New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-15
ron rPEMOYTS EXPLORATION or THE
CENTRAL RAILROAD ROUTE to IhE
pACTpIC.

CrSrLrxrs: While the proceedings in Congress are
occupving public attention particularly with the
subject of the Pacific Railway, desire to offer to your
naner for publication general results OF recent
winter expedition the Rocky Mountains, conhhns
v.e 10 mere results in anticipation Of fuller report
with maps and illustrations which viii necessarily take
come months TO prepare.
The country examined for about three-iourtns OF
tho dsance-from the Missouri frontier. at the mouth OF
the Kansas River the Valley of Parowan at the foot
Of the Wahsach Mountains within the rim of the Great
Basn at it, southeastern bendalong and between the
9sth and seth parallels Of latitude and the whole line d.
ydes itself naturally into three sections which may be
conveniently followed in description.
The first eastern section consists of the great prairie
lore spreading from the base of the Sierra Blanca to
the Missouri frontier about 200 miles the second mid
die section comprehends the various Rocky Mountain
ranges and inerlyng valleys between the termination of
the great plains the foot OF the Sierra Blanca and the
Great Basin at the Parowan Valley and shsatch Noun
taps where the rs Mormon settlement is found. about
$50 miles: the third section compreh ends the
mountainous plateau lying between the Wahsatch Noun
tans and the Sierra NeradG distance of about 400
miles.
TIE country examined upon very direct line-thc
Travelled route being about $50 miles airline dis
tance of about 300 miles.
The F.ra Secfi0n.-FOur separate expeditions across
this section made before the present one and when car
r,d me lines al different seasons OF the year.
enable me speak of with the confidence OF intimate
knowledge Ii is plain OF easy inclination, sweeping
directly ND the foot of the mountains which dominate
il as highlands do the It, character : open prai
rie over which summer travelling Is made IN every d.
rection. ,,
be in consideration wood coal. building stone water
and fertile land about two hundred miles up the immediate
valley of the Kansas which might be made one rch con-
tnuous cornfeld and aerward along the immediate val
lev of the Upper Arkansas of which about two hundred
miles as YOU approach the mountains Is continuously
well ADAPTED 10 settlements well as To roads Numerous
well-wafered and fertile vaeys-broad and developer
ND among mountains which present themselves IN de-
ached -Outlier-gradualy closing IN around the
heads of the streams but leaving open approaches to the
central ridges. The whole of the lntermounain regons
abundant in grasses wood, coal and fertile SOIL Inc
Puebos above Ben Fort prove II TO be wei adapted 10
the grains and vegetables common to the latitude ncud
ing Indian corn, which rI well and to the support OF
healthy stock which increase well and take care of them
selves summer and winter
usually having it, full length of bright, open weather
Wi hou snow which in winter falls rarely and passes on
quickly. In this belt OF country lying along the noun
ain the snow falls more early and much more thnly than
in the open plain. TO the eastward the storms congegae
about the high mountains and leave the valleys free In
the beginning of December found yet no snow on the
HpcrfaHo River, and Informed by an oil resident
then noared in establishing farm at the mouth of this
stream thst snow seldom fell there and that cat
tie left ia the range all the winter through.
This character OF country continued 10 The foO of the
dividing crest and to this point our journey resulted IN
showing very easy grade for road over country I'M
DISTRACTED either by snow or other impelmeht ana nav
ing oil the elements necessary to the prosperity OF an agr
cultural population in fertility OF soil abundance OF food
for stock and coal for fuel and timber for necessary
constructions. 90,
ur examinations around the southern headwaers of the
Arkansas have made acquainted with many passes
grouped together in small space OF country conducting
bv short and practicable valleys from the waters OF me
Arkansas lust described the valleys OF the M Norfc ana
East Colorado. The Sierra Blanca through when these
passes e is high and rugged, presenting very broken
appearancc but rises abruptly from the open country on
either side narrowed at the points through which the passes
are cut leaving them only six eight miles IN length from
valley to valley and entirely unobsrueted by outlying
RANGES or broken country To the best OF these passes the
ascent is along the open valley of waer-courses uniform
and very gradual in Standing Immediately at the
mouth of the Sand MI Pass-one OF the most ractcaDe
in the Sierra Biqnca and above those usually Travelled
at one Of the headsprngs OF the H1JGH0 RIVER
eye Of the traveller follows down without OF
abrupt descent along the gradual slope OF the valley to the
crea lans which reach the Missouri. he straight river
and he open valley form with the plains beyond one grea
slope without hill to break the line of sight or o6struct
The course of the road On either side of this line hills slope
easily the with lines oi timber and yellow auumna
oros. md the water which flows smoothly between
/ interrupted by fall in its to the ocean. The
surrounding country wooded with pines and covered
with uxuran grass up to the very crags OF the central
sumniis On the sih Of December we found this whole
country from and Daguerrean views taken at this
time slow The grass entirely uncovered in the passes
Along all this line the elevation carefully deerm-
med by frequent barOmetrca observations and lis char-
acor exhibited bya series Of DaguerreOype views com
pretending the face Of the country almost continuously
or least sufficiently 10 give thoroughly correct I'M
preston Of the whole.
Two tunne-ike passes pierce the mountains here, al
most in juxtaposon connecting the plain country on
either side bv short passages five TO eight miles long The
nouutaips which they yerfoate constitute the only OBJ
,truciion and the only break in the plain valley
lire of road from the frontier of Missouri TO the summit
hills of the Rocky Mountains distance OF about eight
hundred and fifty miles than halfway to the San
Joaquin valley Entering one OF these passes from the
eastern plan distance of about mile upon wagon
road already Travelled by wagons commands open view
of the broad valley Luis and the great range Of san
ian beyopd ON lis western side. here connected the
- finn wit a.
rom the mouth of the Kansas to this point and the results
If 10th will be embodied in fuller report.
A, This place the line entered the middle section and
continued ts western open valley country
admirably ADAPTED for settlement, across the san LUIS
valley and up the fat botie lands OF the 10
the nights of the central ridge OF the Rocky MOUNTAINS
- ,bese wooded higlI,s-wooded and grasscovered
nm 10 and over their rounded sunnts-io the Coocha-to
ne pass the line followed an open easy wIson-way, suGn
A. = usual 10 rolling country On the high summit iands
80 forests of coniierou trees and the snow IN the pass
e our inches deep. This on the l+h OF December
day earlier, our horses iee "ouit .o N IJ o,,od
I.r and dr. pleasant weather. Our Journey had been
ali along on dry ground and traveng slowly aohg walt
% Tor the winter there had been abundant leisure TOR be-
S acquainted with the country. The open character
Of The country. joined to good information, hlaed me
existence OF other passes about the hc % Ii ny
Tb was desirable verify, and especially TO examine
,s;,bhorinc and lower pass connecting more directly
w;,b The Arkansas valley, known a. the f9ow-che
D.. ,ba winter had now in over all the mountain
Bul 'ls he country was 50 constantly enveoped and
- WITH ,oul. which rested upon H. ana the ar so
%tened by falling snow, that exploring became oiteln
d DANGEROUS precisely where We elt most interested IN
anI . "a thorough examination. We were moving IN
i"@s aud clouds. through region wholly unknown to u.s.
and without guides and were therefore ue 10 oDd ba
slves vh the examination OF single lhe, ana the
esnnen of the winter condition OF the country over
W Used which was in fact the main object OF our
expedition. ,oirou. ra,ion was necessarily
o nd during ten DAYS which il occupied us TO pass
hundred se e Of tt the IL ppe1 corSSo
a. Greatest depth of the snow ives among the pines