Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-06-21

as well as to roads. Numerous well-wntered and
| fe.tile valleys--broad aud developer up among
The mountains, which present Themselves in de-
tacheds sbiocks--outliers- gradually closing IN
around the heads OF the streams but leaving open
/ approaches to the GENITAL ridges. The whole of
! the inter mountan region is abundant IN grasses,
wood, coal and fertile soil. 4 he Pueblos above
Bents Fort prove it TO be well adapted to the
grains and vegetables common to the latitute, IN
lciudingIndian corn, which ripens well, and TO
| the support OF healthy Stock whichincreases well
! and take care of themselves summer AMI winter.
| The climate is mild and the winters short; the
.antumn usually liavHgrits full length9of bright,
open weather, without whiehin winter falls
rarely aud passes off quick lin this belt OF couf-
Try lying along the mountains the snow falls meres
early aud much more thInly than III The opet plans
TO the eastward the storms congregate about the
| high mountains and leave the valleys free. In
| the beginning of December we found yet no snow
on. the Hnerfano River, and were informed by an
old resident, then engaged III establishing farm
at the mouth of this stream, that snow seldom or
never fell there, and tfat cattle were lett In the
range all the winter through.
This character of country continued to the foot
of the dividing crest, and to this point journey
resulted in showing very easy grade for road,
over country unobstructed either by snow or
other impediments, and having all the elements
necessary to the prosperity Of an agricultural popu
lation in fertility OF soil, abundance of4food for
| stock, W0ot and8cOal for fuel, and timUef for
necessary constructions.
Our examinations around the southern healwa-
tiers of the Arkansas have made us acquainted
with many passes, grouped together in small
spa ce of country, conducting by short and practi-
cable valleys from the waters of the Arkansasjust
described, TO the valleys of the Del Norte and East
| Colorado. The Sier9a Blanca, through which
these passes lie, is high and rugged presenting
very broken appearance, but rises abruptly from
| the open country either side, narrowed at the
points through which the passes are cul, leaving
them only SIX or eight miles in length from valley
lto,yalley, and entirely unobstiucted. by outlying
| ranges or broken country. 10 the best of these
passes the aSoentis along the open ealleyof wa
ter-courses, uniform and very gratualin ascent.
| Standing Immediately at the mouth of the Sand
Hill Pass-one OF the most practicable in the ST.,
ezra Biancd; and above those usually tlayeed--at
one OF the remotest head springs of the Huerfano
River, the eye of the traveller follows down with
out obstruction abrupt descent along the grndm
vi slope OF the valley 10 The great plains which
reach The Missouri. The straight river and the
open valley form, with the plains beyond, one
great slope, without hill 10 break the line of sight
or Obstructive course of the road. Oneither side
of this line hills slope easily TO the river, with
lines OF timber and yellow tautumnal grass, and
lie water which flows smoothly between is not in
terrupteti by fall III its course to the ocean. The
surrou ndng country wooded with pines and
covered with iuxurian grass, up TO tie very crags
of The central SUBMITS. On The 9Th OF Decen-
| Der we found this whole country free from snow,
and Daguerrean views taken at thus point show the
gross entirely uncovered in The passes.
Along all this line the elevation was carefully
determined by frequent barometncal observations,
and lis character exhibited by series Of Daguer-
reoype views, comptehending the face of the coun
try almost continuously, or at least sufiicenilyso
10 give a. thoroughly correct impression OF the.
whole. ts5ss9A
| Two tunnel,lke passes pierce the mountains
here, almostin juxiapoSitlon, connecting the PLAIN
country either side by short passages five 10
eight miles long. The mountains which they
perforae constitute the only obstruction, and are
.i..y of
from the frontier OF Missouri to The summit hills oil
The Rocky Mountains, u distance OF about eight
hundred and fifty nIes, or more than halfway 10
the San Joaquin valley. Entering one OF these
passes from the eastern PLAIN, distance OF about
one mile, upon W8gon-rOad, already travelled by
wagons, commands open view OF tile bfoad
valley of San LUIS and tile great range OF San
Juan beyond on lis weste.n side, i here Connect
ed the line OF The present expedition with one cx-
plored in 1889 from the mouth OF the Kansas 10
this point, and the results OF both viii be embodi-
ed in fuller report.
At This place The line entered the middle section
and continued lis western course oYeran openYal-
| ley country, admirably adapted for settlement,
across the San Luis valley, aud up the Hat bottom
lands of The Sab watch to the highest OF the CEN
trail ridge of the Rocky, Mountains. Across these
wooded heights-wooded and grass covered uptO
and over their rounded sumnS-lo the Coocha-
tupe pass, tile line followed All open easy wagon
way, such as is usual TO rolling country. On the
high summit lands forest OF coniferous trees,
aud tile snow in the pass was four inches deep.-
This was on the 18th of December. A day earier,
our horses feet would not have touched snow in
the crossing. Up TO this point we had enjoyed
clear and dry, pleasant weather. Our journey had
Leen all along ON dry ground; and tray cling slow
ly along, waiting for the winter, tbere had been
abundant Leisure for becoming acquainted with The
county. The open character oil The country,
joined TO good iniurnation indicated The existence
uf other passes AZ out the head of The Sab watch.
This desirable TO verify, and especially TO
examine a neighboring and lower pass connecting
more directly with the Arkansas valley, Known as
the Poow-c che.
Bat the winter had now set in over all tie noun
tain regions, and the country was constantly
developed and hidden with clouds which rested
upon it, and the air darkened by falling snow,
thai exploring became difficult and dangerous, pee
cisely where we felt most interested i'll making a
thorough examination. We weIe moving i'll fogs
and clouds, through a region wholly unknown 10
US, and without guides, and were therefore obiig-
ed to content ourselves with the examination oil a
SINGLE line, and the entertainment of the winter
condition of the country over which it passed;
which in fact the main object of our expedi-
ton. o5 s',a7Et. II
Our progress this mountainous region
necessarily slow, and during ten days which it oc-
cupied us to pass through about one hundred miles
of the mountainous country bordering the eastern
side of the Upper Coorado Valley, the greatest
depth of the snow was among the pines and as
pens OH the ridges about two and half feet deep,
and in the valleys about SIX inches. The atmos-
phere is too cold and dry Tor much snow, and the
valleys, protectedby the mountains, compare
lively free from 1t, and warm We however found
villages of Utah Indians i'll their winiering ground
in little valleys along the foot the higher noun
ains, and bordering the more open country OF the
Colorado Valley. Snow yves here December 25)
only few inches deep-the grass generally APP
peaung aboyeit, and there being none under trees
and on southern hlll-SideS.
The horses Of the Utahs were living on the range
and, Notwithstanding that they were-psed in
hunting, were in excellent condllon One which
we had occasion to kill for food had on it about 2
inches of fat, being in good order any buffalo
we had killed in November on the eastern plains.
Over this valley country-about $50 miles aclo
the Indians informed US that the snow falls only
a few inches in depth; such as we saw at that
time. ell5e gsc5f7 istf ~.