suddenly
breaks of and declines into lower country Information
obtained wears before from the Indians led me to believe
that the low mountains broken into many passes,
and at all had the certainty OF an easy passage
through either of W akers passes.
When the Point was reached, found the Indian nfor.
nation fully verified: the mountain suddenly terminated
and broke down into lower grounds barely above the lever
of the country and making numerous openings INTO me
valley of the San joaquin. entered into the hrst when
offered taking 10 time to search rs we were entey our
of provisions and living upon horses which ed US by an
omen and almost level hollow, thirteen miles long, 10 an
INLAND not steep enough to be called HILL into the
valley of small aluent Kern River; the hollow and
the valley making together way where wagon "oulu
not find any obstruction Tor forty miles,
The COUNTRY around the passes in which the Sierra Ne
yada here terminates declines considerably below s more
northern elevation There no snow to be seen NJ All
on face and none in the pass but We were III
the midst OF opening spring, fowers blooming IN hes on
both sides of the Sierra.
Between the point of the mountains and the head of
the valley the Teon the passes generally are free from
snow throughout the year, and the descent from them TO
the ocean i distributed long slope OF moro than
two hundred miles The 10y dry country and the long
one in contradistncOn 10 the high country and short
sudden descent and heavy SHOWS OF the passes behind me
Inv f san Francisco are among the considerations which
suggest themselves in favor OF the route by the head Vi
the San Joaquin.
The above results embody general impressions made up,
on nv mind during this journey IL II clearly established
that The winter condition of the country constitutes no
opedmen and from what has been said the entire prac-
ticaLtv of the linz will be clearly Inferred fuller
account hereafter will comprehend detailed descriptions OF
country with their absolute and relative elevations, and
show the ground upon which the conclusions were based
They are contributed nj this time element to ad the
public in forming opinion on the uecto me projected
raway and in qualification OF great desire 10 do some
thing for lis advancement. II treason against
mankind and the spirit of progress which marks the age 10
refuse t. put this completing link to our nafona pros
periiy and TIE civilization OF the world Europe sun Hes
between Asia and America; build this railroad and things
will have reyoved about; America will lie between ASIA
and Europo-ihe golden vein which runs through the his
tory Of the world viii follow the iron track to san Fran
cisco and the Asiatc trade will final fall into its last and
permanent road when the and the modern Chryse
throw open their gates TO the thoroughfare Of the world
an ssptleH.n VIII much regard respectfully yS,5e
WahiHg0n, June Is, 1894 j. =. fhL'iONi'
The FIRE MaRsHAL.-We mentioned some short time
ago plan suggested for establishing Fire Marshal whose
duty would be to attend the fires and make thorough in
yestigaton into their origin The arrangements have now
l onnl.,ed and Alfred f. Baker having been selected