The daily union., 1856-12-10

these boats into any lake for the improvement Of which
there may be available and further when no long
er required for public purpose to authorize their use y
any town, corporation or company, under such feg9i
tons and conditions as viii secure their 10 the Uni
ted States in good order whenever they may be again re-
quired,
The survey of the northwestern lakes has progressed
during the past scale commensurate with he
appropriation for that object and the value OF the work
and the creditabe manner in which II has been performed
eyineed by the high appreciation in which the charts
held by the nayigaors OF the lakes The pecessiy
for exact knowledge Of these inland seas which form an
exposed part of frontier Is too obvious TO require eu
cidadon.
For more detailed information on the condition OF these
several works reference is made 10 the report Of the colonel
of Typographical engineers.
report is herewith submitted from the office OF this de-
partment connected with the explorations made 10 aseer-
tain the most practicable route for railroad to the Pacic
to which refer for detailed account of the duties per-
formed in that relation during the past year.
My last annual report contains brief reference to the
principal results of the explorations and surveys made du-
ring that year in connexon with the routes the 3bth
and 32d parallels and between the Ga and the Rio Grande
The report of the officer charged with these duties shows
the proposed railroad line between the bay Of San Francis
and the plain of Los Angeles to be emneny pract-
cable route 1t occupies the valley of the San Jose and Sa
nas river the Santa Lucia mountains near San
Luis obspo averses the rolling country adjacent to the
coast far Tres Aamos river and thence TO the mouth
of the Gaviote creek either passes along the valley of
Santa nez river and the Gavote pass follows the coast
turning Point Conception. From the mouth OF Gavioe
creek IL follows the shore line to San Bnenavenura and
the Santa Clara plain the Semi pass and the San
Fernando plain to Los Angeles.
The distance from San Jose the bay of San Francis
TO Los Angeles by the shortest line is 1896 miles, Two
tunnels proposed each three quarters OF mile In
ehghone the San Luis pass through the Santa Lucia
mountains and the other in the Semi pass The estimated
cost OF this route including the equipment S2o823760
or about $4,000 per mile.
favorable pass leading from the valley of the Sail
river the Tulares valley discovered by this
party forming good connexon with the bay of San Fran
cisco for the route of the 35th parallel
The results of the survey it formerly stated have
greatly improved the aspect of the first route surveyed
between the Pimas villages the Gila and the Rio
Grande by changing the line for nearly half the distance
from barren ground to cutyabe valleys, and entirely
avoiding jornada of eighty miles which occurs in that
section. The follows the valleys of the Ga
and the San Pedro rivers to the mouth of the Arvaypa
tributary of the San Pedro discovered by this party
continues that stream its source between
Mount Graham and the Chricahui mountains by very
favorable pass proceeds in direct through the
Peloncio ains and joins the former line in the vi
cinty OF Colonel Cooks emigrant road From this point
to the Rio Grande the route lies in the lowest line of the
depression which chaacerizes the plateau of the Sierra
Madre in this latitude the elevation of which is
about 400 feet above the level of the sea- the summit
being 1900 feet above that level.
The maximum grade upon this route is GA feet per
mile The route for twothrds of the distance is repre-
sented as being most favorable for airoad the remain
ing onehird being nearly equally divided between ground
of rolling and mountainous character,
The examinations of this party in reference to the
tcabiy of procuring water show that ii be obtained
at suitable distances by wells and conduits sup
piled from permanent streams In some localities artesan
w.
The estimated cost of the whole distance 3l5 miles, is
SIS 800 600, or about S44 900 per mile
This estimate, based upon thorough reexamination of
the ground and close study of the subject by the officers
in charge of the survey comedies very nearly with that
made by the officer who presented the general revisoy
report upon the FIRST explorations.
1t deemed proper to call special attention to this coin
cidence, strongly exhibiting the general reliability of
these estimates because minority report made at the last
session of Congress from committee of the House of Rep
resenatves characterized the estimates based the
connossances of the typographical engineers unreliable
and adduced TO sustain that dsparagng reflection the fact
that one of the lines explored the preliminary estimate
the officer charge greatly exceeded that which he pre-
sented after further study OF his observations in the field
this too being in disregard of the fact that the first et
mate hastily made by the explorer to meet pressing
demand for the report and at the time stated by him
have been prepared in anticipation of the future
naon of the data he had collected In the remarks of the
revising officer which accompanied the reports it
also pointed out that this estimate was probably largely in
excess.
Although the two lines between the Gila and the Rio
Grande of which the estimated cost is nearly alike
different routes the features Of the ground,
far they would affect the cost of construction OF rail-
road nearly identical the advantages of the new
line depending upon other considerations already enume
rated.
Similar remarks may be applied to the estimated cost of
the two routes between the plains Of Los Angeles and San
Francisco though the coincidence there is not close the
character OF the ground being such as would cause diff
ference Of expense in the roadbed formation In addition
TO his results the officer in command of this party has
presented those of instrumental from San Diego
bay through Warmers pass to the Colorado desert made
under the auspices of the San Diego and Gla Railroad
Company.
The engineer Of this company estimates the cost of
railroad this route from San Diego TO Fort Yuma,
distance 1891 miles at S757l5O0 onehalf Of this dis
tanee being estimated at Sl46l5 per mile and the other
half sos 0s5 per mile These estimates much less
than those contained in the reports of the officers of this
department for routes passing similar ground.
Either standard of cost per mile applied to the routes
from Fort Yuma TO San Diego, and from Fort Yuma 10
San Pedro through the San Gorgona Pass gives about
the total amount Of cost for each route The line
TO San Diego forms the shortest route TO the Pacific the
distance being from Fulton to San Diego 54s miles and
from Fulton to San Pedro Bls miles II the final termi-
Of Pacific railroad is TO be San Francisco the route
through the San Gorgona pas San Pedro is preferable
that TO San Diego since the former port about 100
miles the TO San Francisco.
The party directed to explore the country between the
Sacramento and Columbia rivers with view TO ascertain
the paetcability of connecting their valleys by railroad
examined two routesone east the other west Of the Cas-
cade range.
The former accomplshes the passages of the
chain OF the Sierra Nevada by following Pitt river The
route then traveTses sterile plateau, elevated from four
TO ve thousand feet above the the head of the Des
Chute river Serious obstacles the construction of
and Upper klamath lake wood and water sufi-
centy abundant. The deep In which the Des
Chute river and Its tributaries flow render II mpraccabe
for railroad to follow its valley TO the Columbia river
practicable although difficult pass examined through
the Cascade range Diamond Peak by which the road
reach the Willamette valley the route through which
to the Columbia is very favorable the of
railroad The roate west of the Cascade through
the Willamette, Umpqua Rogue river, and Shasta valleys
IL proved to be favorable than had been anticipated
and had not the smaness Of the party and its inability TO
obtain escort during the existence Of Indian hostes
prevented lateral reconnossances appears probable that
practicable line Fort Reading would have been found
taversng for nearly the whole distance fertile and in