Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-16
EXPLORATION FOR A RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.

1t will be by another paragraph that several mem
bers of the Central Pacific Railroad exploring party have
returned from California The party arrived at Sacra
mento the Sd Of August from Salt Lake city, via the
Humboldt and Fort Reading, having left the former place
the 9th Of May and the latter the LIST of August
The Sacramento Union furnishes the following interesting
record:
Lieut. BscKw1Tm with his assistant surveyors and at
taches to the corps consisting in all Of sixty souls
rived at the Great Salt Lake city in November 1853 In
April of the present year the Lieutenant with his party
went eastward again, far the Green river
veying tour.
On the 9th of May the company left Salt Lake. and
struck off due westward, forty miles to the south
ward of the regularly travelled California trail About
miles this side Of the valley the party came
upon cold granite boulder hill fifteen eigh-
teen hundred feet in height in which found clear
neyed directly to the Humboldt" which they reached
in about two weeks being delayed day or SO in remov-
ing distractions from the road
All along the Humboldt there Is the most feasible
imaginable for railroad and, according to Lieut. Beck
withs statement surveys would be almost superfuous.
All the way from Salt Lake to California the party found
On abundance of grassland water for their cattle and stock
which arrived at Fort Reading in good condition. The
Lieutenant informs that with his present knowledge
of the country he could lay road from California
the Great Salt Lake Valley least hundred and fifty
miles nearer than any heretofore travelled with album
dance of wood water and grass along the entire route
and he would ensure the traveller freedom from all
noyances from insects, except perhaps while crossing
Mary's river.
After leaving the Humboldt the party Of Lieut. Beck
with struck oft to the norhward to the Sierra Nevada No
less than five different passes examined in this range
with direct reference to their feasibility for the line the
Pacific railroad All Of these lie to the northward of
bes pass except the latter which is included in the
Der of those examined After careful surveys all of the
above routes are to be practicable with the
exception Of Mobiles pass and the first north of it.
OF the superiority Of these two Lieut. Beckwith is as
yet unprepared to express any opinion but he unhesa
ngy declares that of the passes except Mobiles and
that adjoining be adapted to the passage of
railroad In his report to be submitted to the Secretary
of War Immediately after his arrival at Washington
curate details surveys of these various passes with
all the particulars connected with the topography and
geography of the country examined, will be furnished
Lieut. Beckwith furthermore informs that the great
est difficulties of the contemplated route for railroad
are to be encountered in the "foo hills of the Sierra
Nevada that but for these there would scarcely be any
impediments to the construction Of the road Lieut. b.
also says that the stream usually termed Pitt river in the
upper part Of this valley is really the Sacramento, and
that at the point where he struck what generally known
as the Sacramento he could easily leap from bank to
the ether The stock and other effects Of the party were
sold at Shasta by Lieut. b. and brought good prices be-
ing purchased by ranchmen, miners and others. The
amount received for this property was in the neghbor
hood Of $4,000