The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-15
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Cod. FIRE mont's Narrative Of the Exploration
OF the Central Route.

Of the Central Route.
From the IptellgeDcer, June IA
While the proceedings 10 Congress- occupying pub
lie attention, more particularly with the subject ofa
Pacific Railway desire Offer to your pa per for oubn
cation gene al results OF recent winter expedition
across the Rocky Mountains, eoufnng myself to
illustrations, which will necessarily require months
to prepare.
country examined was for about three fourths Of
the disiaIce-from the Missouri frontier, ut the mouth
OF the Kansas river tothe Valley Of foot
Of the Wahsatch Mountains within The rim of the Great
Basp at its southeastern bendaong and between the
thirty ghth and thirty ninth parallels of and
the hole line divides itself naturally into three sections
which may be conveniently followed in description.
The first eastern section consists Of the cat prai-
RE slope spreading r the base Of the Sierra Blanca to
middle section, comprchends the various Rocky Noun
tan ranges. and inter lying valleys between the ermi
and the Great Basin at the farowau Valley wah
satch Mountains where the first Mormon lement Is
found about $50 niles the third western section
compfeher de the mountainous plateau lying between the
Wahsatch Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, distance
Of about AGO miles.
travelled route being about $50 miles irine
distance of about I, 500 miles.
THE FIRST SECTION.
Four separate expeditions this section made
before the rretent orc, and which carried
speak of ii with the confidence of intimate knowe,ge
II is plain Of easy inclination sweeping directly up
foot Of the mountains which dominate .ss highlands do
the ocean Its character Is open prairie, over which
summer travelling is maes in every, direction.
wonid be- in consideration Of wood coal buldng stone
water aId fertile land about two hundred miles up tn
immediate valley Of tis Kansas (Which might be mad
rich continuous field and afterwards along h
immediate valley Of the Upper Arkansas OF which about
two hvncret miles as you approach the mountains Is
continuously well adapted to settlements well TO
roads Numerous well watered and fertile valleys
broad and level-open up among the mountains, which
press mt themselves in detached
ally closing in around the heads of the streams but
leaving open approaches to the Genital ridges. The
wooe, coal and fertile soil The Puctos above Bents
Fort prove 10 be well adapted TO tho grains and vege
tables common to the latitude including Indian corn.
which rirens well and to the support Of healthy stock,
which increases well, and take care of themselves
mer and winter
The climate is mild and the winters short the autumn
usually having its full length Of bright open weather,
without which in winter falls rarely and passes off
quickly. In this belt of country Lying along the
tans the snow falls more early and much more thiny
than In the open plains to The eastward the storms
gregate about the high mountains and leave the valleys
free. In the beginning Of December found yet no
snow on the HucJdno river and informed by
old resident then engaged in establishing farm at the
mouth OF this stream, that seldom fell
there and that cattle left in the range all the win
Ter through
This character of country continued the af the
dividing crest ard to this point journey resulted in
showing very easy grade for road, over country
nnobstruced either by snow or other mpedments aud
having all elements necessary to the prosperity of
agricultural population in fertility Of SOIL abundance
Of food for stock, wood and coal for fuel and timber for
Our examinations around the southern headwaters of
the Arkansas have made acquainted with many pass
es grouped together in small space Of country,
ducng by short and practicable valleys fsom the
of the Arkansas just e crbed to the valleys Of the Del
Norte and East Colorado.
The Sierra Blanca through which these passes lie is
high and rugged, presenting very broken appearance,
but rises abruptly from the open country either side,
cut leaving them only six eight miles in length from
valley TO valley and entirely unobstruced by outlying
ranger broken country To the best Of these passes
the ascent Is along he open valley of uni
form and very gradual in ascent Standing immediately
at the mouth of the Sand Hill Pass-one of the most
practicable in the Sierra Blanca above those usually
trayeedat ono Of the remotcst head springs of the
ns yS Of the spg @
Missouri.
The straight river and the open valley FORM with the
plains teyond one great slope, without hill to break
the line of sight o5sruct the OF the road. On
either side Of this line hills slope easily TO the river with
lines of timber and yellow autumnal grass, and the
Ter that flows smoothly between Is not interrupted by
IN lis course the ocean The surrounding country Il
wooded with pines and covered with luxurian grasses
TO the very crags Of the central summt On the Sh
OF Iecembcr we found this whole country free Of snow
and Daguerre views taken at the time shows the grass
entirely uncovered In the passes.
Along all this line the elevation carefully deter
mined by frequent barometrical observations, and its
character exhibited by series OF daguerreotype views
comprehendng the face Of the country almost contnu
ousy or at least sufficiently 80 to give thoroughly cor
Two tunnel.like passes pierce the mountains here,
eiier side BY short passages i've 70 eight miles long The
mountains which they pcrforate constitute the only OBJ
strucon, and are the only break in the plain valley
line Of reed from the frontier Of Missouri TO tho summit
hills Of tie Rocky Mountains, distance Of about eight
hundred and lfty miles, than half way to the
San joaquin valley Entering of these passes from
the eastern plain distance Of about mile upon
wsgon road, already travelled by wagons, commands
open view Of the broad valley Of San Luis and the great
range Of San Juan beyond Its western side. here
connected the line of the present expedition with
explored In 1s4s4o, from The mouth Of the Kansas TO
this point and the results of both will be embodied in
fuller report.
Al this place tho line entered the middle section, ard
continued It's western valley county,
admirably adapted for settlement the San Luis
valley and up tho Nat bottom lands OF the Sab watch to
the heights of the central ridge Of the Eocky Mountains
cross these wooded hcehtswooGed and Rrass covered
Up TO and tleir rounded sumrs--to Che Coocia-
TO ye pass, the line followed open easy wagon way,
such Is usual 10 rolling country On the high
init lands ere forests Of coniferous trees and the snow
in the pass was four inches deep This the 1ith
Of December day earlier horses feet would not
have touched la The crossing
| Up TO this point we had enjoyed clear ani dry
| Ileasant weatisr. Our journey had been ~ along
dry ground and travelling slowly along waiting for the
vntes there had betn abundant leisure for becoming
acquainted with tie country The oen ch ac,er OF the
country. joined 90 good information, indicated the
cnoe Of other passes about the head o the sab watch