The Gonzales inquirer. [volume] (Gonzales, Tex.) 1853-current, 1854-02-25
TERMS. 90 90, In Advance.
Pacific Railroad.

Pacific Railroad.
Mr. John X. Bartlett, who was the United
States Commissioncr for running the boundary
line between the United States and Mexico
andwho thereby became intimately acquainted
with the country on the liac between n Paso
on tho Rio Grandc, and San Diego on the Pa
Icifc, has written short memoir on the sub
Iject, at the request Of the New York company.
| a copy has been sent 10 Ts, from which we
gather the following leading statements
The belt OF country between 81 and 32 de-
grccs forty minutes north latitude has never
before been travcrscd by u scientific party,
| aud Its character has been entirely misundcr-
stood. Mr.. Bartlett says that above tho par
allel OF ~ degrees 22 minutes the Rocky Noun
tains drop oil, and with the exception of few
spurs, seem to disappear, entirely. This oc-
the copper mines Of Now Mexico, where Fort
Webster Is now There commences a table
land which extends more than thousand miles
south The mountains begin TO rc-appcnr
about the parallel Of 81 degrees 90 minutes.
few miles south Of the Guadalupe pass.
They are there called the Sierra Madrc. The
plateau has an elevation Of four thousand To
five thousand fcot, crossed by no mountain
range. There are Isolated mountains or hills.
but there wido level tracks between. Tho
belt between the northern and southern spurs
Is from eighty to one hundred miles In width.
extending entirely across tho continent, from
the Rio Grandc TO tho coast range of tho Pacif-
ic. Mr.. Bartlett says that in his journey
west no went with train of heavily laden
wagons and pack mules. lie travelled along
tho line Of 32 degrees 90 minutes ut tho rate OF
thirty miles day, without once cncountcrinw
descent which required him to stock tho
wheels Of his wagons. He passed through
| mountain passes where the ascent and descent
were so gradual az to be scarcely pcrceptiblc
The first barrier Of any consequence of which
MIR. Bartlett speaks hcsitatingy, because no
had not examined u, Is q range Of mountains
beyond the San Pedro river, being tho eastern
boundary Of the Santa Cruz valley. He pass
cd them in 81 degrees 10 minutes. IIc hears
they arc trnvcrshblc for wagons between 32
degrees and tho Gila river the last difficulty Is
overcome in reaching the table land on that
river. Passing the San Pedro mountains there
Is an uninterrupted plain to the river Colora-
do.
Ile thus describes the whole district from
| the Rio Grande to tho Colorado say In round
numbers 500 miles, as series OF good level
plAins, and easy passes through tho mountains
rcluiring very little excavation or cmbank-
Enitht The Colorado IL casily bridged. Be-
yond that IL tho narrowcst pnrt Of the Great
California Desert, not moro than 100 miles
across, with hard, dry, level surface almost gra-
dcS 5for Q railway. Before reaching Il, there Ia
said to bu belt Of moving sand, three to fivo
miles wide. This brings the route Sierra Ncva-
Lda, where . pTacticablo pass is yet to be found,
and Mr.. Bartlett thinks there arc several lead.
Ling 70 tho valley Of the San Joachim ono of
thomost luxuriant valleys In tho world
Il The plains, plateaus and deserts are distituto
OF wood, and nearly of grass and water. Wa,
ter, however, no thinks, can bo had In partic-
ular spots, and timber abounds on tho mountain
ranges, and grass In some OF the valleys, All
these points Mr. Bartlett has noted in hia
diary to BIO published hereafter, with maps and
drawings.
II fic states that his notes include tho northern
part OF Texas or distance Of 600 miles, with
the same general result Of physical practicable.
/ ity as q railroad route
i The Colorado river has four to five feet wa.
tor at the lowest near the junction with tho
/ Gila, but is obstructed by sand bara near the
mouth. The ella, can never be r,ayigatod.
except In time of Hoed.
j All routes south Of a. degrees 80 minutes
must cross the LiaHo Estaedslo, which, Ia
desert entirely without grass or water. Il
was seventy miles wide in 81 degrees 10 min.
| utcs when Mr.. Bartlett crossed; and all routes
| south Of 30 degrees must cross the California
/ desert
Any route south OF the Gila must pass
! by us will approach that river tor half its
/ length, But the strip required 10 enable us
Ito reach 10 s much smaller than Ia supposed
Mr. Bartletts opinion h that the pass through
i san Pedro mountains lies north OF g2 degrees
/ ~ minutes; in which ease We only want from
EsSiso narrow slip Of land which IL worth
iszks les agricultural purpose, TO give us q FREQ
fsass s1tho riyerN o. Pieayuae,